What is IDEX?

Question: What is IDEX?

Answer: IDEX is a major doll show currently held annually in January in Orlando, Florida. The show is the first to premiere the yearly doll and bear releases from doll artists and companies from around the world and has been held since 1991. The show is attended by doll and toy retailers as well as collectors. In addition to the main show room, seminars, workshops, meal events, and lectures are available. Although the show was only held in Orlando from 2008-2011, other locations for IDEX (and an IDEX mid-year show) have included San Francisco and Las Vegas.

Over the past two decades, IDEX has evolved into the show that premieres new dolls each January--dolls at the show run the gamut from the largest doll companies in the world (Madame Alexander, Ashton Drake, etc.) to smaller doll and bear artists (Berdine Creedy, Kimberly Lasher, etc.). Hands-on classes (for a fee) are given in subjects including doll sculpting, reborn baby dolls and ball-jointed dolls. Lectures and seminars (often free) are sometimes available for doll retailers on subjects including marketing and the internet, and for everyone on the history of dolls and similar topics (although very few were held in 2011). For an additional fee, there are also "meal events" which encompass a meal or partial meal, program and souvenir doll for collectors and retailers alike.

Each year at IDEX, the DOTY (Doll of the Year) Awards are presented IDEX. In the past there have been charity or other doll auctions as well.

Many retailers write their shop orders for the year at IDEX since the show room is only "open to the trade" on Friday and Saturday morning (although many other events on Thursday through Saturday morning are available for collectors). Collector days for the show room are Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday.

In 2006 and 2007, an IDEX mid-year show was held in Las Vegas at the Rio hotel. No mid year show has been planned since. In 2012, IDEX will be held at the Renaissance at SeaWorld in Orlando.