download: Robert Tonner - Tonner Doll Company

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ROBERT TONNERTwo Decades of DesignFDQ looks back at thehighlights of an illustriouscareer in fashion and dolls.text by pat henryphotos by pat henrySelected photoscourtesy of tonner doll co.set design bymaryann roy32 •FDQ• www.fdqmedia.com

“He had the same sort of instinctabout clothes that I hadwhen I was his age,” Bill Blassonce said of his lead designerfor Blassport, Robert Tonner.Throughout his career, Tonner’s take on contemporary fashion continually made the pages of Women’s Wear Daily,Town & Country, New York Magazine, The New York Times and Vogue. After eight years of creating classic Americansilhouettes for the brand, however, Tonner found his artistic instincts leading him along a new path.While still with Blass, Robert Tonner was intrigued by hand-sculpted dolls. His interest in anatomy and how things worked(he considered medicine before fashion) fueled his desire to try sculpting a figure on his own. He began with a papier-mâchéhead that sat on his desk for a year until he went to visit a friend’s apartment.ment a pretty blush color. Spying the open can,“Suddenly,” he said, “it was a doll.” Makingat Blassport, but when the companyto think about leaving the indus-the fashion industry wassculpting and dolls, anddoll making as a newand displaying his work atvenues. In 1985, Tonnerenthusiastic responsethe National Institute ofference (NIADA) in Newhe had entered for critique.the fashion industry and pursueexclusively. Under the original namebegan with only three employees: Tonner,His friend, Marybeth Jeffords, was painting the apart-Robert dipped the head in face first and,dolls became a hobby while workingwas sold a second time, he begantry altogether.His growing disinterest inreplaced with a passion forTonner began pursuingvocation, attending showsassorted conferences andwas encouraged by thefrom a panel of judges atAmerican Doll Artists Con-York City for a fashion dollBy 1991, he was ready to leavehis dream to start designing dollsRobert Tonner Doll Designs, the companyhis partner Harris Safier, and a part-time seamstress.He moved to upstate New York, and set up a studio cottage with a kiln and a sewing machine, sculpting with clay, transferringthe molds to wax and finally casting the dolls in porcelain. Casting plaster was used for the joints, with wooden ballsproviding the ball-joints. The dolls were fired, dried, painted and fired for a second time. The figures were then strung,wigged and dressed. From the beginning, Tonner was the originator and creator of each of his works. More like MadameAlexander than the Handlers of Mattel, each doll was an artisanal piece of miniature fashion, whether it was a freckle facedchild or the elegant adult glamour girls who later developed into his iconic American Models. At the time, Tonner admitted,“I like all parts of this and hate all parts of it. But there’s enough diversity and it’s very creative. I can’t get too bored.”Opposite page: An early 21-inch porcelain Model strikes apensive pose. This page, Robert Tonner holds a head sculptin his hands before the production process begins.www.fdqmedia.com •FDQ• 33

