Helen Carter has turned her love of collecting Sindy dolls into an exhibition, which is being displayed at the Museum of Childhood. Sindy was launched by Pedigree in 1963 along with her friends ‘The Sindy Set’ that also included her boyfriend Paul, named after the famous Beatle.
Here she talks about setting up her exhibition and why Sindy isn’t the girl she used to be.
What made you start collecting Sindy dolls, don’t you like Barbie, or Tressy?
I think that somewhere in my subconscious there is something about Sindy that fired a spark that Tressy or Barbie failed to do. I had Barbie as a child, only one, and one Tressy, but Sindy was my first doll in 1964. I love Barbie as a fashion model; she has the right proportions and looks great in clothes (her proportions height-wise are similar to how fashion drawings are constructed, not human at all, but fabulous as a visual). Barbie’s early fashions are wonderful as a look at American fashion culture at that time – they looked very much towards Paris couture, but Sindy had her own very British look, especially as the 1960’s progressed (a London look which was copied by Mattel for “MOD” Barbie) and for that reason I prefer to collect Sindy dolls.
Why did you decide to do the exhibition and how did it come about?
I began researching as an academic in the archives at the V&A Museum of Childhood, the curators are very supportive and there are some interesting things in the British Toy Making Archive. My academic research is tied up with Sindy and teenage fashion dolls in general.
In my exhibition I wanted to show how underestimated her influence as a fashion trend maker was.
I have always wanted to do something more with my dolls than just collect them, and when it was suggested to me that I could put on a display, this was my opportunity to demonstrate my theory.
How did you come up with the concept of doing the 60s theme, and why did you chose that decade?
I chose the 1960’s because that was when Sindy was released (1963) and the decade that spawned the teenager as we know it, alongside a lot of the popular culture that shaped the end of the 20th century and beyond.
Who helped you design and put together the exhibition?
I designed it, came up with the concept, did all the research and the graphics, got all the dolls together – basically it is a one woman show! Esther Lutman, the curator that I was working with, suggested something visual from the 60s decade using the dolls, and I took it from there. I had help from a friend to actually set it up, the graphics are printed on huge sheets of card and had to be handled carefully.
How long did it take to put together?
The whole process took months of work, the picture research was very time consuming and I had to get copyright permission for all the images that didn’t belong to the V&A. I travelled around researching and collecting things that I did not have in my collection, from other people. I researched using 1960’s catalogues like Freemans and Grattan and because they proved to be such a fantastic resource, I included some of their images in my display.
Are the Sindy’s from your own personal collection?
Most of them, I had to borrow 3 Sindy dolls, 4 Paul dolls, and some of the accessories
Do you have a favourite?
My favourite dolls are definitely the early ones, the Made in England with the Weekenders outfit, and I also love the 1968 Side parts.
Have you designed any outfits for Sindy?
Only OOAK (one of a kind) commissions for people. I have had ideas but time is limited, I work full time in my teaching job as a Programme Leader of the Fashion Design programmes at the University of East London. I would love to create iconic vintage pieces on OOAK Sindy dolls, maybe one day!
How has she changed today?
Today she doesn’t exist as far as I’m concerned, in fact I don’t think that Pedigree are making Sindy at all. She was changed so much in the late 1980’s that to most collectors she became a different doll, they might as well have renamed her. They gave her the smaller head and California smile of Barbie, instead of sticking to their USP (unique selling point) which was her side glancing eyes, more human proportions and very British style. They could have taken so much from our changing culture at that time, the way that fashion, music and street style was being fused and influenced by all the multi-cultural influences around us.
Vintage Sindy or New Sindy?
Vintage hands down!
http://www.museumofchildhood.org.uk/
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