Ready-To-Wear-Boutique
One of the products with the biggest "buzz" among collectors is the Tyler Wentworth® Ready-To-Wear Boutique™. The Boutique consists of classic clothing pieces to mix-and-match. The collector can create their own outfit with the dozens of combinations available, for both day and evening wear. Fabrics used in this collection include silks, linens and faux suede, and the collection harkens back to the days of the vintage Barbie "pak" clothing, which was also for mixing and matching. Of course, the collection is done in up-to-date colors including "tangy tangerine, passion lime, tickled pink, and the classic tones of Tyler's signature black and white". The collection also includes the well-known Tyler Wentworth custom knits. All separates are limited editions of only 1,500 pieces each, and they retail from $14.99 to $34.99 each.
Tyler Wentworth® Ready-To-Wear Saucy
To go with the new Ready-To-Wear Boutique is a new Tyler doll--Ready-To-Wear Saucy. Available in three hair colors (mink, red, and blonde), Saucy features the new ultra-articulated body, with side-to-side rib cage movement, swivel waist, bent knees and arms, and rotational hip joints that allows Tyler to be posed in endless ways. This doll is an annual edition, and she retails for $59.99, far below the price of any other ultra-articulated Tyler dolls produced.
Tiny Anne Estelle by Mary Engelbreit®!
Another innovative doll is the Tiny Ann Estelle by Mary Engelbreit®. The best thing about Tiny Ann Estelle (aside from her impossible cuteness!) is that she can share clothing with Tiny Betsy McCall. The dolls that are being released for this fall are all dressed dolls (no separate clothing) and the doll features a new head sculpt by Robert Tonner. She is priced slightly higher than the Tiny Betsy McCall line, with dressed dolls from $59.99 to $79.99.
Miss America 2003
The Miss America line of dolls showcases dolls in the spirit of the Miss America pageant. The dolls are 18-inches tall, vinyl/hard-plastic with rooted hair, and they will all feature bent knees, swivel waist and rotational hip joints for posing. Miss America dolls can also share clothes with Tonner Doll Company's popular 18" Kitty Collier™.
New Tiny Betsy McCall and Tiny Kitty Gift Sets
Tiny Betsy McCall® celebrates her two favorite holidays with special trunk sets. One set is a Christmas set, and the other a Halloween set, both limited to 2,000 pieces and retailing for $139.99. Tiny Kitty Collier is also getting a holiday gift set--the Christmas Hat Box Gift Set, in a small edition of 1,000, retailing for $149.99.
New Tonner Dealer Ordering Policy Creates Controversy
The one part of the Fall 2003 Tonner line that is not bringing smiles to the faces of some collectors and retailers is the new 2003 Tonner Doll company ordering policy. For past collections, the Tonner company has allocated popular dolls--meaning that if there was an extremely popular doll, retailers would be allocated a number of dolls, so that they would usually get at least a partial order of the most popular dolls. Now, large doll accounts are being allowed to order first--more than 3 weeks before most accounts can order at all--and dolls are being sold on a first come, first serve basis. That may mean that some retailers may get NONE of a popular doll at all, disappointing long-time, loyal customers, or causing those customers to have to shop elsewhere for their dolls. This doesn't seem fair to smaller doll shops (or their customers) in the current tough doll market and economy. We'll speak to the Tonner Doll Company about this at the UFDC convention next week, and report further on the new policy from convention.
