Barbie Cool Trends Fashion Designer 1996/1997

When I was ten I saw the Fashion Designer for Barbie doll. I loved to see the fashion for Barbie in the stores when I was younger than 10. I had my problems to choose one of the fashions I had in my hands. I always wanted to have all of them. This was seldom possible. Fashions were expensive in Germany. I liked the idea to design own clothes for Barbie but I was never able to do it in my childhood. In search of new sewing patterns the Cool Trends Fashion Designer came into my mind several weeks ago. Two or three weeks ago I won an auction. I got it for an incredible price. In the envelope was more than I expected. Even the textile paper was there and it has never been opened.

Barbie Design Set for children

The reason I bought it was the chance to get new patterns. The fashion patterns themselves are saved as .bfd – files.  I have been looking around to find a program for convert or open the stuff. The format seems to be so obscure that you find nothing about it online. I have an old PC where I could install the software without problems. The only solution I found for getting the sewing patterns was to print them directly. I have the chance to use several printers. One of them did print the pattern. So I was able to try the patterns. They are printed in the right size but you get no measures and no description about the number of pieces of paper that you need for one specific outfit nor where to put the second or third part it. I think I have to guess in the next weeks and just try my best.IMG 4615

IMG 4616

 

 

Byron Lars – the first dolls

Today I gonna open my treasure chest again. What may be inside ? It’s the first series that Byron Lars made for Mattel in the late 1990’s. I must tell you that before this series no Afro-American Barbie doll was released in Europe.  I think it’s because the percentage of Afro-Americans living here. The percentage is very low and there was no reason why  no ethnic dolls were back then on the German market.  Few collectors, who had relatives in the US, were able to get them. In times before Internet was used as a source to buy dolls, getting AA Barbie dolls was hard. Now we also have books in which we can look them up.

The situation changed when the first Barbie dolls by Byron Lars were available.  From this series I own Cinnabar Sensation (CC version, only doll available in AA version and CC  version), Plum Royale and Indigo Obessession.  In my collection In the Limelight Barbie is missing but I didn’t really like her.

Indigo Obession Barbie

Indigo Obessesion (close up)

Indigo Obession

Plum Royale (close up)

Plum Royale

Cinnabar Sensation (close up)

Cinnabar Sensation

Gold Jubilee Barbie

Finally after at least 10 years I was able to find the Gold Jubilee Barbie in Europe. She was made for the 35th Anniversary of Barbie in 1994. Only 7000 Barbie dolls were made for the market. Back then she was a very limited doll. She looks very typical for a Barbie doll for the 1990s dolls. She has rooted eyelashes and a very opulent dress. She also has a very extraoridinary box. I’m so happy to have her in my collection now.

Gold Jubilee Barbie

Gold Jubilee Barbie

Gold Jubilee Barbie

Gold Jubliee Barbie