“Ken is a really passionate and emotional guy and he digs that Barbie is such a formidable woman”— Michael Keaton

Disney/Pixar and Mattel Toys have unveiled an exclusive behind-the-scenes interview with heartthrob and star of new Toy Story 3 movie Ken.

Ahead of his starring turn in the highly anticipated three-quel, which opens in cinemas across the UK on 21 July 2010, Ken talks about his new role in the movie as well as what life is like for the world’s favorite bachelor.

According to Director Lee Unkrich, “The idea of putting Ken in the film just felt rife with comic potential.  Ken is a guy who is ostensibly a girl’s toy, and he’s also really nothing more than an accessory for Barbie.  He is no more important than a pair of shoes or a purse.  We figured he had to be pretty insecure about those things, and tried to tap into that as much as possible.  He’s really into clothes, being the ultimate fashion maven. He wears a different outfit in every scene in the movie.”

Barbie meets Ken; is this a Toy Story Love Story?

Michael Keaton provides the voice of Ken, a character he connected with from the start.  “He’s fantastic,” says Keaton. “I love this guy.  He’s emotional.  He’s crazy about Barbie and he’s got a lot of outfits—a lot of outfits.”

One of the true highlights of Toy Story 2 was the introduction of Barbie.  In Toy Story 3, she takes on an even greater role and meets the man of her dreams when she encounters Ken atSunnyside Daycare.  Like all great screen romances, this relationship has its share of challenges, but this one takes on some particularly fascinating twists and turns.

Mattel will release a Barbie & Ken Toy Story 3 Gift Set to commemorate the moment the world’s most famous toy couple met.  Barbie is sporting her glamorous dazzling blue all-in-one workout leotard, finished with pink leg warmers.  Meanwhile, style-conscious Ken looks dapper in a key look from several costume changes from the movie – a suave blue outfit complete with matching scarf and deck shoes.

“It’s impossible not to have fun with Ken and to take him as far as you can,” says story supervisor Jason Katz. “He’s this wonderfully insecure kind of guy.  We’ve played him as a mid-eighties California beach guy who’s very handsome but incredibly shallow and awkward.  And I think Michael Keaton has a way of playing that which is so awesome.”

The first Toy Story film was released in 1996 and a phenomenal success. Now fifteen years later, the toys are back as we see the return of some of some of the most well known toys in the world as well as some new ones.

Diamonds are a girls best friend!

Having personally created history making jewels for Academy Award-winning films and many of the worlds most influential women, its only natural that Canturi should apply his meticulous attention to detail to creating a piece that marries Barbie’s confidence and feminine style, and his timeless Cubism jewelry.

Stefano states, “I didn’t just want to cover her with diamonds, I wanted the jewelry design to pay homage to her modern yet timeless style, this is why I applied my Cubism design concept to her look. It is perfect for her.”

“With the launch the of the Barbie Basics collection here in Australia, we wanted a to give the launch a very unique Australian perspective, so we engaged Stefano Canturi to design the ultimate accessories for Barbie, an Australian pink diamond jewelry suite. Stefano’s signature style fits perfectly with the Barbie brand– modern, yet timeless.” Kate Carroll, Barbie Brand Manager – Mattel Australia.

Barbie® has never been married (she just likes to model wedding gowns for her designer friends)
Barbie and Ken are currently “friends” (but we hear he wants her back)
Barbie has never been pregnant (that was her best friend Midge)
Barbie’s “real” measurements are 5 inches (bust), 3 ¼ inches (waist), 5 3/16 inches (hips). Her weight is 7 ¼ ounces
There actually is no such thing as Caribou Barbie…BUT, there have been four “Barbie for President dolls”—Barbie has run as an Independent representing the Party of Girls
Barbie is a noun, not an adjective. Many people have adopted the Barbie moniker, but make no mistake, there is only ONE Barbie.
Because she’s plastic, Barbie technically has had “plastic surgery” on her face and body
Barbie once said, “Math class is hard!” but has since amended her stance to, “Math class can be hard, but not impossible!” Obviously Barbie wouldn’t have excelled in her science and math classes to later become a surgeon, dentist, baby doctor, zoologist and many other science-savvy professions.
Barbie released her own re-recorded version of the 90s hit song “Barbie Girl”
She’s a doll, people…

Barbie celebrated her 51st birthday this year

Although I do have a sneaky suspicion that the fact that Bratz have been obliterated from toy store shelves due to the lengthy and expensive court case between Mattel and MGA may have a wee bit to do with it!

