A Kentourage for Ken by Pat Henry, Editor of Fashion Doll Quarterly

Article reprinted by permission of the author, Pat Henry. I have added the pictures below.

A Kentourage for Ken

 As we continue to celebrate Ken’s birthday as well as his reunion with Barbie in 2011, it is fun to look back at Ken through the years and his many styles of dress. Certainly, his place as Barbie’s consort meant a lot of coordinating looks. “Dreamboat” by itself is just a few pieces of sportswear, but putting Barbie and Ken in the roadster while Babs is in “Open Road” becomes an entire narrative.

Certainly, the matching cheerleader/football player is a classic, as is the costume party pairing of “Pierrot” and “Pierrette”, along with the fantasy driven costumes for the Little Theatre, like “Cinderella” and “The Prince”. But to me, the realistic and well made details of “The Yachtsman” or “Rally Day” reminds me of my own father’s wardrobe. The smell of after shave and soap, along with the classic lines of a striped tee shirt, or a driving cap and a Macintosh raincoat, combine to form a tiny time capsule of early sixties high style, when men (and women) still dressed for work and play with a certain sensibility.

Of course, Ken continued to stay abreast of the fashion times. After disappearing for a while during the sixties, Ken made the first of many comebacks with a brand new look. Now, he was “buff” and fit, ready to hit the beaches of Malibu as a blond, or take up extreme grooming with newly rooted hair and sideburns. His clothes stayed apace with Barbie’s; the prints became louder, the pant legs wider. Ken sported turtlenecks more often than ties, and left best bud Allan behind for Brad, a much hipper dude of color. Ken embraced rock and disco, sports cars and guitars.

At this time, I remember more of my male friends actually being allowed their own Ken dolls. Whether they wore their mothers down, or they just swiped their sister’s dolls, it didn’t seem like such a big deal to play “Barbies” with the neighborhood girls. (That may have been due to our stealing their G.I. Joes, but that’s another story for another time.) These dolls were no longer just Barbie and Ken, they were secret agents, astronauts, and rock stars, reflecting our growing interest in pop culture and the adult world around us.

Depending on your age, you probably have your favorite Ken. Mine was the first “Talking” Ken. I thought he was just dreamy. His dazzling smile and his groovy short-sleeved Nehru jacket was just fabulous! But there are so many other Kens for different times and different generations that must be represented, so I recently flew to Los Angeles and headed to El Segundo for a special photo shoot featuring the entire “Kentourage”.

Not only was it a thrill to work in Mattel’s photo studios, but also everyone had a favorite Ken and a story to go with it. Paul Jordan shot an amazing group photo that will become a centerfold spread in our special issue of FDQ, and the soundstage set looked like something from the MGM lot. Mary Jordan did the styling, placing each Ken perfectly on set, looking as though they were talking and interacting with each other. Lars Auvinen is the secret star of these shoots. He designs the sets, and molds and paints tiny pieces of wood and foam into the astounding miniature world that Ken resides in.

In an era where everyone assumes “it’s Photoshoppped”, it is truly a treat to see a full scale set with tiny phones, working doors and a boom camera hanging over the dolls’ heads as if they are actors ready to go on set. Make sure you get to see this amazing photograph in FDQ and on the Barbie Collector site. It’s part of Ken’s history and something to cherish.
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Pat Henry is the publisher and editor of Fashion Doll Quarterly. She is a former fashion stylist and Adjunct Assistant Professor at New York City's Fashion Institute of Technology in the Photography Department. Pat lives in NYC with her husband Hal and their fox terrier, Bo, and a large assortment of fashion dolls and action figures.

Barbie as Grace Kelly

BARBIE AS GRACE KELLY - "TO CATCH A THIEF GRACE KELLY" 2011   
I love the gown; the doll, not so much. She's probably sewn into it. But I would buy it for the fashion anyway.  SRP $39.99

Grace Kelly is a global icon—a famous princess, bride and an Academy Award-winning actress who starred in the 1955 romantic thriller, To Catch a Thief. Grace Kelly looks stunning in her blue gown inspired by the opening scene of To Catch a Thief, set in the French Riveria. This dress truly captures Grace's elegant style.

Barbie 2011 BARBIE BFMC GRACE KELLY BRIDE GOLD LABEL Collection 
I would love to see a real-life image of this doll.  MSRP $179.99  Holy Crap

One place to pre-order with a 30% deposit is Angelic Dreamz.

In doing a thorough (?) search for the trousseau prices last night I came across a low pre-order price of $129. As always, do your research. Lower prices can mean higher shipping in some cases.
Ridiculously over-priced IMO.

Not Your Ordinary Easter Bonnet and Passover Chatchkas

The current issue of FDQ has a piece I wrote on Cisca Durieux's handmade hats. You will enjoy the pictures and story.  I also recommend buying the magazine as this issue is very interesting and has lots of eye candy. There is a broad range of dolls written about and photographed by a terrific assortment of writers. 
These are some of the hats being featured.

