FeerieDoll has moved to a new website. There Polish doll fashion designer Koroa offers both casual and lolita inspired clothes in gorgeous color combinations that may be ordered for SD, MSD, Yo-SD, Blythe and Monster High dolls. Her new Winter Collection is available now.
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Q: Can you tell me a little about yourself and how you became interested in dolls and doll fashions?
A: I started collecting BJDolls in 2007, I found doll photos on the internet and I fell in love. I was looking for information about them, and after some time I ordered my first BJD – Dream of Doll Shall. I was still a student back then, and I didn’t have much money, so I thought she would be my only doll. But that was 9 years and 25 dolls ago.
Q: How long have you been sewing doll clothing? How has your business grown?
A: I always wanted to sew for my dolls and in general create all I can for them on my own. Creativity is what I love most about the hobby. Making clothes, eyes, wigs, painting dolls and making photos, that’s the most appealing thing for me. Privately I am freelance artist, living in the countryside with lots of cats.
Two or three years ago I decided it was time to finally properly learn how to sew for dolls, so I bought a new sewing machine, and well, I found out I loved it! First I made commissions for historical/fantasy themed dresses mostly for SD dolls; later on I started printing my own fabrics and making lolita/casual style dresses and accessories and opened my Etsy shop. With doll clothes, the lack of fabrics with designs in the right scale was the biggest problem for me, so when I learned to make them on my own, everything became much easier. Now I finally have my own webshop, and I’m very happy how my little business is progressing.
Q: So how do you go about designing your fabric? What inspires the designs? What type of fabric is used?
A: Usually I’m designing the print with particular dress in mind, I’m always trying to sketch the whole outfit before making the fabric itself, so all the pieces will fit each other nicely. Typically all dresses have a petticoat, lining and other invisible details with matching prints as well.
The designs of the fabrics are inspired by many things, art I personally like, famous lolita brand prints or just random things I see around me every day. Often I’m using prints customers commissioned from me if they agree to that. Sometimes I am using my old illustrations or paintings – I’ve learned that especially still-lifes look great on stockings or skirts. Some of the drawings were made for me by my friend who’s also an artist, and they make me smile every time I’m sewing something with them.
I’m using many types of fabric depends on what I want to achieve – from thin, cotton like fabrics for dresses, thicker soft neoprene for tunics and stuff like faux fur for collars and such. I’m still working on new ways to make more interesting prints. Now I’m working on metallic gold and silver prints, but they are still not as perfect as I would like them to be.
Q: Do you take any commissions?
A: I’m taking commissions for custom dresses, but only from the patterns I have already prepared. I know it’s not much, but at the moment I simply don’t have enough time to make a new pattern for every commissioned dress – especially since designing the print takes a while too.
Q: Do you create new fabric designs for each new collection?
A: Yes, I usually make new fabric design for every collection, even if it’s only a modified version of something older – like with the new winter outfits. But still I’m trying to change something every time so it’s fresh and not boring.
Q: Do you release a new collection every season? How long are they available for order?
A: I’m not releasing a new collection every season, but I’m trying to do it at least twice a year. The 2016 winter collection will be for sale for about 4 months. Last year I had to prolong the time for ordering because I was getting many messages about product availability.
Q: Do you have a favorite doll size to collect? and a favorite to sew for?
A: My fav doll size is definitely MSD in everything! It’s the nicest size for sewing – not too big, not terribly small. Easy to take outside to make photos, not too heavy, perfect! But few years ago I would have answered differently to this question – I was absolutely in love in Yo-SD! Then I tried buying only SD dolls, but they were too big for me, so now I finally found the right size. I still have all doll sizes at home, but the ones with the most clothes, wigs and accessories are my BlueFairy and Daydream 1/4 girls.
Q: Do you have any future plans to expand your business perhaps with more types of things offered?
A: With any luck the shop will be expanding in the future, I have many ideas, and the only thing stopping me is limited time. I have plans for a few things I would like to do next year, but they are just ideas for now.
The only sure thing I want to do is offer more ready-to-ship products, and one-of-a-kind dresses (the ones I’m only imagining and newer making for now).
FeerieDoll (formerly FeerieDoll Atelier)
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