A retrospective of some ground-breaking articulated dolls from the early 2000s
With many thanks to Doug James for the use of images of CED dolls, styled and photographed by Pat Henry.
AN OVERVIEW
CED fashion dolls are 19 1/2 inches tall – bigger than most other fashion dolls. The larger size is easier to dress, and more fun to pose. They have hard plastic bodies and vinyl heads and hands. CED is the dolls’ shared monogram. This logo represents all of the dolls equally; Claire Daniels, Cara Duncan, Constance Dash, Colin Dehan, Catherine Donahue, and Chiara Desanti. (They all have middle names that begin with E.)
There is no specific story line connected to the dolls, each is simply a beautiful fashion doll with a beautiful name – the story is left up to the doll’s owner. CED collectible dolls were produced in ultra-limited quantities. As the first modern fashion dolls with finely articulated jointing in 14 points on their bodies, they have been compared to the highest quality action figures. However, as they are foremost fashion dolls, their jointing was painstakingly engineered to be as beautiful and unobtrusive as the highest standard manufacturing would allow.
Created to be as beautiful nude as they are fully dressed, CED dolls were made in three different categories.
- Full Fashion Dolls dressed in a costume and accessories exclusive to that doll.
- CED Basic Dolls in a basic costume of a blouse, and slacks or a skirt.
- Creative Edition Dolls in simple makeup, no eye lashes, and wigs. Designed for the owner to change their wigs, add makeup, mix and match their outfits. Each doll was dressed in a terry cloth robe, sexy lingerie and white high heel mules.
lace pants with a black lace v-neck fitted blouse with full slashed sleeves, all heavily encrusted with black sequins and beads. The sleeves fasten at the wrists and the beaded cuffs fall over Cara’s hands. Over this she wears a black leather and spandex corset, with tiny grommets at the back, laced up with a scarlet organdy ribbon. Accessories include black-toned heart earrings, and a double-strand necklace. She has black leather knee-high boots that are open and laced in the back. A custom-sculpted black antiqued vase containing a mound of black roses gives the outfit its name. Cara was created as a wigged doll, available in three styles as shown.THE HISTORY OF CED DOLLS
When Doug James and Laura Meisner met with a representative from a Chicago-based engineering firm in a New York City restaurant in the winter of 2000, they were going to do what none of the large doll manufacturers had yet to feel comfortable doing. They were going to produce fully articulated fashion dolls; dolls that moved, that could bend, and sit, and twist; infinitely poseable fashion dolls. CED fashion dolls would be a ‘first’.
In those days, however, articulation was controversial. If it wasn’t well-received the duo stood to lose their new business and thousands of dollars personally. If it was a success, their uniqueness might be short as other, bigger, doll companies would jump in.
Doug and Laura weren’t new to the fashion doll arena. They were the team behind Willow and Daisy, the Mod British Birds produced by the Knickerbocker Company in the late nineties. They had each created award-winning designs for the Gene doll and the Madame Alexander doll company.
CED dolls had 14 points of articulation, astounding at the time. Not since Dollikins of the 60’s had such an articulated body been created for an American fashion doll. They could do everything and anything a collector could dream up, and do it with style! Though larger than other dolls being offered, the original trio of 19” beauties quickly captured the attention of collectors everywhere. They also upped the ante for every other manufacturer of modern vinyl fashion dolls.
Articulation just for its own sake wasn’t enough for Doug and Laura. The joints had to be non-intrusive and as smooth and attractive as possible. Not only were beautiful sculpts a prerequisite, the dolls’ jointing had to be concealed well enough so as not to interfere with their lines. The body sculpt was intended to more closely replicate a woman’s real form – idealized perhaps, but more “human” than was common in most fashion dolls. The body sculpt of the CED doll was not a simple thing to produce as achieving that level of articulation in a pleasing way required 22 separate pieces for one doll. All the joint work was based on the curve. As Laura said, “curves are graceful, straight lines are not.”
with heavy lace trim and ruffle at the hem. To set the ensemble off is a full tulle petticoat with satin ribbon edging, hose, and satin-ribbon strappy evening sandals. She carries a her deep burgundy bouquet, and a lilac-colored, dupioni silk, ring cushion with her wedding ring tied in the center. The cream-colored floor-length veil has a gold comb and pearl tiara to match the pearl earrings and a double-strand pearl necklace. As a finishing touch, she has full-length white satin evening gloves. As for all the CED gloves, they were carefully constructed with individual fingers. Doug explains, “We had purposely designed the hands to have separate fingers. They were big enough to have rings, but my goal was to give them gloves – with fingers! Individual fingers. Now their hands are bigger than other dolls, but those fingers are still pretty small, too small to be guided by hand under a sewing machine with any accuracy. We tried melting knit fabric with a heated stamp, and other creative attempts. For a while it seemed like we had no choice but to go the way of the clunky evening mitten. I had one last idea… and there they were, tiny perfect knit fingers. Even though they ain’t easy to put on, once you have, you realize that there’s nothing else like them.”
