Rag Doll Revival

“We thought the typical hard plastic 11” fashion doll would limit their fashionability.” — Goldi Miller, Fashion Angels

With reporting by regional correspondents Virginia Davis and Pennie Hoover

Rag dolls used to mean Raggedy Ann and old-fashioned pinafores, but when Manhattan Toy’s (ToyDirectory) Groovy Girls burst onto the scene in 1998 wearing chunky funky sweaters and mini-skirts, rag dolls were transformed from nostalgic gifts to modern-girl must-haves. Eight years later, Groovy Girls even have a raggy fashion rival in the new Fashion Angels (ToyShow). Retailers told TDmonthly Magazine that plush “rag” dolls are some of their best sellers — and they’re not old-fashioned at all.

“Unlike the rooted hair/molded face dolls, the rag dolls can communicate a wholesome presentation, and I think parents are looking for that,” explained Hugh Kennedy, vice president of business development for Manhattan Toy.

Amanda Scadina, manager of Cheeky Monkey in Menlo Park, Calif., carries the plush Language Littles (ToyShow), which talk and teach new languages so that kids can learn to communicate with children of other cultures or just broaden their own understanding of language.

“They are really fun, educational and soft,” said Scadina. “The larger size dolls are picked up by grandparents more frequently. We also have a smaller size that tends to sell more to birthday-party goers and parents.”

“Plush is just so much better for children 3 and up,” explained Elizabeth Gonzalez, accounts manager for Language Littles. She said it was the only material they ever considered for their dolls, which debuted in 2000. “A soft, cuddly toy combines with the doll’s voice, which is reassuring. You can also carry it along with you or stuff it in a backpack.”

Cuddliness is one of the chief traits of rag babies made by Europlay (Käthe Kruse) and Fanny’s Playhouse.

“We buy the Baby Bottoms, the soft dolls from Fanny’s Playhouse (ToyShow) that are anatomically correct. They are very cute,” Pam Byers, owner of The Ark in Berkeley, Calif., told TDmonthly. Her Käthe Kruse Waldorf rag dolls also do well.

"The baby dolls that were on the market when we brought out Baby Bottoms were mostly vinyl," said Fanny Wong, owner of Fanny's Playhouse. "There weren't any soft-sculptured ones. Our anatomically correct Baby Bottoms do very well in California, New England and Manhattan but not as well in the South, because it's more conservative."

According to co-owner Jennifer Vanderish, Picayune Toys in Dunwoody, Ga., had just brought in the Fashion Angels. Several other retailers that spoke to TDmonthly since the American International Toy Fair in February said they’d ordered them, too.

TDmonthly asked Fashion Angels co-owner, Goldi Miller, why they took the rag route for their new posable fashion dolls.

“We thought the typical hard plastic 11” fashion doll would limit their fashionability, because for us the clothing was more important than anything,” explained Miller, whose dolls are based on tween, not teen, bodies. “Also, we wanted to translate the Fashion Angel cartoon character from 2D to 3D without distorting it too much. When we started playing with actually sewing them up, the look screamed ‘perfect!’”

Fashion Angels were released last year — but without their essential fashions, a mistake the company quickly corrected in 2006.

“We just started to ship the boutique in a trunk, and we’re getting great press and great feedback and we're very happy,” said Miller.

Manhattan Toy should be happy, too. Eighteen of 35 toy and doll stores contacted by TDmonthly were carrying Groovy Girls and, despite their move into mass market more than a year and half ago, everyone said they were still selling well.

“We sell dozens of Groovy girls ... the kids love them,” said Katie Bates and Sherry Bates, co-owners of Butterfly Kisses in Hiwassee, Ga.

They’re the best selling fashion doll at AbraKIDabra Toys in Greenville, N.C., “because they are cute and not expensive,” commented manager Roberta Kenworthy.

“Groovy Girls … are wholesome dolls,” noted Deborah Thompson, owner of Toy Store in Peachtree City, Ga. “They’re not like the Bratz dolls ... these seem to be children that are well mannered and not punks.”

As if any doll descended from Raggedy Ann could be anything else!

Here are the cuddly, non-punky dolls that retailers said were doing well in their stores, plus a few more that TDmonthly has scouted out: