From the Special Bratz Edition of the Hollywood Reporter
The cutting edge
Staying ahead of the fashion curve is all in a day's work for the Bratz clothing line.
By Kathleen Gutierrez
The "fashion elite," a term once reserved for runway models and celebrities, can now be used to describe Bratz dolls -- those pint-size pouters that change style directions nearly as fast as their target audience.
Unlike other dolls on the market, roughly 12 new Bratz lines hit store shelves every year. Thanks to Paula Garcia, MGA Entertainment's in-house designer, those dolls stay on the cutting edge of the latest fashion trends.
"We're constantly reinventing the trends, therefore never committing to a trend too long -- just like the fashion industry," she says.
At MGA headquarters in Van Nuys, Calif., Garcia presides over a workshop that could rival Santa's, were the elves to be smitten by the fashion bug. Box upon box of acrylic hair, in rainbow hues, stand stacked in a corner. Shoes, jewelry and other accessories are scattered everywhere, cubicle walls are plastered with original sketches, and dolls in various stages of design crowd the shelves.
From this creative chaos, the various Bratz looks are born.
The latest doll line, Bratz Rock Angelz, is scheduled for release next month, with Cloe, Jade, Roxxi, Sasha and Yasmin each wearing her own rock 'n' roll ensemble, complete with an of-the-moment newsboy cap, flared denim jeans and streaked, windblown hairstyles.
Union Jack-inspired tops and jeans, rainbow hair color and tartan slacks were the look du jour when the Pretty 'n' Punk line launched in February, and a mix of gothic and pirate themes inspired the Treasures line, which also debuted in early 2005. The latter look was perfect for Gwen Stefani's "Rich Girl" music video, on which the dolls, modified slightly to resemble Stefani and rapper Eve, were featured.
MGA vp public and media relations Dave Malacrida cites that as another example of how MGA stays ahead of the fashion curve, noting that the pirate-themed dolls were designed more than a year earlier but managed to fall in line with mainstream trends.
"There are no limits to what we create," Garcia says. "We're inspired and encouraged to design without restrictions or limitation but to imagine the possibilities."
Malacrida says Bratz's upcoming fall line, Wild, Wild West, has been praised by designers for anticipating the next fashion trend of "Western-hippy chic."
Ideas come from a wide range of sources, and the Bratz design team just as easily can be seen prowling Melrose Avenue for inspiration as they can be spotted hopping on an international flight. As at a real fashion studio, some designers specialize in shoes, while others are in charge of bracelets and earrings.
There is no scrimping on quality, either. Garcia creates each line as she would human clothing and uses high-end materials on prototypes so mass-market designers overseas can understand the use of fabric, texture and style.
"We never want to limit the Bratz designs to anything less than what is executed in the real apparel market," she says. "The challenge is including every aesthetic detail expected on the scale we work on."
Although new designs are always in the works, Garcia declines comment on her latest fashion direction -- after all, a designer never gives away her secrets. But she will say that the line will continue to evolve beyond previous Bratz successes.
"In an effort to be true to the brand, we're expected to continually reinvent ourselves," Garcia says. "Like the fashion business, we must be ever-changing."
