During the 1980s, Sergio Valente jeans were "hot" in the minds of some. To this day I still love and wear denim jeans. They are a staple for me, but I never, ever-ever-ever wore Sergio Valente jeans or any others like them. The pocket design and gold bull's head-shaped logo on the sides of the pant leg are just not my style.
A decade later, after I began collecting dolls, and after reading Myla Perkins' Black Dolls, an Identification and Value Guide, I discovered African American versions of the Sergio Valente female and male fashion dolls. Back then manufacturers rarely took the time to create a unique head sculpt for black dolls when white and black versions were made. The Sergio Valente dolls typify the use of shared molds for all ethnicities.
Miss Sergio Valente had the potential for entering my collection, but the male never did. Even though both dolls have white facial features, the male doll screamed (in my mind) white doll painted brown. His 1980s, black, molded, Vinny Barbarino-style hair added volume to that scream. Fashion dolls were also of little to no interest to me at that time, especially none dressed in Sergio Valente (SV) jeans.
Of course, collectors' tastes change and I am no exception. I recently desired both dolls. Interestingly, I wanted the male more... probably because I'm on this dark-skinned playscale male quest. While finding black male dolls is not as difficult as it was in past years, it is still no easy feat, ethnically correct facial features or not.
I found Miss Sergio Valente first. She is shown in the following images along with close-ups of her SV jeans.
About a week following Miss Sergio Valente's arrival, I decided to conduct a quick Google search for the male (even though I had a saved eBay search already in place for him). Much to my amazement, that Google search result led me to a California pawn shop owner's auction page for the African American male priced at $9.99 (buy it now) or best offer. What-t-t-t? (I thought!) I didn't want to take a chance on attempting to get him for less, so I completed the buy it now and immediately paid the $14.99 total -- shipping was only $5. Woo hoo!
He is shown below, in close-up and full view, with his chocolate self, and I don't e-ven care if he's just a white doll dipped.
A decade later, after I began collecting dolls, and after reading Myla Perkins' Black Dolls, an Identification and Value Guide, I discovered African American versions of the Sergio Valente female and male fashion dolls. Back then manufacturers rarely took the time to create a unique head sculpt for black dolls when white and black versions were made. The Sergio Valente dolls typify the use of shared molds for all ethnicities.
Miss Sergio Valente had the potential for entering my collection, but the male never did. Even though both dolls have white facial features, the male doll screamed (in my mind) white doll painted brown. His 1980s, black, molded, Vinny Barbarino-style hair added volume to that scream. Fashion dolls were also of little to no interest to me at that time, especially none dressed in Sergio Valente (SV) jeans.
Of course, collectors' tastes change and I am no exception. I recently desired both dolls. Interestingly, I wanted the male more... probably because I'm on this dark-skinned playscale male quest. While finding black male dolls is not as difficult as it was in past years, it is still no easy feat, ethnically correct facial features or not.
I found Miss Sergio Valente first. She is shown in the following images along with close-ups of her SV jeans.
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| Miss Sergio Valente (1981 Toy Time Inc.) has a swivel waist, black-rooted bubblecut hairstyle, and brown painted eyes. She wears a pink polyester SV logo'd top and SV jeans. Her white high-heel shoes are enclosed in plastic, still attached to the box liner. (The reduced 1980s Toys R Us price was $2.98; I paid $9.99 plus shipping.) |
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| The Sergio Valente label is on a pocket; the bull's head-shaped logo streams down the sides of the jeans. |
He is shown below, in close-up and full view, with his chocolate self, and I don't e-ven care if he's just a white doll dipped.
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| "Oh, Oh, It's Sergio!" |
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| Sergio Valente the Male Fashion Doll, also has a swivel waist. (The original, circa 1982, Toys R Us Price was $5.97.) |
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| As illustrated on the back of the male's box, there were separately sold Sergio Valente fashions for the dolls. Click to enlarge for better detail. |
While I have welcomed the Sergio Valente dolls into my collection with wide open arms, I'll still never, ever-ever-ever wear Sergio Valente jeans or any jeans like them.
For readers too young to remember Sergio Valente jeans, I've included the following Miller's Outpost commercial.
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Follow my Dolls for Sale blog
For readers too young to remember Sergio Valente jeans, I've included the following Miller's Outpost commercial.
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Follow my Dolls for Sale blog
