Hollywood Dolls

I searched couture images everywhere this afternoon looking for a style that could have been the inspiration for Anja's gown. There are plenty of hem lines that are shorter in the front. The photo below shows last season's Avantguard "Hot to Trot" in profile compared to "Regal Solstice."

Hot to Trot and Regal Solstice

Another collector sent me this image of a Balenciaga design which certainly inspired "Hot to Trot."
The Dior below has many design similarities and may be the closest couture item that could be identified as inspiration for Regal.
I could not find the shape of the bodice which resembles opened petals that stand away from the body. I'm starting to think that the factory may not have interpreted the look properly. I believe the images we were presented with are prototypes.
The Valentino dresses below show a wrapped style that could be related to Anja's gown as far as the gathered, ruffly upper part. But these dresses have a closer fitted bodice that is very flattering to the female body and works with the rest of the fashion. Hopefully, there will be an adjustment in the bodice on the finished product for Anja.


If I could sew really well, I'd fit the bodice to the body more closely. Then I would add many more layers of tulle under the chartreuse as can be seen in the black/yellow Dior above. I'd get rid of the black straps that look like a bra and pick up one of the brighter colors.

I give the designer/s an A for effort. Now if only the factory could interpret the designers' wishes to provide us with an edgy as opposed to messy fashion.

Some Armani and Dior eye candy for your enjoyment follows:

A while ago the editor of Grazia India, Nadnini Bhalla contacted me about doing a photoshoot with my fashion dolls for the magazine, with them wearing miniature outfits created by Indian fashion designers. She said she loved my Vogue mock up covers and wanted to make something in that context for the photoshoot. Of course I agreed and started planning the whole thing. After a while, the outfists arrived. Opening the garment bag of each one was a surprise: the worksmanship was incredible. The designers, with only a basic pattern to help them had made miniature miracles. Some of the outfits had miniscule accessories with them, which made them even more incredible.


Not all the outfits were made in the exact doll sizes I had provided. Some were too big or too small to fit on either 12" dolls or 16" dolls. But with the help of pins and proper posing, all of them were finally photographed by me with my dolls wearing them. From a huge number of photos, I picked soem and sent them over to have the magazine editors finalize the selection and layout. When this was done, it was ready for printing. The issue was out in May and it was a huge 12-page spread exclusive. I am publishing the results here and hope you like them! In future posts, I will feature each and every dress seperately, with facts about the designer, the specific dress and also photos of the original outfit on the runway. Enjoy!







I would also like to thanks Nandini Bhalla (senior editor), Nidhi Jacob (editor) and Rajni Phatak (accounts) for their incredible help and collaboration and coordination of this dream project! Grazia India is in great hands!















The shoot was also published in an indian blog about fashion, High Heel Confidential. The photos below of the magazine pages scanned are from that blog as I still have not received the magazine to scan them myself.



All photographs for Grazia are not to be published in any other form, in print or electronically without permission from the magazine and me. Photos published by special permission of Grazia Magazine.