Butterfly Art Kira
Butterfly Art Kira 1998
Butterfly Art Kira and Teresa in their denim skirts
This week I have been doing some interior painting so haven’t wanted to get dolls out to photograph. Instead I delved into my files. Today’s Friday Girl is Butterfly Art Kira, one of a very controversial set of dolls released in 1998. These dolls are often put on eBay as rare or “recalled” . As far as I am aware Mattel did not recall them and they were not particularly rare although as usual not all areas had all the dolls on sale. In Australia for example we could not always buy Christie and Kira .
The main reason for the fuss was the tattoos which look pretty innocuous by today’s standards. I think the skimpy outfits were also an issue.
Dolls, Dolls, Dolls 
Pretty dolls and quirky backstory. Tattoos are so mainstream now. I don’t mind them as long as they are tasteful and used judiciously. Here are a few more Mattel dolls I know of or have with tattoos: Hard Rock series (i have Lea), Tokidoki (i have the one with pink hair) and a few of the Fashion Fever dolls including Skipper and a Teresa.
LikeLike
Exactly. Tattoos are so mainstream now it is hard to believe there was such a fuss about such innocuous tatts as these. Same as the fuss over Earring Magic Ken. Personally I am not a fan of body art but this was a storm in a tea cup.
LikeLike
the bikini’s are pretty fancy for Mattel, did you do these yourself? I still have several dolls needing redressing..maybe just swimsuits for summer. need to make something for a giant Cindi doll that came today..and her standard size 12″ mini me. It has a lever that sticks out of her back that raises her arms.very poor head on smaller one.. maybe an olde time bathing costume and cap would hide her missing hair.My Hawaiian Kira is on my front porch in a beach chair.I like your’s tattoos.Thinking Tris from Divergent series has black birds/swallows on her chest.The four character has a full back tattoo.Seen others with the tribal type like, the Rock ,etc..
LikeLike
No I didn’t do the bikinis this is what they were all issued with. It is a sort of crochet bikini top and pants but quite a thick yarn. You are right, Divergent Tris does have swallow tattoos and nobody said a word about that probably because sheis a movie character.
LikeLike
theres aa other character on t.v. abbi shutto (sp)..NCIS, who has tattoos and I saw a doll someone hand drew on a bratz doll, it’s definitely mainstream culture. I’m not a huge bikini fan , never look quite right on most humans somehow,but these are well made.I might attempt something like this to cover a few beverly hills 90120 dolls that arrived last week. couldn’t undo the crazy sharpie make-up done on tori spelling but she has had the most plastic surgery since the show anyway.Have to see if e-bay has Teresa she is so pretty._
LikeLike