Artist Spotlight: Marina Bychkova

Marina Bychkova's porcelain creations are well known in the high end collector's market. Her aesthetic is timeless, and her talent limitless. I have been a fan since I saw a picture of her dolls pasted on the inspiration board for Basso S/S 09 (The design house I work for.)

I have a lot of fun reading her blog-- her latest entry was about recreating an outdoor photoshoot, indoors. Aside from being a phenomenal artist, she is a brilliant writer.



The thing I love the most about her dolls is their timelessness, she truly creates them to be heirlooms--to outlive their owners. Reading about her process is fascinating--each porcelain doll goes through several stages of firing, and are strung together using industrial steel. Each joint is lined in suede, enabling the doll to maintain her pose.

Check out Marina's work at Enchanted Doll

*Photographs by Chad Isley

Doll Preview

Here are two more Kouklitas in the works. Both are dressed dolls. Stay posted for their individual shoots and ordering information.



Bianca

The Lady Marjory

Integrity with Style.

Bravo to Integrity Toys! Every new collection tops the last. They are one of the only fashion doll manufacturers that continues to sell out their product before the dolls arrive to the dealers and stores.



They breathed new life into Gene Marshall, bringing a 20th century movie star into the 21st century. Madra Lord also made her dramatic return, pictured above with jet black hair and a gorgeous face.



Their Fashion Royalty line is continually astounding in its quality and attention to detail. They truly bring high fashion to the doll market, like the Burberry reference via Pierre De Vries.



And I'm also excited about their new Hollywood Royalty collection. They did a spot on Lana Turner last year, and they are coming back with a gorgeous Josephine Baker.

Integrity toys is truly living up to their name.

Duo Debut

Meet the first two dressed dolls available in the Kouklita Collection. Each doll is hand sewn, stuffed and crafted with many hours of love and attention. They are made from muslin and stand at about 26" tall.



Veda is a clever fashionista who's style can be described as High Street meets Harajuku. Her scarlet red hair is an attached wig handmade from mongolian lamb, complementing her turqouise eyes and sideways smile.

Her dress breaks down into about three looks. The overskirt is constructed from over 40 swatches of Ralph Lauren houndstooth and check wool, hand shirred and attached to black silk taffeta; it closes with a wide waist sash and doubles as a halter dress as pictured below. The dress underneath is made from additional wools, pieced together in squares, with a silk tulle bubble petticoat.




Accessories include a pair of crocodile boots, bobby pin, bracelet, a tulle hat that doubles as a shoulder wrap, and a scarf with brooch. Prices are available upon request.


Bonnie is a modern Irish princess who is always trying to be a little edgy, despite her massive trust fund. Her copper wig is attached and styled into a mound of curls with just the right fringe for her feathered lashes.



Her gown breaks down into about five looks. The overskirt is made from a soft wool tartan, with two rows of pleated ribbon and double ruffles -a row of plaid on top of black silk taffeta. A 4" band of horsehair is attached to the bottom of the skirt. The sash is a dark green grosgrain ribbon. It may also be worn as a dress alone (not pictured).



When the pleated tartan under-dress is worn as on top of the overskirt instead of the petticoat, the gown becomes floor length.




When worn alone, with or without the shoulder wrap that doubles as a scarf, the short dress brings out Bonnie's inner punk. Her accessories include fishnet gloves, and crocodile boots.