Instagram is the medium of the moment for lots of celebrities and professionals alike: it's so much easier to share a photo of something you're doing or your newest creation than writing about it or staging an elaborate presentation. Especially if it can reach thousands of people in an instant. It is not surprising then that it has become the social arena of choice for fashion people. most notably stylists and models. Cindy Crawford is one of the original 90s supermodels that is active on the platform. Just the other day she posted a photo of a Barbie made to look like her:

Since there was nothing published about the doll from Mattel, I did a little on-line search and came up with the goods: the doll is an OOAK creation, It was presented to Cindy way back in 2003 at the CAAF (Children Affected By AIDS Foundation) benefit in Santa Monica, California. The doll is dressed in a Roberto Cavalli gown, the same one Cindy was wearing during the event.

I don't know what made Cindy remember the doll after all this time and post it again (in the text accompanying the instagram post she mentions loving Barbies as a child), but it sure made me wish for a series of dolls in the likeness of supermodels from that era: Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Tatjana Patitz etc. They would be the ultimate fashion dolls. One can only hope. And it doesn't have to be Mattel making them. Looking at you Integrity Toys.

Top photo courtesy of Cindy Crawford (Instagram), middle and bottom photos from Daily Mail/Wireimage

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

For 11 years running, an incredible alchemy takes place, bringing together, around a common goal, the worlds of Fashion, Art and International Cooperation. This meeting between the greatest fashion designers, artists and renowned jewellers gave birth to a major event: the Frimousses Creators.

Lanvin par Alber Elbaz - Lot n°39 Edith la parisienne 

For the 11th edition of "Frimousses de Créateurs", artists and designers reveal "Pari(s) Merveilleux" with a pun in using the word Paris, that can be also translated as "The Bet (S) Wonderful!" (Pari=bet, stake). The 2013 UNICEF France event pays tribute to the city of light, the one that hosts art and fashion icons alike, which is Paris of course.

Christian Dior - Lot n°28 Isis

For over 10 years , Paris is the setting of "Frimousses de Créateurs ", another way of contributing to the education and mobilization of the public for children's rights and protection. This major event in Paris enables UNICEF to fund immunization. Each year, designers and artists support a generous bet"": vaccination of the children in Darfur. With their imagination and creativity, each designer offers his version of "Pari(s) Wonderful": magical, incredible, turbulent, surprisingly generous... Among them, Olivia Putman, Eric Bottero, Richard Orlinski, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, Jerome Mesnager, Carlos Cruz-Diez and others, have agreed to join this solidarity action.

Chanel par Karl Lagerfeld - Lot n°14 La petite Coco

Globally known fashion Houses like Dior, Chanel, Vuitton, Gucci, Lanvin, but also independent designers like Jean Paul Gaultier, Alexis Mabille, Chantal Thomass, invest their talents to the cause. Artists from all over the world also contribute this year with an original work of art: -M- and Lisa Roze Ali Mahdavi, Lorenz Bäumer, Nicolas Saint Gregoire... 

Nicolas Saint Grégoire - Lot N°34 Eugénie

This year's exhibition will be held from November 26 to December 1 at the Petit Palais, a loyal partner of the event. The auction of these works, organized by Artcurial will be held on December 2 at 20:00 at the Four Seasons Hotel George V, a new partner of the event, and will be relayed through internet auctions Figaro.

Jean Paul Gaultier - Lot n°33 Yvette

If you go to the event's website, you can read more about each work of art (not all of them are dolls) and find out about the artist and the inspiration behind it. There is also an iOS app, a Facebook page and a Twitter profile. Warning: it's all in French.

Chantal Thomass - Lot n°11 Paris, c'est une brune

From 11th November 2013, 20 of the world's best architects and designers are presenting their version of a dolls' house in an exhibition and auction at Bonhams in aid of KIDS. Inspired by the dolls' house that Edwin Lutyens designed for The British Empire Exhibition at Wembley in 1922 – using a very traditional children's toy to display the very best of modern British architecture, craftsmanship, art and interior design – Cathedral Group has asked 20 contemporary architects and designers, in collaboration with artists and other creatives, to design and build a dolls' house for the 21st Century.

Each dolls' house will be designed to include at least one feature that makes life easier for a child with a disability. The dolls' houses will be exhibited publicly at Bonhams in November 2013 and auctioned at a high profile evening event in support of KIDS. The Architects' Journal is media sponsor for the project and both Quatro and ING Media will be publicising the project.

KIDS is a UK charity supporting disabled children, young people and their families. They run home learning programmes, specialist nurseries and crèches, short-break programmes for disabled children and a series of inclusive adventure playgrounds. They offer a wide variety of services to parents of children with disabilities and programmes for siblings of disabled children and young carers. You can read more about them here. 

Cathedral Group have pledged to raise £100,000 for KIDS to support their valuable work. Their staff have all agreed to personal fundraising targets and are working together as a team to raise the balance. Members of their team have run marathons, Tough Mudders, quiz nights, bake sales and cycled from John O'Groats to Lands End. They are already half way there.

 ADJAYE ASSOCIATES

 ALLFORD HALL MONAGHAN MORRIS

 AMODELS

COFFEY ARCHITECTS

 DEXTER MOREN ASSOCIATES

DRDH ARCHITECTS

DRMM

DUGGAN MORRIS ARCHITECTS

FAT ARCHITECTURE

GLENN HOWELLS ARCHITECTS

GUY HOLLAWAY ARCHITECTS

HLM ARCHITECTS

JAMES RAMSEY & LARA APPONYI

LIFSCHUTZ DAVIDSON SANDILANDS

MAE

MAKE ARCHITECTS

MORAG MYERSCOUGH & LUKE MORGAN

SHEDKM

STUDIO EGRET WEST

 ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS

Mattel joined forces with Janet Jackson to benefit Project Angel Food. They created a miniature replica of the singer wearing the outfit from her American Idol appearance this year. The doll looks gorgeous and she does look a lot like Janet. She is a one-of-a-kind doll and is currently being auctioned to benefit the charity. If you want to bid, check this link. But what does the designer Jackeline Gonzales have to say about this:

"What’s a doll to do when she’s face-to-face with multi-Grammy award winning artist and actress Janet Jackson? Swoon! That’s exactly what happened when I met Miss Janet, and I’m beyond thrilled to have been involved in look-alike doll project. Inspired by the ultra-glam black gown she wore during her 2010 American Idol performance, I knew we had to recreate that look for her one of a kind doll". 

Mattel Designer Jackeline Gonzalez duplicated the black gown, including the body-hugging cat-suit underneath that she revealed during her second, upbeat performance. Her gown is kissed with bling created by countless hand-placed Swarovski crystals. Even her mic is crystal-studded. Look closely dolls, Janet’s sassy, short hairstyle, unique face and body sculpt and face painting all meticulously duplicate the legendary singer’s features. Divinely Janet includes a certificate of authenticity and a unique display case for your superstar collectible.