Highlighting 6 exceptional creations from Mdvanii and BillyBoy*.
Released in December 1994, this one of a kind doll is modeled after Aristide Bruant, the celebrated French cabaret singer and club owner who rose to prominence in the late 19th century. The doll’s outfit faithfully reproduces Bruant’s iconic stage costume and the look immortalized in the famous poster Aristide Bruant in his Cabaret.
The poster was created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, one of the leading artists of his time. Lautrec was active in France during the late 1800s and is credited with elevating the art of lithographic posters to an entirely new level. He and Bruant were personal friends, and their collaboration produced some of the most recognizable imagery in the history of cabaret culture.
Male Midovani dolls include a full-sized human condom as an accessory. This was intended as part of an educational message promoting AIDS awareness and safe sex. The inclusion reflects BillyBoy*’s commitment to representing queer culture and advocacy within his creative work.
Born in 1960, BillyBoy* emerged as a distinctive creative force in the world of fashion and art. He began his career in Paris producing fashion jewelry and later opened a boutique called Surréal Bijoux with his partner. By the early 1980s, he had become a celebrated figure in fashion circles, admired for his bold, surreal aesthetic and his ability to blur the lines between art, adornment, and fantasy.
BillyBoy* is also widely known as one of the most passionate and influential Barbie collectors of his time. His 1987 book Barbie: Her Life and Times became a major bestseller and was translated into multiple languages. The publication was embraced internationally for its authoritative look at Barbie’s cultural history. His expertise led him to work with Mattel as both a designer and a consultant.
During this period, he created two iconic Barbie designs: “Le Nouveau Théâtre de la mode” in 1984 and “Feelin’ Groovy” in 1986. “Le Nouveau Théâtre de la mode” became particularly significant as it was the first Barbie collaboration in history where the designer’s name appeared on the box, acknowledging Barbie’s growing relationship with high fashion.
After achieving great success through his Barbie-related projects, BillyBoy* shifted his creative focus toward producing an original doll that reflected his own artistic vision rather than reinterpreting an existing icon. After about two years of development, the Midovanis were created.
Today, the Midovanis attract a remarkably diverse audience. They are collected by dedicated doll enthusiasts, including long-time Barbara fans, and also by people in the contemporary art world who discovered BillyBoy* through his broader artistic work. Their appeal reaches across multiple communities and countries, and the dolls are now part of various museum collections worldwide. They are recognized as crossover works that function as fashion objects, sculptures, and cultural statements.
Author: Tajika, Staff at Mandarake
The Midovanis are a line of exquisite dolls created in 1989 by the artist BillyBoy*, a figure well known in the worlds of fashion and collectible art. Standing at approximately 25 cm tall, these 1/6-scale dolls began their life crafted from hard resin before later evolving into fine porcelain creations.
Each doll embodies a level of craftsmanship rarely seen even among high-end collectibles. Their makeup is meticulously applied by hand, ensuring that no two faces are exactly alike. The garments they wear are not mere miniatures but genuine couture pieces-made with the same fabrics, design techniques, and attention to detail found in human high fashion. Even the wigs, crafted entirely from human hair, speak to the extraordinary standards behind their creation.
These wigs were designed by none other than Alexandre de Paris, the legendary French hairstylist who worked with countless film stars and members of the European aristocracy.
With their combination of top-tier artisanship, luxurious materials, and fashion-world pedigree, the Midovanis have earned a reputation as some of the most gorgeously crafted dolls in the history of the medium. To collectors, they represent not just a toy or display piece, but a pinnacle of dollmaking-where artistry, fashion, and craftsmanship converge in miniature perfection.
This one of a kind Mdvanii was released in February 1995 and is dressed in a prototype outfit originally created in 1989. The doll was sold as part of a gift set that included a selection of accessories made specifically for this release. Because both the outfit and most of the accessories exist only in single examples, the set holds a special place among early Mdvanii works.
The earliest Mdvanii dolls produced in 1989 were made of resin and typically featured short black bobbed hairstyles. In contrast, this doll is part of the later porcelain line and comes from the period when more varied and elaborate hairstyles had been introduced as a defining feature of the renewed Mdvanii era.
The combination of a rare early prototype outfit from 1989 with the refined beauty of the later porcelain Mdvanii results in a particularly striking and desirable set. It represents a fusion of the brand’s origins with its evolution, offering collectors a piece that captures both the history and the artistic growth of Mdvanii.
Released in August 1995, this one of a kind Mdvanii features a retro pop aesthetic inspired by 1960s mod fashion. The colorful jumpsuit is paired with accessories such as a beaded necklace and an intricately crafted belt. Because this piece was produced as a unique work, the design makes use of bold styling and detailed, experimental elements.
Unlike many other Mdvanii dolls, the hair on this version is not a wig. It is sculpted directly into the head and made from a firm material, giving the doll a distinctive look within the collection.
Released in March 1996, this doll represents Tzulli, a character introduced as the best friend of Edie, Mdvanii’s younger sister, and the sibling of Dheei, one of Mdvanii’s close companions.
Tzulli is portrayed as a teenager within the Mdvanii universe, and this informs her overall design. Unlike the mature and enigmatic expression associated with Mdvanii herself, Tzulli features larger, more open eyes and a slightly slimmer body, creating a softer and more youthful presence.
Artistically, she reflects a deliberate contrast in the lineup, emphasizing innocence and youth rather than mystery or sophistication. Her sculpt and proportions highlight the range of characters within the Mdvanii world.
This particular example is number 24 from an edition of 25, making it a notably limited release and giving the piece its individual rarity within the Tzulli line.
This item from the Basic Collection was released in March 1991 and carries serial number 40. The collection consisted of four designs in total, though only two were made available in Japan: La Petite Robe Noire (the red dress) and Femme Fatale, which is the version presented here.
The exact production quantity for the series is unknown, but it is generally believed that these dolls were produced in greater numbers than many other Mdvanii releases. Even so, no two dolls are ever identical. While each design uses the same main outfit, variations in hair color, changes in accessory combinations, and the fully hand-painted faces ensure that every Mdvanii remains a unique individual piece.
Released in September 1992, this Mdvanii is serial number 50. She wears a red floral sheath dress paired with a purple straw hat, creating a look that strongly evokes the fashion mood of the 1960s.