Related articles by Zemanta

• Mattel posts surprise 1Q profit, helped by Barbie (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

Here is the Mattel blurb: “An icon of subtle sophistication and glamour, the Little Black Dress takes fashion to new extremes with the new Barbie Basics™ doll line. Personalize, customize and play with the 12 dolls, each representing a unique hair style, facial features, skin tone and dressed in the fashion classic, the Little Black Dress. To celebrate the beauty of accessorizing, each Barbie Basics™ doll can be personalized and customised in a way that represents every girls’ own fabulous style by using the ultra-chic accessory packs complete with scarves, purses, shoes and jewellery.”

And here is a YouTube video discussing the range

Who are you calling mad anyhow?

Gracefully molded of Silkstone®, a material that resembles the look and weight of porcelain, each doll is stylized in iconic costumes from the series, and comes with accessories true to their show counterparts. Don Draper wears his classic, polished red-lined suit and comes accessorized with a hat, overcoat and brief case; Betty Draper’s classic look is captured with unparalleled detail, from her faux pearl necklace to her pumps; Joan Holloway looks chic in a purple skirt suit and perfectly styled coif with her staple accessory – a pen necklace; and Roger Sterling is looking dapper in his monogrammed shirt.

Fans can get exclusive collectible sketch drawings of the “Mad Men” Barbie Collector dolls when the Season Three DVD was released on March 23, 2010 as each DVD set will include one of the four character sketches. The Mad Men: Season Three DVD contains all 13 episodes of the season and is also loaded with hours of special features including extensive commentaries and innovative featurettes that examine the historical events that shaped 1963.

The Barbie® Fashion Model Collection “Mad Men” Barbie® dolls will be available for a suggested retail price of $74.95. Available at BarbieCollector.com, amctv.com and select retailers.
I have to say I have never seen this TV show but the dolls look fantastic!

L’Enfant Terriblé, with green eyes, bright red hair in a side-parted ponytail and black nails, has an incredibly daring look

The Cissy fashion doll by Madame Alexander was first manufactured in 1955 and was described at the time as “the doll with the figure and features of a debutante, is the newest and most exciting doll in the world.” She featured a more adult body shape, arched feet for high heels and articulation previously unknown at that time. She was, in fact, the forerunner of fashion dolls as we know them, including Barbie who came along 4 years later.

It was with great interest then that I learnt Cissy was to have a makeover thanks to uber-designer of dolls Jason Wu and his unique talent and vision. The collections he has come up with are divided into two: the ‘NEOCissy’, which is futuristic and edgy and the more classic, 50′s flavoured, ‘Cissy Collection’. Both collections consist of three dolls each possessing an increased level of articulation due to 15 joints. The dolls therefore lend themselves to more realistic poseability and are 16” and 21” in height respectively.

Both Jason Wu collections will be available at FAO Schwarz and online at MadameAlexander.com as soon as August 2010.

Some of those who took part in the fashion show

The main event on the Saturday of Paris Fashion Doll Festival weekend is the banquet luncheon and the silent auction that precedes it. However the day was getting off to a rather shaky start what with all festivities of the previous night at ‘Disco 3000’ and we were running, or rather shuffling, somewhat late. We needn’t have worried, of course, as according to custom the Luncheon was running even later! After a quick reconnoitre of the auction dolls on display outside the main hall (which were lovely but luckily nothing I wanted to put a sum down for) it was time to find our table.

The table centrepiece dolls comprised of the formerly mentioned Astronaut Barbie repro and silver clad Tonner Friday Fosters. The other eight guests at our table were perfectly fine and the chatter was suitably doll related. The food, however, was far from fine, especially for us vegans, despite a promising salad starter. When our main courses eventually came it was simply a plate of vegetables and overcooked ones at that! The rest of our table seemed similarly displeased with the duck, which largely went half eaten. One of the table gifts was a Superfrock fan, which came in very handy as the room became increasingly tropical!

The events were entertaining enough with a slide show celebrating 10 years of Silkstone Barbie. During the slide show each table had to identify the original vintage Barbie inspiration doll or outfit behind the Silkstones in order to win prizes. Who knew that such a simple premise would lead to lead to dollgate! As so many tables had top scores there was a draw to choose

Paris exclusive Ellowynne Wilde

an overall winner and the prizes were suitably distributed. However it turned out that Kathy, the event organizer, had read out the winning score and not the table number, quelle horreur! The excruciating process of reclaiming the prizes and redrawing a new winning table then took place. Although one of the Barbie hatboxes prizes didn’t make it’s way back. Oops!

We were then treated to the fashion show, which was great fun, especially with the very cute children who took part. It was great to see all the effort people had put into making the matching outfits to their favourite dolls. Eventually it was time to distribute the other festival exclusoe dolls, Ellowyne Wilde and Antoinette, to those who had reserved them. The centerpiece dolls were eventually raffled off to lucky winners on each table and it was time to disperse and reconvene later that evening for the Superdoll museum opening.

