Penny Brite: Happily Ever After Collection

While perusing Toymakers show off their 2010 products at the American International Toy Fair by Colleen Bohen and Cliff Annicelli, I discovered a few fairy tale and fairy releases, especially this one:

Charisma’s ’60s vintage Penny Brite, in revival since 2006, continues with a Happily Ever After collection that boasts an updated sculpt with slightly elongated legs and a slimmer torso. New costumes designs for the doll are based on classic fairytale characters: Tinkerbelle, Snow White, Rapunzel, Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood.

So I went to the Charisma site and discovered the dolls are already posted. Here are images and links below:


Rapunzel


Little Red Riding Hood


Snow White


Cinderella


Tinkerbelle


Alice in Wonderland

These are mostly not Disney influenced which is a refreshing change. Snow White shows the most influence with color choices, but that always seems to be true for Snow White. Considering she's been around for 70 years to influence perceptions, that's not surprising. I am thrilled also to see Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel, but admit I miss Sleeping Beauty and Beauty. Still, despite all, the marketing department was wise to include Tinkerbelle and Alice since they are high in pop culture consciousness this year, thanks almost entirely to Disney. Rapunzel will be soon, too.

And no, I don't consider Tinkerbelle or Alice to be fairy tale characters, but that is they way they are marketed, so I'm not arguing. And I was surprised that although I am not a doll person, decidedly not so, Tinkerbelle and Little Red were my favorites of the bunch.

Charisma also has a fairy/faerie line called Whispering Willow Fairies.

And I am not affiliated with Charisma or Penny Brite. This is just news...