Mature Fashion: A Revisited Role

In 1994 I began a small sole proprietorship creating patterns for fashion dolls; I began that business because:

(1) I was annoyed at the shoddy quality of materials and the poor fit of the merchandise I saw on the shelves of the local toy store.  The prices were outrageous for what was being delivered.

(2) I was only a year or two away from eligibility of retirement.  I knew I wanted to keep doing some meaningful work, but not full time, nor at the pace which I was then working.  

(3) Fashion dolls are (for the most part) pleasing; they are usually lovely and offer an unlimited range for a stylist and designer to utilize his or her creativity to the fullest without all the fuss and bother of fashion design for humans.

I worked full time in an Information Systems job while I began pattern production for my company, Lord Perry Patterns.  I concentrated mostly on historical and specialized patterns such as wedding, holiday, and fantasy to create a unique brand, but I also wanted to eventually produce some couture patterns.

Unexpected life events got in the way making it necessary for me to put Lord Perry Patterns on hiatus for several years but I am once again reviving it.  Although it is a whole new world out there, both for us and the dolls, I am reviving the business, both for the additional (and helpful) potential retirement income and keeping my mind engaged in the business and fashion pursuit.  

I will be offering the patterns by mail order; each of the patterns contain at least two views of the subject pattern, and do not require any exceptional knowledge or hard to obtain materials.  Many designers of One Of A Kind fashion dolls have or are still using Lord Perry Patterns.  

I am proud to say that Lord Perry Patterns have a great reputation;  they are desired by many designers and are especially known for their superior fit, etc. (I now face a new challenge in the dolls that have entered the market recently with their new shapes and sizes, but I am eagerly awaiting tackling that challenge.).  New Lord Perry Patterns will be on the market after advent of the new year.

Hopefully, this re-visit of an old role will contribute to "Rocking My Age", as a hobby if not a profitable business...I believe in the old adage of not knowing if I don't try!!

I have a website at LordPerryPatterns.com where you can view all current Lord Perry Patterns; I also have LordPerryPattern.blogspot.com, a blog I have had for several years.  This blog primarily provides tips and up to date information on the art of designing One of a Kind dolls (OOAK).