Fashion Avenue Friday; 2003 Diva Drive Collection (part 1) and a short history talkArchived Message
Posted by Jeanne on April 29, 2022, 12:10 pm
I'm sure most folks aren't even aware that there is a controversy among Fashion Avenue collectors but I'll address the elephant in the room anyway and you can decide for yourself.
If a DollDivas reader were to fall in love with one of the fashions I'll show later (or from some collections I have reviewed previously, and for most upcoming collections as well), they might search it out on ebay. If they purchased it NRFB, they would notice that while the package style is identical to FA's from this time period, they would also make the rather startling discovery that "Fashion Avenue" is not mentioned anywhere on the box. They might wonder what Jeanne is on about, including these logo-less fashions in her FAF series. I have to admit that I had completely forgotten this controversy until I recently stumbled across a new Fashion Avenue ID site that does not include these fashions and goes on to say that it is "crazy" to call these fashions "Fashion Avenues" based on packaging alone. Well, that got my bristles up.
I was avidly collecting FA's during the time these appeared and many of us Fashion Avenue Fanatics contributed pictures to a different FA website, the "original" FA website (in my mind at least). It was a huge thrill to stroll into the "pink aisle" and find brand new FA's hanging there, and to send pics off for inclusion on the original website. When these logo-less fashions started appearing discussion was held, of course, as to whether these were indeed FA's and if they should be included on the website. Thinking back on that discussion I know I felt that these were FA's, and it went beyond the logo-less but otherwise identical packaging to logo'd FA's. While other areas of the Barbie aisle were re-vamped periodically to accomodate the different series, such as the My Scene Barbies in 2002+ and the then-new Fashion Fever dolls in their unique tubular packaging, a small area of the aisle remained for Fashion Avenues and it is here that these logo-less fashions were displayed. The fashions themselves "felt" like Fashion Avenues to me, with their themed groupings, the overall fashion styles and their accessories. They hung on the same rods as our beloved Fashion Avenues had hung for years, indeed often intermingled on the same rod with the logo'd FA's. They clearly didn't belong with any other groups sharing the rest of the Barbie aisle at the time. These were the main arguments for their inclusion on the original FA website.
None of us knew it at the time, but the once Grand Dame that was Fashion Avenue was in her death throes. In hindsight it's clear to see how things had been dwindling for some time. The wonderful Barbie/Kelly Matchin' Styles... long gone. The Teen Skipper collections and those great Kelly sets with 3 little fashions for Kelly or Tommy... gone. Some nice fashions for Barbie and Ken were still appearing in 2003, but in 2004 only 2 small collections for Barbie would show up and then fashions in this packaging disappeared forever, along with the section of the pink aisle previously devoted to Fashion Avenues. For me, these last logo-less fashions deserve, at the very least, honorable mention as being "possible" Fashion Avenues and I continue to firmly believe that they ARE the last contributions of the Fashion Avenue designers at Mattel before the Grand Dame faded into the sunset (packaging and all) in 2004.
So now you know the dirty laundry in the Fashion Avenue closet and you can decide where you stand... or you can just enjoy the pics. Onwards to the 2003 ?Fashion Avenue? Diva Drive collection.
2003 Diva Drive Collection, stock # B8258- A fun little schoolgirl fashion. The hoodie has a working front zipper and the skirt is done in a darling pleated plaid. A cute backpack and clunky heavy-soled shoes completed the fashion.
2003 Diva Drive Collection, stock # B8259- A stylish track suit in palest pink velour with a tote purse and really nice running shoes.
The purse and a close-up of the running shoes:
2003 Diva Drive Collection, stock # B8260- Barbie is all set for a sleepover in this terrycloth robe and floral print pj's. Fluffy white slippers were the finishing touch.
The cute little jammies without the robe:
There were 6 fashions in this collection so next week we'll look at the other three.
