Fashion Play Barbie 1983

 Remember my Fashion Play Barbie 1988 and the transaction that took 6 weeks to conclude? The doll below finally ended it. The seller first sent my FP88 to the wrong address and with a criminal delay too, so she promised to give me a doll for free for the inconvenience, but she posted the wrong one. This is the Barbie I had selected and to finally get her, I had to pay for her. Well, nothing in life ever comes for free, does it. I don’t think the seller’s actions were deliberate but they were certainly effective, because I planned to purchase just one doll, I ended up with three instead. However, to be fair I have to admit I did barter and the seller accepted my first offer, and a pretty low too.

Fashion Play are such fascinating dolls but they’re rather obscure and it’s hard to find out anything about them. The US sites, blogs and youtube channels are usually very helpful and informative, but not in this case. Fashion Play were foreign editions and so my usual sources are silent on this occasion. I was determined to investigate the matter thoroughly, but instead of giving you hard facts, all I have to offer are scraps of information and my own speculations. But if you happen to know anything on the topic, please share in the comments.

I love FP for their style and beauty, I remember my friends had them when we were little and all this combined makes them so attractive to me. I would be glad to own most of the dolls from the series that started in 1983 and was concluded in 1991. I guess that what Mattel had in mind was conquering Europe with the help of a horde of gorgeous blue-eyed, long-legged, long-haired blondes. The entire series is amazing, but of course, I like some dolls more than others. These would be the early Fashion Play Barbies and they are slightly problematic in terms of their identification for several reasons. 

I was sure that Mattel produced 4 dolls per year up until 1988 when they reduced the number to 2 models but my research showed otherwise. Mattel started off with an intense production schedule and made as many as 13 FP Barbies in 1983 when they released the first batch – 5 dolls. They further released 4 dolls in 1984 and in 1985 (unconfirmed). What is striking though is that all those 13 dolls shared the same box date 1983 as well as their serial number #7193. This I found out by searching for boxed 1983 Fashion Play Barbies on ebay and checking the data on the pictures of their boxes. Now each of these 13 dolls had a different outfit and although they were all produced in the Philippines, there were 3 types of face paint – high-color, low-color and Malibu. There seems to be no correlation between facial screening and outfits. I’ve seen different dolls wearing the same sets of clothes.

The year 1986 brought 4 more FP Barbies. Those bear a striking resemblance to the high-color 1983 FP but there are some differences. This was a discovery by one of my fellow collectors from Poland – Luci_Fair. On her blog she writes that the 1986 FP have darker eyebrows, the blue of their eyes and make-up is a completely different shade (1986 is more of a turquoise color), they seem to have a deeper tan and of course, their toes are less defined. While conducting my research I also found out there was yet another facial screening variant for the 1983 FP. Those dolls look nothing like the others and were produced in France. There were as many as 6 of them. The below picture was borrowed from an online auction, but another collector who specializes at FP also mentions them on her blog right here. She also confirms the first 5 regular FP dolls had the same serial number.

 

the source: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1983-RARE-FOREIGN-FASHION-PLAY-BARBIE-Made-in-France-264-NRFB-Mode-Fantaisie-/153920313395 

 

 

the source: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1983-RARE-FOREIGN-FASHION-PLAY-BARBIE-Made-in-France-264-NRFB-Mode-Fantaisie-/153920313395

The later FP dolls, from 1987 on are much easier to identify because Mattel diversified not only their outfits but also hairdos and face paint. But the early Barbies are very much alike, I personally think they’re the most beautiful and of the best quality. Now, I’m a completionist and I’d rather own a set – a doll and her outfit but in this case it’s virtually impossible to make a match so I selected a Fashion Play / Fashion Fun dress that I liked the best. I like the color and the cut as well as the fact that it “ages” beautifully because there’s no Velcro. I don’t have the right shoes, the white open-toe heels but these are a pretty good match, I think.

As soon as the lady confirmed I’d get FP 1983 for free, I purchased the lavender dress from another seller.  It was delivered in a blink of an eye and at some point I almost lost hope I’d ever get the doll for the dress. But since then I’ve come across as many as four 1983 FP Barbie dolls and all beautiful and at a great price. Ironic, isn’t it. For two years I had had no luck, and now that I already own one, four more appear. It makes me laugh to think of it.