ToCK on display in the salesroom. Photo courtesy of a wonderful Flickr friend

The last day of the festival was the show and sale and delegates from the festival had early entry in order to bag those bargains. The sales room was huge and quite daunting at first glance. The infiltration of newborn dolls into a Fashion Doll event was somewhat surprising and one attendee was even heard to say, “let me look at a real doll instead of dead babies” whilst gazing upon a Sybarite! The Sybarite in question was the exquisite ToCK, the spiritual sister of TiCK the Superdoll event exclusive from Disco 3000. She was a limited edition of 100 and most were sold at the event with the remainder on sale at the Superfrock site for a very short time a few days later. Unfortunately I was unable to get my hands on her on both occasions!

Oh well there is always next year as I can see that this Paris lark will become an annual pilgrimage for this particular doll observer…

A selection of festival souvenirs including Superdoll fan!

Well dear reader, as I am now safely back in the UK I thought I ought to put finger to keyboard and right a review of my first Fashion Doll convention. So here we have part 1…

The Paris Fashion Doll Festival 2010 took place at the Novotel Paris Est at the end on the Metro Line 3 in Bagnolet. Which is somewhere you wouldn’t normally find yourself for a weekend in Paris, I shouldn’t think, unless of course you happened to be a fashion doll lover! However the welcome there was friendly enough and the hotel modern and comfortable. We arrived a day early due to my birthday falling on the night prior to the main events but nonetheless there were still some ‘doll people’ already ensconced. My companion was particularly sensitive to spotting them, despite (or because of!) not being one themselves!

The first day’s events began on the evening of the 12^th March with the Superfrock breakout event ‘Disco 3000’. Registration began that afternoon. This is were we discovered that the promised convention exclusive Barbie had failed to materialise due to some error or other at the Mattel end. Instead we got to choose from several of the newer Barbie repros and we ended up with ‘Student Teacher’ and ‘Astronaut’ respectively. The rumour later was that the convention exclusive doll was to have been a colour variation Astronaut. That would make sense, I suppose, given the theme of the festival was ‘Haute Couture of the Future’.

The Superfrock Venus D'Royce medallion

There was quite a wait for that evening’s event to begin but then this was France and it would be rude to be on time according to the local custom! However, with a suitable level of anticipation, it wasn’t long until we were issued with small pink packages and silver wristband. Theses were the keys to getting our hands on the exclusive Sybarite doll later on that night. The packages turned out to contain necklaces, medallions in fact, of the Venus D’Royce moniker. Venus of course being the most famous of the Sybarite head sculpts. Charles Fegan and Desmond Lingard, the chaps behind Superfrock Ltd, then made their entrance, suitably attired in futuresque disco garb.

The festivities were really on now and as well copious champagne and cocktails we were treated to metallic trunked go-go dancers on the catwalk. Let us just say that there was plenty of audience participation! Then the real meat of the evening came around and TICK, the exclusive Paris event Sybarite, was handed out. She came presented in commemorative shipper decorated with Superdoll motif smiley faces. Plus a welcome handle for the onward trip home! Many of the guests were soon seen scurrying to survey their doll in the privacy of their rooms. However I chose to head straight to the bar and drew quite a crowd as I inspected my new gal.

The Superdoll becomes a smiley!

She is quite a beauty, I should tell you and I will be making a detailed review and taking more photographs for your viewing pleasure very soon. One of her key points are the compacts concealed in the soles of her shoes which were pointed out to me by none other than Desmond himself. There were to be four dolls in all presented over the weekend, TICK, TOCK, Slipper and Librium. The rest of the evening continued as it began and I can safely say, a good time was had by all!

To be continued…

The polls closed on February 10th and over half a million votes were counted! Barbie® doll’s 125th career, as selected by girls around the world is News Anchor! News Anchor Barbie® doll will make her debut this fall in a pink suite with black accents, a news folder, camera and a microphone and the “B News” logo.

But that’s not all! Consumers loudly campaigned for another Barbie® career. The winner of the popular vote is Computer Engineer. Computer Engineer Barbie®, debuting in Winter 2010, inspires a new generation of girls to explore this important high-tech industry, which continues to grow and need future female leaders.

“All the girls who imagine their futures through Barbie will learn that engineers — like girls — are free to explore infinite possibilities, limited only by their imagination,” says Nora Lin, President, Society of Women Engineers. “As a computer engineer, Barbie will show girls that women can turn their ideas into realities that have a direct and positive impact on people’s everyday lives in this exciting and rewarding career.”

To create an authentic look, Barbie® designers worked closely with the Society of Women Engineers and the National Academy of Engineering to develop the wardrobe and accessories for Computer Engineer Barbie®. Wearing a binary code patterned tee and equipped with all the latest gadgets including a smart phone, Bluetooth headset, and laptop travel bag, Computer Engineer Barbie® is geek chic.