Book Review - Blythe Style
Title: Blythe Style
Author: Gina Garan, Junko Wong
Year of Publication: 2006
Genre: Photo Book
Pages: 50
First Line: I first met Gina Garan, and Blythe, at a gathering of artists and friends at a group exhibition of illustrators in 1999 at Christmastime in New York City.
Summary: International superstar and high fashion model Blythe has never let the fact that she is literally a doll slow her down. Though only 12 inches tall, she's the darling of top fashion designers around the world.
In 'Blythe Style', she shows off 131 to-die-for outfits created for her by fashion's brightest stars, including Gucci, Prada, Versace, Christian Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, John Galliano, Hysteric Glamour, Milk fed, Paul Smith, Issey Miyake, Vivienne Westwood, and many more.
Photographed with colourful invention by Gina Garan, these one-of-a-kind dolls were created as part of a yearlong monthly feature in 'Vogue Japan' and annual fashion shows in Japan organised by Junko Wong, with the dolls later auctioned for the benefit of children's charities.
All but forgotten after she was produced and discontinued in 1972, Blythe has managed her rise from toy-box obscurity to jet-set celebrity with incomparable style and grace. Très chic!
Source: Inside front cover
Review: Blythe Style is one of many books by Gina Garan featuring Blythe dolls. The popular dolls have made a comeback since the 70s when they were produced for only one year. Blythe Style is a collaboration of photographs featuring Blythe dolls wearing famous designer clothes. Each doll’s outfit, appearance and accessories were made to complete the individual looks. This photo book provides a wide range of designers from Gucci (featured above) to Shizuka Komuro. Whilst the designers primarily created upscale, evening-wear styled clothes for the photographs, there are also casual, everyday wear styled clothes.
The picture book is beautiful, though it does not flow as smoothly as I would have hoped. In that respect, I mean the pictures are organised by year, and designer - not style, which I would have enjoyed much more. This seems to give the appearance that there are an eclectic group of photos gathered together in no order. Photos range from two to a page, to one photo taking up two pages. In my personal opinion I do not like photographs which take up double pages, however, there were very little in this book.
Overall, I enjoyed Blythe Style very much. I can appreciate all types of art, and especially doll art. I am astounded by the sheer effort some of the designers have gone to in their creations. Some mentionable pictures include a 2002 Valentino design; a 2002 MILK design; a 2003 Shizuka Komura gold and white wedding dress design; an intriguing design by Sonia Rykiel 2003; a 2004 design styled by Cutie Magazine; and finally a traditional design by Chiso.
I’m impressed by Blythe Style, and having not seen any other photo book by Gina Garan, I say I’m much more inclined to buy one of her other books in the future.
Worst part: The order of photographs could have been better.
Best part: Viewing the photos and getting an impression of personality from the dolls.
Personal Rating: 8.5/10 - a very few photos were not taken very well, which is what brought the rating down.
Other Books by This Author: This Is Blythe, Blythe on Beauty.