Belles de jour

Miss Sévinyl is getting ready to make her debut. The vinyl version of Julian Kalinowski's groundbreaking and soon to be mythical (less than 150 dolls left) Séverine doll will soon be gracing shelves, cases, and altars the world over. Made of creamy vinyl, each Miss Sévinyl will still be handpainted by the handsome Mr. Kalinowski.

In this photo, a still from Miss Sévinyl's lost first flick Je suis ton déjeuner, two prototype Miss Sévinyl dolls wear tributes (by Juliet Whorton of Dangerousdames Lounge on Etsy) to Yves Saint Laurent's designs for Luis Buñuel's film Belle de Jour.

Who is the gentleman? No one knows. His identity died when the film was destroyed by its jealous-and-gone-mad director.



To find out how to acquire a Miss Sévinyl, stay tuned to this blog or join Séverine's Facebook group Je suis Séverine.

My Make-Up

"I Say A Little Prayer"

 by Aretha Franklin

The moment I wake up
Before I put on my makeup
I say a little prayer for you
While combing my hair, now
And wonder what dress to wear, now
I say a little prayer for you

Forever, forever, you'll stay in my heart
And I will love you
Forever, and ever, we never will part
Oh, how I'll love you
Together, together, that's how it must be
To live without you
Would only mean heartbreak for me



I run for the bus, dear
While riding I think of us, dear
I say a little prayer for you
At work, I just take time
And all through my coffee break-time
I say a little prayer for you

Forever, forever, you'll stay in my heart
And I will love you
Forever, and ever, we never will part
Oh, how I'll love you
Together, together, that's how it must be
To live without you
Would only mean heartbreak for me


I say a little prayer for you
I say a little prayer for you



Forever, forever, you'll stay in my heart
And I will love you
Forever, and ever, we never will part
Oh, how I'll love you
Together, together, that's how it must be
To live without you
Would only mean heartbreak for me



My darling, believe me
For me there is no one, but you
Please love me, too
I'm in love with you
Answer my prayer
Say you love me, too.
Why don't you answer my prayer?
You know, every day I say a little prayer
I said, I say, I say a little prayer.

Dress by Retros

The Making of Séverine's Haute Doll Advertisement

By now most fans of Julian Kalinowski's Séverine doll have learned that her very first advertisement appears in the fall issue of Haute Doll magazine.

The process for making the ad was a madcap adventure! Loosely based on one of Mr. Kalinowski's favorite still images from the Jean-Luc Goddard film Weekend, Séverine's version had beauty first and foremost in mind. Yet, dramatic tension abounds in this black and white glamour fest.



The locale was selected for it starkness. A desolate ravine of parched grasses and treacherous rocks proved to be perfect foil for the richness of the couture designed by Liz Cole for Retros, Tania Lawrence, and Rosina Haskell.

Dolldom's photographer's risked their lives to shoot the landscape scene that features two vintage Irwin cars made for Mattel's Barbie doll: an Austin-Healey and a Mercedes. How they've ended up down this ravine will forever be a secret. Suffice it to say that Séverine, Miss Sévinyl, and Liz Lee's Rachel all had a grand time hamming it up for the cameras.

Follow the making of this ad with this exclusive behind-the-scenes peek!

The image selected for the ad features three Séverine dolls and prototypes of Miss Sévinyl and Rachel.


A second image was discarded due to its more graphic nature and the mindless destruction of expensive Louis Vuitton-like luggage. 


Photo stylist Perrita Perón adjusts the Austin-Healey


A preliminary version of the ad with graphic artist extraordinaire Fokke Hoekman's magic touch.