Black Doll Collecting: May 2025

Thursday, May 29, 2025

2025 Birthday Dolls

This shipping box contained birthday gifts from my friend, Debra R.

In addition to the LeBron James Kenbassador doll that was an early, very much appreciated birthday gift this year from a doll friend, I received the doll-related items featured in this post from another close doll friend, Debra R.

The well-packed gifts

A beautiful birthday card was placed on top.

Debra used Barbie gift wrapping paper this year.

This is a group photo of the dolls and doll-related items.

Barbie Style Fashion Signature Doll #2 (box front)

The back of the box illustrates the contents.

The box flaps are open to show what's inside.

Released in 2020 and designed by Linda Kyaw-Merschon, the Barbie Style Fashion Signature Doll #2 gift set includes 1 doll, 5 fashions, 2 pairs of shoes, 6 accessories, a doll stand, and a certificate of authenticity.

This lovely doll uses the Goddess sculpt, has a petite Made to Move body, black rooted microbraids, and is dressed in gray knit two-piece underwear.

Two Barbie Dream Besties Brooklyn dolls were also in the package from Debra R., the debut doll, released in 2024, and the Skate Party version, released in 2025.

This beautiful Princess Tiana necklace is not a doll, but Debra R. knows I collect Princess Tiana dolls.

Barbie Pop Reveal Rise & Surprise

Barbie Fashion Fever Rockstar Nikki replaces the white Barbie that was originally inside the Pop Reveal Rise & Surprise container. (When a button is pressed on the handle, the top pops open and the doll rises.)

Barbie Fashion Fever Rockstar Nikki uses the Asha head sculpt.

Debra said Mattel did not make an African American Barbie Pop Reveal Rise & Surprise set. So, she replaced the original doll with Fashion Fever Rockstar Nikki.

Full-length view of Barbie Fashion Fever Rockstar Nikki

Nikki has straight brunette hair with bangs with fuchsia streaks, brown painted eyes, parted lips, painted teeth, and sparkly mauve lip color. Her original clothes include a white crop top with the word "Rock" and a guitar in graphic print, a silver lamé faux fur collared vest, a mini skirt made of black tulle, white lace, and faux leather that ties on one side of the waist with fuchsia cord. She wears black knee-high boots with fuchsia mock laces. Her jewelry includes a black beaded choker with a fuchsia G clef pendant, two fuchsia bangle bracelets, and one black bangle bracelet. Nikki has jointed elbows and wrists and click-bend knees.

Friends Forever Club Dolls clothes and wigs

Inside an orange Coach cloth cosmetics travel bag was a package of Friends Forever Club wigs and two packaged fashions.

This was a milestone birthday for me and was one of the best I've ever had, which was acknowledged in different ways by family, friends, and Internet associates. I also created an ACLU Foundation birthday fundraiser that almost reached the $200 donation goal.

The birthday card from my son assured me that reaching this milestone birthday is something to celebrate.

Underneath the card inscription, he wrote, Happy B-Day to the 'American Character ~~Tressy'~~ Debbie of Mamma's! And in a speech bubble, he wrote and illustrated, You're a collectible now!

I don't mind being considered a valuable collector's item nor being compared to the value of a Black American Character Tressy.

Related Post

LeBron James Kenbassador Doll

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All photos and text are copyrighted and cannot be used elsewhere unless permission is granted by the author.

©Black Doll Collecting/dbg

There are countless items to collect and write about. Black dolls chose me.

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Black Doll Enthusiast

I am a Black-doll enthusiast, doll historian, freelance writer, author of The Definitive Guide to Collecting Black Dolls; Black Dolls: A Comprehensive Guide to Celebrating, Collecting, and Experiencing the Passion; and The Doll Blogs: When Dolls Speak, I Listen.

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Tuesday, May 27, 2025

Barbie Fashionista #240's Hair Treatment

Barbie Fashionista #240's hair before conditioning

As discussed and illustrated in my previous post and the photo above, the ends of Barbie Fashionista #240's wavy hair appeared dry upon arrival.

#240 is prepared to receive hair treatment.

To remedy the dry appearance, I removed her clothes, wrapped a rubber band around her hair near the ends, secured a paper towel around her body with tape, and applied Salon Selectives Curl Stretch Cream and water to the hair ends.*

The pre-treated hair is banded near the dry ends.

The rubber band was removed, and Salon Selectives Curl Stretching Cream and water were combed through the doll's hair.

I combed the curl cream through and replaced the paper towel with a baby washcloth to protect the doll's body from the cream. I secured the washcloth with a hair clip. She stood inside a mug on the windowsill overnight to dry.

After drying overnight, the waves and curled ends appear more vibrant.

Next, she was redressed.

The curl stretch cream and water created curl definition and added sheen. *I could have used mousse instead, but I'm satisfied with the results.

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All photos and text are copyrighted and cannot be used elsewhere unless permission is granted by the author.

©Black Doll Collecting/dbg

There are countless items to collect and write about. Black dolls chose me.