PETA's on the way.

The next picture is a cute one that I put together several years ago when I found that I had loads of red and black accessories. Hats are mostly Fashion Royalty with a La Boutique, a Mattel and a Tonner.

Then there's always the tiniest hat.

Definitely not an Easter Bonnet

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There's no way to compare Passover to the overwhelming pastel-ness of Easter and the supplies available.  I love Peeps and I love the colors in the supermarket aisle prior to Easter. The foil wrapped eggs, crinkly grass, giant chocolate rabbits, baskets filled with Easter joy...hippity, hoppity...and all that. It's quite the distraction from the origin of the celebration.

For Passover one sees paper covered shelves in the markets, sliced fruit jellies, matzo meal or potato flour based pastries (blech) and mountains of matzoh boxes. 


Here are three items being offered by Amazon.Com. This item comes up in 90% of the results of a Google search for Passover dolls.  This is a doll?

The Dancing MATZAHMAN

 I do like the bag of frogs , the Ten Plague finger puppets and the plague masks.  That's irreverent and funny. I'm picturing a photo shoot right now with frogs overrunning a group of dolls.

My favorite of all is the Passover bag of ten plagues. I wonder if these can be considered Jewish VooDoo dolls.
You can even get your plagues in a reusable mesh bag! Yay.

An essential Passover toy with which you can display Matzah Man is the Deluxe Soft Seder Set. It contains all your Passover needs. Visit friends. Travel. Have plush seders year round.

Contains: plush kiddush cup, 3 matzahs, ke'arah (passover plate), zro'ah (shank), beitzah (egg), karpas (vegetable), charoset (mixture of crushed fruit represented here as an apple), maror (bitter herb), and chazeret (another bitter herb represented here as lettuce) all in a handy plastic carrying case.

 Don't make me call you chametz.

Not Doll Related: A Passover Reflection on Middle Eastern Freedom

Shimmering Touch Cissy AA on Sale

It's rare to see a NRFB Cissy go on sale for less than $199. Today the Doll Market is offering their last Shimmering Touch Cissy AA doll for $179.97. She's an LE of 150 and they have only one.

Just for fun, do a search of the web and see the wildly varied prices for this one doll.  The Doll Market is the low price. Katherine's Cottage is one of the highest at $399.99.

Remember, Cissy dolls usually carry a higher shipping price.

There is one one on eBay right now for $199.95 with free shipping.  That's a great deal, too.

Tonner Convention in One Month

It's one month away and there are only 6 spots left.  Click on the logo above to go to the information page for the Tonner convention.

Accidental Shopping? The Tin Man and Heart on My Sleeve

A few weeks ago, another collector and I made plans to have a dolly day at my house. That day was Saturday. She had never been to the Tonner store which is only 11 miles from me. Coincidentally, they were having a tent sale at the store. Seriously. It wasn't planned at all. So what were we supposed to do? Not go? Not shop? Get real.

Under the tent were the 50% off items. There was some of everything. We didn't get there until about noon. We heard that the line had been long prior to the opening and it was crowded. When we arrived, it was fairly empty but there was a ton of merchandise.  I was good; I left some stuff there and only purchased three dolls and three fashions.
One of the three dolls I purchased was a re-imagined Tin Man character called "Heart on My Sleeve." When I originally saw the Ladies of Oz, I thought they were so creative.

Tonner Image

My favorite was The Tin Man but I didn't love the ultra-white skin. Guess what? The production doll has plain ordinary Caucasian skin color.  Yay.  I did not see any of the others at the sale. Inside the store was a long, long table area piled high with bagged dolls that were more than 50% off. That's where I found her.

Reminder:  You can click on the small pictures to see them full sized.

The costume is adorable. Look at these boots.

The platform is clear acrylic. They zip up the back. I love them!
 Even so, I'm looking forward to redressing her. She has a gorgeous face (Duchess sculpt) and beautiful red/orange hair. The body type is Antoinette.

She has my heart!

Lest anyone say that my posts are too short...here are more Tin Man dolls.
My favorite is this 8 inch one from Madame Alexander. So cute!

 Can you identify the rest?

It's Your Turn to Walk the Dog & The Good Ones are Married or Gay

My good friend Ed loaned me his Billy dolls to play with. I'm just getting started.

Left, Carlos Leather Man. Right, Billy Brunette Cop.  Billy Gay Dolls by Totem


About Billy Dolls

It's  your turn to walk the dog, dear.

The good ones are either married or gay.

Madame Alexander Does Tony Curtis in Drag

Tony Curtis as Joe AKA Shell Oil Junior by Madame Alexander
21 Inch Tall fully articulated Mr. Alexander Doll
Retail $749.95

Madame Alexander boldly goes where Mattel fears to tread. In this case it's not a male figure wearing a patterned sport jacket and pink shirt,

Sugar's Daddy Ken Mattel Image

 it's a dressed male figure who can be transformed into a woman:

MA Promotional Photos

As for his second look, the one where he dresses like a woman... all the components for his transformation are contained in his black suitcase that has a pink handle and Some Like It Hot logo.