In February 1991, RTDD made its public debut at the American International Toy Fair inNew York City. Multi-jointed porcelain fashion dolls and jointed porcelain child dolls weredisplayed at the fair in limited editions ranging in price from $650 to $1500. The response wasso good that he had a hard time fulfilling orders. It made for a valuable, albeit expensive, lesson inproduction and distribution.At a NIADA conference held in Washington, DC a representative of Lenox China approachedhim. They wanted to see his portfolio and after seeing his work and his dolls in person, he wascommissioned to make a series of six dolls that debuted in February of 1992.Even as he began to take commissions and create dolls for other companies like The FranklinMint (a porcelain Betsy McCall in 1994) he was winning awards (his first DOTY was in1995) and then became president of NIADA in that same year. Bruce Willis bid $50,000for a Tonner doll dressed as Demi Moore at a 1996 AmFAR benefit. His previous life inthe world of fashion gave him entrée to the haute monde, where his talents were used tocontribute to charity while indulging in his passion for dolls.Within ten years, the company had grown from three people to two-dozen employees. Thisgrowth would lead the company to be renamed the Tonner Doll Company, a move that reflectedthe growth of an independent artist-driven venture to what was becoming a formidablebusiness.In 1995, Tonner Doll also gained licensing rights for the recreation of the nostalgic paper doll BetsyMcCall. To keep the cost down, it was decided that the doll be produced in China. Made from vinyl, theBetsy McCall license was the first commercial success of the company. Betsy hadproven to be a popular doll in the ‘50s and ‘60s, then produced by Ideal, andgenerations of little girls and their mothers played with and collected thepaper dolls from the long-running (now defunct) McCall’s magazine.The success of the licensed character led Tonner to develop dolls for othervenues like films (Titanic, 1997, StarWars Episode One: Phantom Menace, 1999).Tonner Doll gained licensing rights to recreate the cast of the Harry Potter series, aswell as Memoirs of a Geisha (2005).Tonner has gone on to license comic book heroes from DC and Marvel, blockbusterfilms (Twilight, Pirates and Lord of The Rings) and video games (Lara Croft: Tomb Raider)while still creating his own original lines, such as Tyler Wentworth, Kitty Collier, Antoinette,Cami & Jon, Sinister Circus, and Anne Harper. Surprisingly, the company’s top three bestselling dolls are all male character figures from films: Harry Potter, Captain Jack Sparrow(Pirates of the Caribbean) and Edward Cullen (Twilight).Tonner’s defining line, Tyler Wentworth, is based on the life of a New York City fashiondesigner and her exquisite wardrobe, designed in her name by Tonner himself.For fashion doll fans, Tyler was a game changer in the industry. Mel Odom’s GeneMarshall doll had made her appearance in 1995 and immediately attracted adult collectorsfor her scale and her nostalgic Hollywood wardrobe. When Tyler premieredin 1999, collectors were more than willing to expand their collecting choices toinclude the contemporary looking designer, whose proportions were even morerealistic than Gene’s. Tyler also featured impeccably jointed knees. It was thebeginning of movement in the fashion doll world. Not that there weren’t dollsThis page: Betsy McCall made a charming appearance in her “PerfectlySuited” ensemble. Right: Tyler, version one, sports the now iconic “CashmereNoir” coat. The luxurious fabric wowed collectors when it first appeared.Opposite page: The latest incarnation of “Signature Statement” TylerWentworth pays tribute to her original self in honor of Tonner’s 20th Anniversary.34 •FDQ• www.fdqmedia.com

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This spread, left: The latest incarnation of Tyler (“Fire Opal”) features a brown-eyed beauty in scarlet ruffles. She is also wigged, making for endless variations of her looks for day intoevening. On the right, the popular Sydney Chase strikes a dramatic pose in “So Sleek”, an edgy short fur jacket over gold brocade and purple and gold tweed. Metallic gloves completethe look (both are LE300).www.fdqmedia.com •FDQ• 37

Petrollese, oversees the WI Evangeline Ghastly collection. “When I teamed up with Wilde Imagination,we quickly found we had the same vision – we wanted to create something totally different;something no one else was doing that would shake up the collectible doll world,” said Tonner. “Ellowyneis the perfect mix of beauty, fashion, and intrigue. I hope collectors enjoy Ellowyne as muchas I have enjoyed creating her.” Ellowyne has become so popular, in fact, that Robert was inspiredto write a book about her life and adventures. The “ennui” and mysteries that surround Ellowyne,Prudence, Amber and their families continue to enthrall collectors and the line continues to grow inpopularity each year.All of Tonner’s dolls and costumes reflect their creator’s attention to detail and desire for perfection.They have been prominently featured in national and international media including PeopleMagazine, CNN, Entertainment Tonight, Women’s Wear Daily and British Vogue magazine. Recently,several of his creations were added to the permanent collection of the Louvre Museum ofDecorative Arts in Paris, France. He was once asked why he thinks he has done so well in theindustry. “First and foremost I love the whole art form. I consider doll making an art form. Ithink that is reflected in my work and that is what the collectors respond to.” vThis page: One of Tonner’s latest licenses is for the WB television drama, “The VampireDiaries” starring Ian Sommerhalder as broody vamp Damon Salvatore. EllowyneWilde has become a popular part of the family, produced by Willde Imagination andcreated by Tonner. Right: The latest version of Cami (from the popular Cami & Jonline) features Cami with inset eyes and a wig wardrobe for the ultimate in versatility.Opposite page: Antoinette, our cover model, is gloriously attired in “Sweeping”, anelaborate peach gown perfect for a fantasy date.40 •FDQ• www.fdqmedia.com

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