A website devoted to the collection and dressing of 15” – 22” fashion dolls.
Featuring original doll patterns that fit such dolls as Tonner’s Tyler, Matt, Deanna, and American Models. Ashton Drake’s Gene, Trent, Madra. Madame Alexander: Alex dolls. Franklin Mint’s Vinyl Portrait Dolls.* including doll shoes, doll hats and doll accessories.
Welcome To My New Website!
My name is Joe Kowalski, for over 30 years I was costume designer for theatre, film and TV. I have a Masters of Fine Arts Degree in costume design and construction from the University of Southern California. My designs have been seen across the United States as well as London, Paris and Cairo, Egypt. I have been privileged to work with such stars as Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Dolly Parton, Brooke Shields, Bette Middler and many –many more. I have worked as a Costume Designer for professional theaters in the US and as a Professor of Costume Design at major universities across the country. I am now a 50 something year old man playing with dolls.
In 2003, I was forced into retirement by a bad back. In 2006, I found my first Robert Tonner doll, it was from the Harry Potter series, and I fell in love with his craftsmanship. This led me to collect other fashion dolls made by Mr. Tonner, Ashton Drake, Franklin Mint and Madame Alexander.* I loved these dolls and saw them as an opportunity to continue to be creative and still design though it might be in a miniature scale. I began dressing some of them in costumes and outfits that I designed. In 2007 I began sharing my designs with other doll enthusiasts by selling my patterns in my eBay store: Sister Mary Joseph’s Doll Bazaar. This has led to some great relationships with doll collectors across the United States and around the world!
I find the scale of these dolls a great size to design and pattern for, Tyler and Gene with their perfect “10” bodies and Matt and Trent with their great masculine form are big enough to do some interesting detail yet small enough to display a number of dolls in a small area. The new Athletic Bodies, characters and dolls of varying ages, in the same scale, have given me the opportunity to create a vast array of costumes from many periods and theatrical styles. I have created my own theater company that appears in my china cabinet and other vignettes around my home. You never know when you might see a scene from “The Merry Widow”, “The Pirates of Penzance”, “Camelot” or “Oklahoma!” being presented at my house.
Ingenuity is the key word in the world of theatre. As a designer; I have had to “create” clothing and accessories (hats, shoes, belts, canes, purses etc.) from historical periods and fantasy places that may not be readily available. I’ve been asked to design everything from historically accurate Elizabethan costumes to space aliens. Working with common fabrics and odd materials from the hardware store, craft shops or thrift shops became an everyday occurrence. I have drawn on this experience to make my creations in miniature.
Creating clothes for this size doll is a challenge in itself. Sewing and patterning techniques have to be altered to compensate for their ridged little bodies and small proportions. I am intrigued by making the right accessories in the proper scale to fit my little actors. Finding or making the proper size accessories can be an adventure! I have searched the web for sources and I am constantly experimenting with new materials and tools from other Craft-Arts (embroidery, beading, fabric painting, scrapbooking, jewelry making). I am happy to share my results with you in downloadable files available on this website.
See My downloadable files on Page 2
My interest in doll collecting has encouraged me to research and gather knowledge about all types of fashion dolls. I was honored to be asked to create a pattern for a publication celebrating the final chapter of “Gene” for the 2010 Gene convention. Recently I did a presentation for the local chapter of the UFDC entitled “Fashion Dolls: Working Girls”. I spoke on Gene and all her predecessors and her descendants, presenting a history of fashion dolls and their usefulness as fashion ambassadors and teaching tools from the 17th century to today.
This May I attended the Tonner 20th Anniversary Convention. I entered 5 dolls in the design competition and won! in 5 categories I have never been so happy in my entire life. Mr. Tonner is a wonderful and gracious man and was very complimentary about my designs.
I have found so many friends in the doll world and I hope to continue to do so with this website. I hope you enjoy your time here and find it useful and fun. If you enjoy working with these fashion dolls as much as I do this could be a fun and ever expanding place to check into from time to time.
Joe Kowalski
*I am not affiliated or connected in any way with any doll company. All of the designs are my own. The dolls named are merely the ones I’ve chosen to dress.
Below: Two 1st Prize winners! Tonner’s Edmund in “My Own Style” Teen Category and Tonner’s Ava Gardner in the “1950’s” Category
