Fabergé Porcelain Barbie® Collection

Mattel has a selection of higher-end Barbie dolls that boasts better quality dresses, make-up, accessories, and even dolls made of porcelain.

By chance, I came across the Barbie Collection website and saw that between 1997 and 2001, 3 Fabergé Porcelain Barbie dolls were commissioned.  These dolls are no longer available from Mattel, but the splendor of the dresses have made me quite smittened with the dolls, or the dresses, rather,


The Fabergé^™ Imperial Elegance^™ Barbie^® Doll above was created in 1997.  The doll's dress was sewn with more than 175 Swarovski^® crystals. What caught my attention, was the egg-shaped evening bag, which opens to reveal a miniature Swarovski^® crystal heart.  How very Faberge!


The Fabergé^™ Imperial Splendor^™ Barbie^® Doll above created in 2000 was my favourite in the trio.  I imagined that Empress Catherine perhaps dressed like that during the heydays of the Russian Empire.


The last Fabergé^™ Imperial Grace^™ Barbie^® Doll created in 2001 is dressed in a black gown made of velvet.  Again, like the 2 dolls created before her, this doll holds a Faberge egg-shaped purse that contains a crystal.  I am not too taken with this doll's headdress though, and red hair doesn't quite seem to go with the black velvet dress for this doll.

There were no more Faberge dolls created after 2001, and I wonder why.  It would certainly have made an impressive collection for people who love Faberge eggs but do not have the budget to actually own the eggs.  The Barbie dolls are certainly more budget-friendly to own a piece or 2 of Faberge.

[Pictures of the dolls are from the Barbie Collector website]