Barbie Peek-a-boo Petites

It looks like Mattel has just released the Peekaboo Petites™ version of the Barbie® dolls through the decades, all in one set! Gift set includes six mini Barbie dolls: Barbie and the Rockers™, Brunette Bubble Cut™, Superstar Barbie™, Twist 'N Turn™, Malibu Barbie® and The Original Teenage Fashion Model®! I've been a fan of the Peek a boo Petites since the beginning, but these are absolutely a must have!!

Snow White & Sing Together Friends

No one loves Snow White more than I do, and with that said I've been following her progression back in to the toy world as Disney gets ready to re-release Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs from the vault. With that being said, Mattel just released a new Snow White doll that has a posable body with articulation in her arms and legs, plus light-up and sing-along features too! When you place the bluebird friend in Snow White's hand, the bird will whistle. When the bird is placed in her hand again, Snow White will sing a melody with the bluebird. On the third activation, Snow White will sing while her sleeves magically light up. A bunny and a chipmunk are also included. Although the little baby deer is by far the cutest! Unfortunately Snow White can not stand alone.

Monchichis

The Monchichi franchise is Japanese and held by the Sekiguchi Corporation, a famous doll company, located in Tokyo, Japan. Exportation of the doll line started in North America in 1979, where it was successful. Mattel bought the license for both the toy line and the TV series, localized as Monchichis. As recently as June 2008, Monchichis are still available in the United States in places such as Japan in Disney World's Epcot theme park, and hopefully they we soon be available again at mass. I LOVE LOVE LOVE these little guys. It reminds me of being a kid. :)

Barbie at Bloomingdale's

Barbie seems to be celebrating her birthday all around the globe,and lucky for me in New York as well. Bloomingdale’s on 59th will be helping Barbie celebrate by exhibiting 120 Barbies through the decades in 60 vitrines on the third floor, with some first editions valued between $25,000 and $27,000. From Feb. 11-22, Bloomingdale’s Third Avenue windows will be dressed in Barbie under the theme “My Boyfriend Is Back” and inside the store, a 242-square-foot Barbie boutique will display Barbie T-shirts, accessories, jewelry, DC Super Hero Barbies, a Barbie Book by Assouline, and the dolls, among other merchandise. There will also be an event with live Ken and Barbie models. Similarly, Bloomingdale’s SoHo will have window displays and a Barbie shop. IN addition to the Bloomingdale’s events for the first-ever Barbie runway show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week on Feb. 14, Barbie’s parent, Mattel Inc., has hand picked 50 designers, Diane Von Furstenberg and Anna Sui among them, to create looks inspired by the doll, some of which will be displayed at Bloomingdale’s. In addition, the first-ever Barbie store is set to open in Shanghai on March 6; an eight-story flagship in a former movie theater. The store comes equipped with a spa, a restaurant for the older girls as well. Perhaps the best part however is the strapless wedding gown that Vera Wang has designed for Barbie fro the bargin price of $16,000. For any woman who buys it, Mattel will also create a doll in her likeness in a miniature version of the gown! Interesting considering Barbie has never been married… hmmm.

Barbie and Ruth: The Story of the World's Most Famous Doll and the Woman Who Created Her

It looks like Barbie and Ruth have their own book just in time for Barbie's 50th Birthday.

http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780061341311/Barbie_and_Ruth/index.aspx

BOOK DESCRIPTION:


The tragic and redeeming story of how one visionary woman built the biggest toy company in the world and created a global icon.


Barbie and Ruth is the entwined story of two exceptional women. There's Barbie: the diminutive yet arrestingly voluptuous doll unveiled at the 1959 Toy Fair who became the treasure of 90 percent of American girls and their counterparts in 150 countries. She went on to compete as an Olympic athlete, serve as an air force pilot, work as a boutique owner, run as a presidential candidate, and ignite a cultural firestorm.


And then there's Ruth Handler, Barbie's creator: the tenth child of Polish Jewish immigrants, a passionately competitive and creative business pioneer, and a mother and wife who wanted it all. After a business scandal that forced Ruth out of Mattel, the company she founded, she drew on her experience as a breast cancer survivor to start a business that changed women's lives. She was ultimately honored as a pioneer, humanitarian, and masterful entrepreneur.


Based on original research, extensive interviews, and previously unavailable material, Barbie and Ruth tells the fascinating story of how two women forever changed American business and culture.

Barbie Turns 50!

Well it looks like Barbie is offically in her 50's. She made her first offical debut almost 50 years ago at the New York Toy Fair. I wonder what Mattel will have in store for her at this years show? Our beloved Barbie has taken on more forms than you can imagine over the course of the last 50 years, held over 110 careers, including president. On average 3 Barbies are sold per second!!! Go Barbie!

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/shopping_blog/2009/01/at-age-50-barbi.html

MGA Gets Breathing Room in the Bratz Case

http://www.playthings.com/article/CA6625884.html?rssid=78

The latest and greatest in the Mattel vs MGA saga.

New Barbie Thumbelina Line

Interesting how these mid sized fashion dolls make their debut right as MGA is getting ready to pull Bratz off of the shelves. Barbie's new line of Thumbelina dolls hit shelves just in time for Christmas. All of dolls seen here were featured in Barbie's new Thumbelina movie. I've posted all three of the dolls currently avaliable below. Chrysella is my favorite :)

Joybelle

Chrysella

Janessa

All dolls come with three sets of wings to mix & match.