__________

Black Doll Enthusiast

Thursday, May 22, 2025

Barbie Fashionistas #239 and #240

While I was on a hiatus from this blog in April, Fashionistas #239 and #240 were purchased. I wanted #239 because her Taya head sculpt was unfamiliar to me, and I believe this is the first time Mattel has used it on a doll with #239's complexion. Fashionista #240 has a new head sculpt with a copyright year of 2025. She uses a Curvy body while the cowgirl is on a Tall body.

A close-up (while still in their boxes) illustrates the dolls' pretty faces.

Ordered from Amazon, both dolls arrived in distressed boxes with scratches on the cellophane, making them difficult to photograph inside the box, but I did that anyway. I'm so glad I had no plans to leave them in the box.

In-the-Box Photos

#239 (full)

#239 close -- my pictures don't do her loveliness justice.

#240 in full view

#240 close-up--she is lovely, too, and appears to be a tweaked previous sculpt, but I can't put my finger on which doll she most reminds me of.

Out of the Box

They are free, and their boxes are discarded.

Both dolls have dark brown rooted hair. #239 has a side part with drawn edges (or baby hair). Both have brown eyes. #239's closed lips are frosty rose. #240 has an open smile with matte rose lips.

This photo from the back illustrates their hair length and texture.

#239's hair is silky, while the ends of #240's wavy hair appear dry. I'll add a dab of conditioner to see if that helps. #240 has a center part.

Side cutouts add a burst of style to #239's dress.

#239 wears a shimmery silver dress with cutouts on the sides and a fringed hemline with white high-heeled, mock-fringed cowgirl boots.

Her white cowgirl hat would look better on her if it fit her head properly.

I used a rubber band to hold the hat on her head.

#239's cowgirl get-up is completed by a white cowgirl hat; however, it doesn't fit securely on her head.

I separated the bodice from the skirt by pulling the skirt further down on #240's waist.

#240 wears a mint green and white check top and skirt with a ruffle attached to the lower bodice and at the skirt hemline. Why Mattel paired lavender shoes with the doll's clothing color is a mystery to me. She arrived holding a pair of half cat-eye sunshades.

#240 arrived holding her shades.

She wears her shades in this close-up picture.

I replaced the lavender shoes with a pair of mint green heels that perfectly match the green of #240's two-piece dress.

A rubber band allows #239 to hold it, hold it, hold it, hold it (her hat, that is). She doesn't have a fan, but her boots are on the ground.

The two ladies display well together.

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All photos and text are copyrighted and cannot be used elsewhere unless permission is granted by the author.

©Black Doll Collecting/dbg

There are countless items to collect and write about. Black dolls chose me.

__________

Black Doll Enthusiast

Tuesday, May 20, 2025

Mother's Day Doll

One of my Mother's Day gifts arrived in a reusable cotton backpack.

I asked for and received Nines d'Onil's Pippa for Mother's Day from my daughter. Pippa arrived in a cotton backpack. Nines d'Onil's beautiful logo is on the front of the backpack.

Pippa has green inset eyes.

She is an adorable 12-inch all-vinyl vanilla-scented doll with rooted brown curly-textured hair and green inset eyes.

Pippa is a cutie patootie!

Her adorable Nines d'Onil original tagged dress features my favorite color (peach), and her lace-up light green shoes are real leather!

Pippa has the usual 5 points of articulation. A version with articulated elbows and knees is available.

No attention to detail was missed in Pippa's creation, but quality is a trademark for most dolls made in Spain. I love her so much that I purchased her brother, Pippo.

Pippa's brother, Pippo, was shipped in a plastic bag (no box). My daughter said Pippa arrived this way, too. Thank goodness the mail handlers did not damage them.

Pippo was inside a bubble-wrapped clear plastic bag inside the blue plastic mailer.

He arrived less than a week after Mother's Day and is just as adorable as his sister.

Pippo and his dog

Just look at that adorable face. Yes, I had to have him, too.

Pippo, also 12 inches tall, has twisted strands of reddish-brown yarn hair, brown inset eyes, a pug nose like his sister's, and an adorable smile.

Pippo wears a tan and white striped knit shirt underneath a peach, white, and tan checkered shirt; blue jeans, and green leather lace-up shoes like his sister's.

He and his sister display well together, as illustrated next.

Pippo, his dog, and his sister

Here is a close-up of the too-cute fraternal twins.

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12-inch and 9-inch Mia arrived in December 2024 and in February 2025.

Nine d'Onil's Mia, in two sizes, preceded Pippa and Pippo's arrival. Between the two sculpts, Pippa and Pippo are my favorite.

Mia, Mia, Pippo, Pippo's Dog, and Pippa are seen in a group photo.

In a Muñecas, Poupees, and Dolls unboxing video, Allison Hernandez used the Spanish pronunciation, "nee-nez" for Nines and said her Spanish-speaking husband translates Nines d'Onil to Children of Onil. Pippa and Pippo are not included in Allison's video, which might have been recorded before they were released.