We have a bit of a strange relationship with dolls in our house - my Blythe / Japanese Pose doll addiction is no secret and I was firmly in Sindy's camp as a child but most other dolls really creep me out. This bizarre quirk is something that I've unwittingly managed to project onto my girls and I'm very happy that we have thus far managed to remain a Bratz / Barbie free zone.
We like our dolls to be fresh, original, different even. So it was with slight nervousness that I accepted the offer to review the new Design a Friend Doll.
I was swayed by the fact that the Design a Friend Doll comes from Chad Valley, as my mum worked at their Wrekin factory for most of my childhood and I have fond memories of putting many of their now classic toys through a stringent home testing process.
Straight out of her beautiful presentation box Design a friend is breaking the modern doll mould. Towering over her contemporaries at a statuesque 46cm she is head and shoulders above the other dolls battling it out in the tween girl marketplace.
I had my own battle as my girls fought over who was going to be chief tester (Biba won as Betty was in charge of the last product we reviewed) and all electronic toys were cast aside as she became their primary source of fun - testament indeed to her desirability.
She comes ready to rock with one complete look and there will be 12 additional outfits and 5 accessory packs available at launch so that your little ones can start to emulated their own overflowing wardrobes!
Launch price is not yet confirmed but it will be around £20 for a Design a Friend Doll complete with outfit and charm bracelet. There will be multi-buy money saving offers and I'll update this post as soon as they go live.
So if you are looking for something to keep your girls entertained over the summer, or if you are stuck for a pressie idea for the little one in your life - you can't go wrong with one of these fab dolls.
Chad Valley Design a Friend Dolls will be available from Argos from the end of July. There are 4 dolls in the collection.