Mini-Me!

His Lordship, "Beau Monde"

This porcelain doll was given to me many years ago and is one of my prized possessions.  The unusually-costumed gentleman, (yes, it is a gentleman), dressed in quasi-Renaissance attire, represents an elegant ensemble consisting of  pink-striped, Damask doublet; trimmed in ecru lace, ribbon-roses and paste jewels for Afternoon.  Note the matching, be-jeweled codpiece, a convenient hide-away for handkerchiefs and loose accessories.

The doll stands about six inches tall and is made completely from porcelain, clothing and all.  The lace was fashioned from 'real' lace dipped into a thin, clay slip.  When fired in the kiln, the real lace burned away, leaving the dainty trimming you see here.

Best of all, (and Nerd Alert)! the doll is a mini-me!  I wore the exact same ensemble when I played the role of the King and Queen's Royal Fashion Consultant at a Renaissance Festival! 

Guess I'd best explain:

Ages ago, one of my first design jobs was as the set designer for the local Renaissance Fair.  It was one of the weirdest jobs I had in a long-line of bat-crazy, coo-coo jobs I have endured over the years!  But that's another story.  I swear I am going to write a book about it someday.  A scathing tell-all that will no doubt ascend the New York Times Best-Seller List. Anyway, once the show was underway I got some friends together and we all made costumes and were known as 'the Fops,' and basically we strolled around in frou-fy outfits, half-drunk on ye-olde mead, posed for photographs, presented impromptu fashion shows and basically made fun of customers clothes all day.  And if you have ever been to a Renaissance Fair, believe you-me,  there is a lot and I mean a lot to make fun of!

"Mirror, mirror in my hand, who's the fairest in the land?"

Of course we were a huge sensation!  The crowds adored us. Absolutely lapped us up. The set designer job turned out to be a big bust but we continued performing as the Fops for years.  The group expanded and we even had footmen in gorgeous, matching livery and every year I designed a whole new, fabulous wardrobe for all!  People used to come just to see what the Fops were wearing that Season!  There was always a new design theme and color-story, usually based on what was going on in fashion in the present day.  For example, the year I debuted the pink ensemble the doll is wearing, one of my favorite designers, Christian Lacroix, was showing hooped miniskirts on the runway.

I used to have steamer trunks bursting with my old costumes down in the cellar, but sadly, a lot of them mildewed and had to be tossed.  You wouldn't believe what happens to silver brocade when a wine spill is left on it for a few years.  It's def not pretty.

The woman who made the doll had a shop at the Fair and you can imagine how flattered I was that she would immortalize little-ol' me in high-fired porcelain!  (There was also a taxidermist, who named a stuffed peacock after me, ha, ha)!  The doll was terribly expensive and thank god my fellow co-stars pitched in and purchased it for me, or I daresay it would never adorn my bedroom mantle as it does today.  

It is a rather good likeness, except for the bum!  Even the artist who made it confessed that it did in no way compare to the real-life, god-given work of art!

At just over six inches tall, the doll almost works in a dollhouse.  (except the base). Maybe I will have to make him a suitable palace setting to live in!

Well,  aghast Reader, at the end of the week Glen and I are heading to Hawaii for some fun and some sun!  And I have yet to make any preparations for the excursion! So I won't be around much for a while but promise to catch up with everyone when I get back, hopefully without too-terrible a sun-burn.  Hope you enjoyed my sad little trip down Memory Lane...

Aloha! and Huzzah!