The first CED dolls and fully articulated American fashion dolls, Claire Elizabeth Daniels in Flower Show, Cara Emile Duncan in La Scala and Constance Erin Dash in Dance Card, made their official debut at Toy Fair in Washington DC in 2002. Doug pointed out that, “There is one person in particular that has been an integral part of the CED project from the arrival of the first sample. Pat Henry’s photographs have given the dolls their public image. From lush pastoral settings, to clean chrome and white backgrounds, the images were perfect for each doll. Without Pat’s photography, there would be no connection to the collector and the world in general.”
An important goal was to make beautiful dolls with different ethnicities, to reflect the representations of beauty in the world. By 2006 there were six dolls in the line-up: Claire Elizabeth Daniels, an American of English background; Cara Emile Duncan of Indonesian heritage; Constance Erin Dash of Brazilian descent; Catherine Emily Donahue of Irish background; Colin Elia Dehan of Nigerian heritage; and Chiara Elena Desanti of Italian descent.
Fashion, styling and quality of materials were tremendously important for the dolls. Doug explained “…our fabrics will be silk, wool, cotton – all natural fibers. We’re going to raise the bar with the use of our fine fabrics, embroidery and beading, in order to offer the most refined garments possible.”
CED dolls were designed to be about fashion and about the details that make fashion extraordinary and thrilling. CED style was not limited to one specific period or type of fashion, but rather it included designs from the past as well as the most current. Outfits and ensembles ran the gamut from a classic 1880’s velvet panne gown to a retro cotton summer dress with detachable wide skirt. In between, there were classic wardrobe-building essentials in silk, cotton, denim, suede, and velvet all made with real working pockets, buttons and buttonholes, hook and eye closings, and of course, lined like real garments. Fabric textures, prints, and other faux fur trimmings were scaled to the doll’s size. The shoes and sandals were made of real leather, making CED the only line at the time to offer such luxury for a doll’s feet.
EDITIONS
Claire in Flower Show
Constance in Dance Card
Cara in LaScala
Constance in Antiquing
Constance in Antiquing (red version)
Colin in Dark Angel
Claire in Provence
Colin in Klub Afrikan
Cara in Nicely Suited
Claire in Early Winter
Constance in Caribbean Sunset
Cara in African Art
Colin in Golden Angel
Claire in Portrait (Blue Velvet)
Constance in Christmas Lights
Catherine in Introductions
Catherine in Blue Banner
Chiara in Splash of Gold
Claire in Wedding March
Constance in Wedding March
Chiara in Tricky Spot
Colin in London Holiday
Cara in Black Roses
Cara in Baby Doll
Chiara in Chilly
Catherine in Nutcracker Sweet
Constance in Close to Capri
Basic Cara
Basic Constance
Basic Colin
Creative Claire
Creative Constance
Creative Colin
Claire in Portrait (black)
Cara in Black Roses (blond)
Cara in Black Roses (shag)
Catherine in Black Widow
Colin in It’s a Wrap
Claire in Silver Fox
Cara in Vanilla Delight
Claire in Alice In Wonderland
Constance in Merlow
Spring Lilac, a lilac/pink tweed linen A-line skirt, a blue smocked top, a lilac jacket with collar to match the skirt, and blue leather open-toe sling back shoes. An overnight bag matches the jacket and to complete the outfit – a pair of stylish pink sunglasses.
Summer Retro is a yellow, blue and white plaid pima cotton sun dress with an A-line skirt, and a navy and white belt. An additional 1950’s-style full skirt can be added to make it seem like a whole new dress. Accessories include yellow leather, cork-soled wedge sandals, two beaded bracelets, a mesh tote bag and a gift box containing five gorgeous red apples.
Fifth Avenue Fall is a collection of textures in brown and taupe. the brown wool fitted top and brown wool skirt with silk chiffon overlay are worn beneath a taupe and plum plaid wool overcoat with faux fur collar and cuff trim. Accessories include brown stretch velvet over-the-knee boots, a pair of burgundy gloves, a deep copper-colored beaded necklace and a pair of sunglasses.
