Though not the air brushed sirens themselves that grace the centerfolds of the popular mens magazine, the recently introduced line of 16-inch, anatomically correct counterparts are as close to the real deal as any guy is likely to get.
Produced under a partnership between Los Angeles marketing firm The Stronghold Group and Playboy Enterprises, Inc., the first in the series of limited edition dolls features former Guess? Jeans model and 1997 Playmate of the Year Victoria Silvstedt accessorized in the barest of essentials which include a black string bikini, hi-heeled sandals, silver necklace and a bright red, bunny logo-adorned robe. Still one of Playboy's most recognized and renowned Playmates, the Victoria Silvstedt replicia, like all forthcoming dolls set to appear, will be restricted to a run of only 30,000 figures and sell for $49.00.
Playboy and The Stronghold Group plan to roll out three new dolls annually over the course of the next five to 10 years with the names of the next three Playmates in the line-up set to be announced in early 2002 along with a special Christmas version clad in the classic bunny outfit.
Aside from the drawback that the Playmates are not poseable, unlike Barbie and other popular dolls, the attention to detail is meticulous, with the Victoria Silvstedt version alone undergoing eight months of development with Mr. Playboy himself Hugh Hefner giving the final design approval.
The dolls outer covering gives a smooth, life-like appearence and has no visable joints, with the mold for each one being a precise copy of each Playmates unique anatomy. So precise is the workmanship, in fact, that each centerfold model even comes with delicatly placed rooted eyelashes.
Packaged in a "window box" case with a movable front flap like the recent Star Wars-Phantom Menace dolls, each comes with a numbered certificate of authenticity and a variety of lingerie, shoes and jewelry.
While the dolls are artistically and tastefully rendered, they are Playboy, which means there's more -much more- to the various private parts regions than on simular figures - right down to the tan lines.
Already selling at a brisk pace, particularly because of the limited availability, the distributor has not ruled out the possibility of extending production to meet the demand but prefers to keep the run sparse to retain the dolls appeal as a collectable rather than be looked upon as a toy - meaning that dad best keep them out of reach to prevent them from winding up in the sandbox, putting on USO shows for juniors own collection of plastic army men.
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