MA Promotional Photo

 Included are: a short sleeved, black georgette 'flapper' dress that's trimmed with black sequin insets, black fringe at the hips and hem and a beige net inset at the neck. Black stretch mesh, elbow length, fingerless mitts, black thigh-high stockings, an auburn bob wig that features bangs and fits over the pompadour and a black velveteen headband trimmed with silver beads and a rhinestone star applique. In addition, Joe comes with black rimmed glasses, silver and rhinestone earrings, a silver and rhinestone choker with front looped detailing and of course, a gold saxophone.

In the 1959 Oscar winning movie, Some Like It Hot, Tony Curtis plays Joe and Josephine. The movie's background information is very interesting and lends importance to the fact that the MA company is forward-thinking in producing this doll. Remember, they produce many dolls for young children.

 It was released at the end of the repressive 1950s at a time when the studio system was weakening, the advent of television was threatening, and during a time of the declining influence of the Production Code and its censorship restrictions. Director-producer Wilder challenged the system with this gender-bending and risqué comedy, filled with sly and witty sexual innuendo (the "sweet" and "fuzzy end of the lollipop" represented oral sex), unembarrassed vulgarity, free love, spoofs of sexual stereotypes (bisexuality, transvestism, androgyny, homosexuality, transsexuality, lesbianism, and impotence), sexy costuming for the well-endowed, bosomy Marilyn Monroe, an outrageous and steamy seduction scene aboard a yacht, and a mix of serious themes including abuse, alcoholism, unemployment, and murder, among others. 

Marilyn Monroe As Sugar Kane Kowalczyk 
21 Inch Tall Fully Articulated Cissy
Retail $499.95

MA Promotional Photo

This is the character Monroe played in the same movie. What an outfit! If you have never seen MA Cissy outfits in person, you are missing a treat. Here is the description of this fashion:

She's wearing a smokin' hot 20's dress of off-white crinkle chiffon which dips to the waist in back. The nude mesh bodice of the sexy dress is enhanced with embroidered beads, sequins and metallic silver lace while the body of the dress is rich with metallic silver 'cracked ice' and silver bugle beads. A metallic silver applique on the left shoulder features strands of silver bugle beads that hang off the front and back of the shoulder. Off-white stretch lace panties, a luxurious, white 'fur' stole lined in white satin, a silver bracelet, silver and rhinestone earrings and, white satin pumps, with a silver metallic mesh overlay plus silver beads, completes the hot look for Sugar who comes with a ukulele.

Lots of collectors that I know just can't get past the baby-faced Cissy look. I was one of those. But after a few years of looking at pictures, I relented and got my first.  I have five Cissy dolls now. They can be very pricey and they take up lots of vertical space. If there is room in your collection for just one big doll, you might consider a Cissy. 

As with many dolls, prices can vary wildly, even on new issues or pre-orders. Do your research and happy hunting.

Dovima ~ Vera Wang ~ Barbie

Dovima is undeniably one of the best known super models of the past. Her name inspires images of glamour and grace and the finest fashion photography of Richard Avedon.

Dovima by Richard Avedon (Harper's Bazaar 1950)

 Vera Wang is a contemporary New York designer known for her trademark bridal gowns which have been worn by numerous celebrities in real life, in movies and on television.  Before opening her own salon in 1990, she was the senior fashion editor for Vogue for sixteen years. Early in her career she trained as a figure skater and participated in championship events.

Vera Wang Spring 2010

Wang and Mattel have teamed up to produce the Vera Wang™ Bride: The Traditionalist Barbie® Doll.  This doll was just released for sale on April 14, 2011 at the retail price of $159.99.  Edition size is 2,500. 


The gowns are very pretty. Unfortunately the stiff model body is just that, stiff. They're OK for those who will keep their dolls boxed. But for the rest of us who believe in playing with our dolls, the actual doll is useless. For $159. an articulated doll is a must. I don't care whose name is on the gown. You can get a doll wearing Jason Wu for that price and she will be completely articulated.

Dovima Gown

Buyers can opt to replace the Vera Wang standard packaging with a letterpressed monogram of their choice applied to the front of the doll box at no additional charge.


A previous Wang/Mattel collaboration produced this stunning gown which is beautifully photographed here by Rebecca Berry on an Elise FR2 doll:

Photograph by Rebecca Berry

The Romanticist by Vera Wang/Mattel ~ September, 2008 ~ Mfr.  Photo

The edition size of the Gold Label brunette bridal doll was under 9,000 and the retail price was $150.  The blonde was the Platinum Label version. I've seen asking prices for the platinum version in the $499.—$700. range. The brunette is easily available under $150.


A 1997 Vera Wang Barbie Bride Doll. Labeled 1st one in the series. Current prices range from about $99.—$199.

Will you be ordering the latest Wang Barbie bride?