As part of the 10th edition of Firenze4Ever, LuisaViaRoma joins forces with Mattel to produce a limited edition Barbie designed by Japanese artist Hiroyuki Kikuchi. All proceeds will go towards the fight against breast cancer. The eBay Auction starts 12 Jan 2015. Firenze4Ever is a twice-yearly event hosted by LuisaViaRoma just before the Pitti shows in Florence.

Introducing Oriental Obsession Barbie, the latest addition to the Mattel family. The one-of-a-kind doll is realized by Mario Paglino and Gianni Grossi, members of Mattel’s special event team and the creative duo behind Magia 2000. The pair carefully crafted the doll’s oriental-inspired look based on images drafted by Hiroyuki Kikuchi. Hiroyuki Kikuchi is an art-director, illustrator and photographer. The Tokyo- native has curated important projects and campaigns in luxury sectors ranging from fashion to cars. Resident in Italy since 2003, he collaborates with major fashion, luxury and gourmet brands. His illustrations have been published in Vogue Italia and other international mastheads. 

Hiroyuki will create six different designs as part of the event at the LuisaViaRoma concept store over the first two days of Firenze4Ever. Inspired by the Oriental Zodiac, each of the pieces of artwork will be on display in store for the duration of Pitti Immagine. Only ten unique pieces have been produced, making Oriental Obsession Barbie a true collector’s item. The ten limited edition dolls will be auctioned off as part of Firenze4Ever 10th Edition and all proceeds will go towards the Anastacia Fund and the fight against breast cancer.

Internationally recognized singer/songwriter Anastacia has released a total of five studio albums and sold over 30 million records to date. A true survivor, Anastacia is a committed spokesperson for breast  cancer awareness who continues to share her own story and support others through her work with the Anastacia Fund. The Anastacia Fund was established through The Breast Cancer Research Foundation with the purpose of raising awareness and funds for research on breast cancer. After being diagnosed herself in 2003, Anastacia turned her effort toward the fight against breast cancer. The international superstar users her influence and public status to further the cause and is determined to help women take charge of their own health. Anastacia will represent the project, kicking off the auction at the LUISAVIAROMA concept store in Florence on Monday 12 January. The limited edition Oriental Obession Barbie will be auctioned on Ebay, with proceeds going towards the Anastacia Fund.

Magia2000, the artistic duo formed by Mario Paglino and Gianni Grossi, was playfully originated in 1999, during a warm sunny day, chaperoned by a playline Barbie sold as a magazine gadget. This way, the pure pleasure of play entered their adult lives.  They are creating these 10 incredible official Barbie dolls for Mattel Italy and LuisaViaRoma, following the design of the Japanese artist Hiroyuki Kikuchi. Their magnificently detailed craftsmanship and artistry is obvious once again in this latest of their creations.

A Wall of Dolls. Just this one sentence makes a doll collector salivate with anticipation, like the Pavlovian dog of science. But this is not about doll collector fancy. This is a charity affair. "The Wall of Dolls" exhibit in Milan was unveiled during menswear fashion week to help spotlight increasing violence against women, as WWD reported.

Fashion designers, celebrities, journalists and writers from Italy collaborated on this event. Fifty fashion designers, among them Missoni, Etro, Max Mara, Trussardi and Eva Cavalli are taking part with their own designed dolls. The beneficiary is human right association Intervita and other nonprofit organizations. The dolls are exhibited on a wall of the Cultural Center on Via de Amicis.

Intervita was founded in Milan back in 1999. According to their mission statement, "Intervita is a non-profit non-governmental organization for development cooperation, recognized by the Italian Ministry of foreign affairs; we are independent, non-denominational and apolitical." "Intervita works in Italy, Asia, Africa and Latin America to support children, women and local communities in the fight against poverty and inequality and to promote sustainable development." "Intervita collaborates with a network of other civil-society organizations to give the most vulnerable people a voice on the Italian and international political agenda, and we are involved in the main networks protecting children's and women's rights."

The Eva Cavalli doll was made by the talented Magia 2000 doll studio

The Missoni doll with the obligatory multicoloured stripes

Etro's doll with their characteristic prints

Matell released a few days ago a Collector's Barbie named Tokidoki. She is designed by Simone Legno of Tokidoki, a "liefstyle" company from Italy (funded by the Hard Candy make up brand owners from USA), with obvious Japanese influences. She is wearing a pink miniskirt, logo leggings and black top with signature skull heart and bones, carries a large bag from the brand, and accessorized with bracelets, a belt, and sky-high sparkly silvery shoes. The doll features trendy tattoos on her body (non-removable save using acetone) and a pink bob. She is also accompanied by her cactus friend, Bastardino (mongrel in Italian). Considered very trendy (bleh), she was a favourite of Barbie collectors everywhere.

You must have noticed that I rarely write about Barbie doll releases, unless they are something special (like the Pantone Barbie in the previous post). So why this one, since I do not even like her styling? Because she managed, in just a week, to become the bane of many parents in the US, even though she is not a toy. Mattel clearly sells her as a collector's doll, she's a Gold Label doll with no more than 7.400 dolls produced.  She even has a price tag of US$50, which makes her unavailable to most children. Still, many news outlets, from doll blogs, fashion blogs, twitter and even major fashion publications like Allure and news outfits like L.A. Times and CNN keep on reporting about parent's supposedly irate reactions to the doll.

The give-me-a-scandal-any-day UK newspaper Daily Mail even gets it all wrong as they mention that the doll is marketed to children. Sorry guys, get your facts right. Barbie Collector Dolls are for adult collectors and are not to be sold to anyone under 14 (written on the back of all Barbie Collector boxes). But who reads the fine print when they want to create controversy? Of course the doll is not only sold out (more are to be released in mid November from what I read) but her price in the secondary market has quadrupled.