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The heart of a doll is in us all
By Choice Sliter | October 21, 2006
It’s been on the tip of everyone’s tongue, but remained unspoken. It’s been a dancing phantom in the back of designers’ minds. We saw signs of her emerging as early as when Stitched Doll Skin peeked her head out from between the boxes of casual clothing at Luxe. But it wasn’t until late September, when under the guise of Halloween, many felt free to listen to what the muse was saying, and let this childhood archetype come out to play.
Interesting enough she first appeared in rag form, much like she did a century ago, when only her wealthiest owners could afford porcelain and plastic and vinyl were yet to be invented. Sometimes she was sweet. Sometimes she was naughty. Sometimes she looked like she was up to mischief, and was hiding all those lima beans you didn’t like to eat.
Then she became a bit glamorous, with polished, porcelain skin. Her lips, now shiny and glossy. She was in rags no more, but decked out in satin and lace. Sometimes she was packaged in a shiny box, and we called her action figure. Sometimes she covered herself in strawberries and in other times, rainbow tights.
We call her simply, Doll. The most ancient expression of the avatar.
There is something about seeing doll’s in this world that resonates. It touches on a deep core of understanding. Lessons we have learned about what it means to beautiful. What it means to be feminine. What it mean to be wife, daughter, and mother. And what it means to fail or succeed at being all of those things.
That is why the Zoe Llewelyn’s new venture, The Heart of a Doll, is so intoxicating to me. The contains Zoe’s new collection of doll avatars, with articulated joints and a wonderful plastic sheen. I think you must read Zoe’s blog post, to fully understand the how the creative energy for the line enveloped her. Then, if you still don’t believe in the power of the doll as archetype, you should read what CronoCloud Creeggan wrote about the subject.
You see, there is something both mystical, if not inevitable, about the arrival of the doll avatar. We are all living dolls in Second Life, as perfect as we want to be according to our own definition. We’re no longer bound to a toy maker’s standard of beauty. We are girls if we want to be. Women, if we choose. The doll is just the most literal translation of the avatar as many of us inhabit her. We dress her. We do her hair. We buy her toys and pretty playthings.
But what our Second Life dolls have over all of her real life, porcelain or vinyl counterparts, is this: In Second Life, the doll is not merely our play thing. The doll is us. It is as simple and as profound as that.
Topics: Opinion |
I really enjoyed this thought provoking and insightful post. I hope to see more like it.
Posted by: Roslin Petion on October 21st, 2006 at 10:33 pmWow, Celebrity. Beautifully written, touching as well. I really liked this post, great job! I really have to go check this out now. Again, thanks for this post. :)
Posted by: Mika on October 22nd, 2006 at 9:39 amBeautifully written, thank you.
Posted by: CronoCloud Creeggan on October 22nd, 2006 at 11:10 pmThank you for the comments. I am glad the piece had some resonance. It’s all you ever hope for as a “writer,” that someone relates to what you put out there. The fact that you take the time to let me know, means more to me than you will ever know.
Posted by: Choice Sliter on October 23rd, 2006 at 9:13 am[...] I popped by the build yesterday after seeing a post in New Products. It is an absolute delight. Even if you are not into this doll thing (and I have no idea why not), you should definitely come see this build. The scale and the detail are perfect. every turn reveals another image of childhood’s past. From the button path to the crayon drawing cut outs. It feels very much like you have stumbled into the playhouse of a mischievous, little child, full of angst and a ton of imagination. [...]
Posted by: Second Style Fashionista » More doll avs: Victorian and Grimm on October 27th, 2006 at 11:26 am