Thursday, March 7, 2019

Dolls of the World Moroccan Barbie 1998



My collection has recently expanded in terms of the various headmolds that I added to it. Not so long ago, my very first Ken 1988 arrived followed by my first Oriental doll 1980 and Christie 1987. As far as Christie is concerned, I’d long wanted to include her in my collection and there were many prospective candidates as the mold was very popular back in the 80s and 90s. They were all stunning, beautiful dolls but Moroccan Barbie 1998 beat them all.


Why did I chose her? She’s absolutely unique. She’s instantly recognizable for her unusually fair skin tone that makes her so much different from all the Christies in the world. Technically, I shouldn’t call her Christie, because she belongs to the amazing series called the Dolls of the World. Moroccan Barbie was also produced in 1998 and to the best of my knowledge released a year later, so she’s younger than the dolls I typically choose, but she still bears all the features of my favorite Barbie era – the click bending knees, TNT waist, the 90 degrees bent arms and the Christie 1987 mold.




The doll must have been a result of an inspiration! She’s captivating and ethereal, her expression is full of serenity and harmony and when I look at her it seems to me there’s some kind of mystery about the doll, I find it hard to describe. Her hazel eyes are dreamy and her makeup isn’t distracting – the thick eyeliner adds depth to her look and the light, metallic pink line makes it more vivid. The lips of the headmold have been sculpted as naturally ample though the effect varies depending on how the facepaint interprets the mold, but this time they were made incredibly full and the outcome is even more striking for the glossy lipstick. They’re parted in an enigmatic smile. The cute dimples are characteristic of the mold. Barbie’s hair is actually two toned – the black mingles with very thin, subtle brown streaks but it’s hard to capture in a picture.




As to the doll’s dress, I admit I know too little of the culture of the region to fully appreciate its beauty and complexity. However, it’s evident the designers spared no effort when creating it and the result is breathtaking! The orange-magenta combination makes it impossible not to stop for a moment to admire it. The exotic pattern and golden elements add dimension to it. The metal snaps that close the outfit reveal high quality.




Barbie surely likes to accessorize, but this lady exceeds all possible limits. Apart from the customary ring and a pair of earrings, whose design by the way is exceptional, two medallions grace her. The outfit is pure perfection as is the doll with all her trinkets, but my favorite part of the doll (except for just about everything) are her shoes! Like what?! Amazing!






Moroccan Barbie is captivating and breathtaking and makes me think it would be fantastic to have another Christie molded doll but this time with darker skin tone and preferably in a to-be-rescued condition. I’d love to try to restore such a doll! In the meanwhile, me and “Christie” went out for a little walk and in the city jungle we met … a tiger!





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