Mary-Kate and Ashley Doll Fashions

The process for designing the Mary-Kate and Ashley doll fashions was what you might expect 'behind the scenes' at a major runway fashion show. The girls were so excited about the dolls becoming a reality, and even more excited about picking out what they would wear. Armed with the Dualstar Central Design Studio, they hit the Mattel offices for an initial meeting on January 4, 1999. There, they saw how dolls were made and discussed generally what they would like the dolls to wear.

During this time, Mary-Kate and Ashley were filming their television series Two of a Kind and wanted to stick with the look they had on the series, seeing that they got to help pick their clothes for that too. So their designer brought approximately 10 pieces of clothing, including accessories and shoes that were developed for the series, so the folks at Mattel could get an idea of what the girls liked to wear.

The sample clothes were hung up on a huge bulletin board and accessorized. Here, Mary-Kate and Ashley told the folks at Mattel what they liked and what they didn't like about the outfits. Then, the outfits were given color themes.

After this initial meeting, they returned about a month later to take a look at what the folks at Mattel came up with prior to Mary-Kate and Ashley's next scheduled meeting to look at the clothes. After the clothes were viewed, the girls and their designer gave their opinions and input, and the clothes were then re-designed to fit their preferences.

The girls requested the dolls wear capri pants since they both liked capris. Mary-Kate wanted her doll to wear a V-neck sweater because she likes to wear necklaces and chokers and wanted to have her neck showing. Ashley is really into skirts and layering T-shirts with cardigan sweaters, and that is what she wanted her doll to wear.

As for the colors of the outfits and accessories, the girls and the Dualstar Central Design Studio selected colors similar to those used on Two of a Kind. Ashley likes feminine colors such as pink and gray and prefers feminine-looking shoes with a small heel and a cute little purse. Mary-Kate, on the other hand, prefers primary colors such as red, blue, and khaki, and wears sporty accessories like sneakers and backpacks.

After all that was settled and everyone agreed on the outfits, the clothes were made. Mary-Kate and Ashley couldn't be happier with the outcome. The Dualstar Central Design Studio feels that Mattel really understands who Mary-Kate and Ashley are.