Winter Evening is a set of evening pieces in dark ruby, red, and black, consisting of a tailored skirt lined in gold, a black brocade wrap top, and gold mules. Accessories include gold drop earrings, with a matching chatelaine, a Schiaparelli-style handbag, and a luxurious faux fur wrap.
Black Widow. A
“Runway Goth” design best be described as “Chanel meets Dark Shadows!” Catherine is dressed in a black Cashmere and wool knit sheath dress with silk chiffon neckline ruffle bearing an antique black glass brooch. She has a black leather belt with a silver buckle, black hose and black leather shoes with a tiny silver buckle. Catherine sports two bracelets and purple pearl earrings. She wears a black brocade jacket lined in purple silk with black velvet trim. Her Blonde hair is pulled back with a black velvet bow, and she has a black point d’ésprit head band. Finally, she carries a black leather handbag with silver ring detail. Baby Doll.
Green-eyed Cara has shoulder length honey-brown hair with highlights. Her Baby Doll styled dress is in black silk taffeta with a leopard print velveteen bodice, lined with pink silk and decorated with tiny pink vintage sequins and beads. The dress is fully-lined, closes with a tiny zipper and has a pink tulle petticoat. She has a matching black silk stole lined with pink satin, and black platform shoes that lace up to her knee. She wears a gold tiered necklace, with gold coins and pink beads, that ties with a deep pink organdy ribbon. Other accessories include: a matching bracelet and earrings; a black leatherette bag, which is lined, closes with a zipper, and is decorated with hand-made pink organdy rosettes, and a gold chain handle woven with pink.Chilly. Chiara, with chestnut
brown hair, wears a plum-colored wool jersey top with matching tights. She has a taupe wool, pleated mini skirt, and matching double-breasted fully-lined wool jacket with brass buttons. Her shoes are lace-up brown oxfords. She accessorizes with a burgundy silk patterned tie, a brown wool knit cap, and a short fur and brocade bag. Naturally, she carries a fashion magazine.It’s A Wrap. Colin, in bold pink lips, wears a Von Furstenberg-style fully-lined, fine-knit wrap dress. It has cream silk jersey collar and cuffs, and a brown leather belt with gold buckle. Accessories include knee-length brown leather boots, a large brown leather fringed bag, a chunky gold necklace, gold ball earrings, and a heavy gold bracelet. A versatile doll, Colin not only has a black wig with bangs over her own short black hair, but also has a second wig in wavy, light brown with a side part.
Nutcracker Sweet. Catherine, with long red hair, wears a red silk Empire-style evening gown. The red silk bodice has a layer of
gold mesh, covered with vintage gold sequins, and red beads and stones. The red silk skirt has rows of ruched tulle running vertically down and crossing at the bottom with small red satin bows. She wears a red rhinestone bracelet, red silk sling-back shoes, hose, a red silk handbag with tiny red satin bows, and a small hand painted wooden nutcracker. Nutcracker was made in red, white, and blue versions.Silver Fox. Claire in a
metallic silver evening dress. Beneath the dress, she wears white lace tap-panties and purple silk shoes. She has rhinestone earrings and a silver-and-pearl bracelet. Her belt is made of silvered leather with a rhinestone buckle. She carries a purple silk evening bag and keeps warm with a pale grey evening fur lined in pale grey silk.Vanilla Delight. Cara models a day dress in a retro print with a finely-tailored jacket featuring under-the-bustline ribbon fastening. She carries a shoulder bag and has matching silver jewelry, and tops the outfit off with a summer fascinator.
A close-up detail of Claire in Portrait.
Close To Capri. Outfit from the separates line consisting of a silk blouse, beaded
Capri pants, with working pockets, and wedge sandals. Other accessories include a matching bag, a gold necklace, and a coral red enamel bracelet.
A blue-eyed Constance in Antiquing, wears a blue bouclé suit with matching bolero vest, and a white silk body-suit blouse. Her black leather boots match her shoulder bag and cheeky driving cap. Accessories include heavy gold earrings, a brown paper shopping bag, a cream canvas embroidered tote containing her two antique treasure finds: a tray and a vase in beautifully painted porcelain.
Tropical Drinks, a Cherished Friends exclusive costume to complement Caribbean Sunset. A short, tailored jacket in the same fabric as the Caribbean Sunset pants, is teamed with a simple, elegant silk chiffon halter top in cream, an antique gold sheath skirt, and red leather mules. Accessories include a tropical drink, natch, and a ring, bracelet and necklace designed by Suzy Arauz.
Doug James also created the “S” Series resin bjd fashion dolls, Solomon and Seine are shown below.
