Why Some Collectors Just Flip Over Customized Barbies | Dolls

Customizing Barbies is a mixture of vision, art, painstaking work, and clever display.  Why some collectors just flip over customized Barbies may be hard to understand until you realize what all goes into the process itself.  For those who turn up their noses at these dolls, the usual rationale is that they are little more than a played with doll, where the adult collectors did a bit of hairstyling, added a new dress, and maybe added some accessories from a different doll.  While in essence this may be correct, it is also a much too simplistic view of the entire process, and should not be mistaken for such.

As a matter of fact, customizing Barbie dolls is serious business!   Just take a look at the steps that are quite often involved.

A doll is first stripped of her makeup and then has it changed. Even if you start with a slightly damaged doll head, you will be able to change the makeup on the face.  This requires great accuracy as well as the proper equipment. You may need to purchase the smallest high-quality paintbrush you can find at the local paint supply store, but you may have to further cut it to make it even smaller. Additionally, acrylic paints are probably the only paints you will want to work with. This will permit you to change the color of her lipstick.  It will also allow you to redraw the doll’s eyebrows, which is a very hard feat indeed.  Practice drawing eyebrows on cheap Barbie or other doll’s faces before you head over to the doll that you are customizing.

A doll will have her hairstyle – and perhaps even hair color – changed. Perhaps the original doll needed some restorative work done on her hair, and the collector will go ahead and carefully wash the hair.  This cannot be done with harsh detergents but instead will require the use of hypoallergenic cleaners and also fabric softener to leave the hair manageable. The still wet hair can then be set with the help of straws that can act as curlers.

A doll will receive a new outfit, usually handmade by the owner. These outfits truly hold fast to the idea that the sky is the limit.  Outfits may be glamorous hand-sewn eveningwear, ball gowns, period costumes, or simply season-specific outfits. Add to this the various accessories that a customizing collector may use to deck out the dolls with, and you will be awed at the creativity some artsy collector’s show.

So why do other collectors flip over these creations?  Easy – they are a one of a kind creation! Here are some other reasons.

Some customizers have solid reputations in collecting circles, and their customized creations are actually considered to be works of art rather than just dolls with some added accessories.  Collectors may want to own an original masterpiece by one of the many reputable and well-known people in the business.

Just like paintings and sculptures, these customized Barbies are considered to be works of art.  While an art collector may not find them irresistible, a Barbie collector in search of the one in a million masterpieces will.  Add to this the possibility that it may serve as a centerpiece for a themed collection, and you will understand why a doll with a period costume may be a coveted collector’s item.

Some collectors actually specialize in customized Barbies.  They may collect themes, period pieces, or go after certain accessories, such as Barbies in sleighs or Barbies with pets.  Whenever something comes along that fits into this category, they will enter into the most bitterly fought bidding wars to gain possession of these rare pieces.