July 2009 Vogue Italia features BLACK BARBIE insert!

A few of my favorite pics from the Vogue Italia June 2009 Barbie supplement.
Pics taken by Tefani Williams!

See More!

See Article on MYFOXDC.com!

http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/myvoicedc/featured/Myvoicedc_Wishes_Barbie_a_Hap

Last Friday, Lulu, my fab friend in Milan fed exed 3 copies of the VOGUE ITALIA 2009 issue that contained an insert that contains decadent pictorials of BLACK BARBIE.

Last July, I hosted a Models, Bottles and BBQ Garden Party to commemorate the launch of July 2008 Vogue Italia issue. The July 2008 Vogue Italia issue was the most coveted magazine in history. It was called the Black Issue and featured over 50 of the best black models in the fashion business photographed by Steven Meisel.

In July 2009, Vogue Italia commemorates the 50th Anniversary of Barbie with a 100 pictorials featuring Black Barbie dolls. OOH LA LA.

A few weeks ago, we sat down to chat with Gianni Grossi and Mario Paglino, the two Italian Barbie Collector designers responsible for styling and coordinating the Black Barbie insert.

Simone Butterfly: ¡Ciao! Come stai?

Mario Paglino: I am very, very well.

Simone: Wonderful. My name is Simone, your fabulous freelance fashion investigator. Tell us about your collaboration with Mattel.

Mario: Oh, we collaborate with Mattel in Italy and in the U.S. We coordinate special events like the Barbie convention and the Barbie birthday party held in Italy. We also design special one-of-a-kind dolls.

Simone: You have two beautiful one-of-a-kind dolls in your hands. Please describe them for us.

Mario: Oh thank you. These dolls are a replica of Madonna. We created them dolls for the Madonna exhibition in London this February 2009 and March 2009. One is a replica of the Christian Lacroix dress that she wore in the Re-Invention tour. The other is the very famous corset worn in the Who’s That Girl video. Both dolls are one-of-a-kind with her complete repainting.

Simone: So when you design a doll, do you also design the hair, the make-up, the face, everything?

Mario: Everything. We start with a classic doll or a collectable doll and we we take off all of the repainting and start again.

Simone: Beautiful! Well done. Now tell me about the July 2009 issue of Vogue Italia. I thoroughly enjoyed the 2008 July issue featuring the most celebrated black models in the business.

Mario: There’s a new one! There’s a new one! I’ll tell you what I can because many of the viewers will be thrilled to see it. The July 2009 Vogue Italia contains a new booklet. The very, very special booklet is about black Barbie. We were fortunate to style the Barbie for the photo shoot.

Simone: How many pages are in the booklet?

Mario: More than 100.

Simone: Oh my goodness!

Mario: People will enjoy it. It’s a beautiful issue. I really think they will love it.

Simone: So does the booklet feature other designers other than you and Gianni Grossi?

Mario: We are the only one-of-a-kind designers to have the honor of being featured in the Vogue Italia July issue. We collaborated with Mattel on his issue.

Simone: What is your favorite page in the booklet?

Mario: Oh, you mean other than mine? LOL! I think the disco fever and some of the other garden pictures are my favorite. But you will see the excerpt is incredible. All the professionals at Vogue Italia did an incredible job.

Simone: I know that last year’s Vogue Italia July issue sold out like 4 or 5 times. Do you expect the same this year?

Mario: I expect more.

Simone: I do too, because everybody loves Barbie.

Mario: Thank you so much.

Simone: Thank you.