Bratz Dolls in the Dorothy Hanley Collection

Cool Bratz, 2001

We are interested in hearing about your experiences of playing with or collecting Bratz. You can contact the MCI team at: info@museumofchildhood.ie

Research on Bratz Dolls in the Dorothy Hanley Collection by Jane Leonard, Museum of Childhood Ireland Intern (QUB MA)

Introduction

  • ‘Meet the Bratz; they’re the cool girls from your school!’ 
  • Carter Bryant was inspired to design the Bratz dolls when he saw a group of young, fashionable, ‘bratty’ girls standing outside of a local high school. 
  • A designer for Barbie at the time, Bryant pitched the idea of Bratz to the MGA Entertainment CEO. 
  • The concept was not originally well-received by the CEO, however, his daughter who had been sitting in on the meeting, loved the idea and encouraged him to invest. 
  • The first series of Bratz dolls – ‘Cool Bratz’ – were released in 2001. 
  • The doll series was intended to be more racial inclusive and diverse than Barbie. 

Bratz Rock Angelz, 2006

  •   After a considerably slow start, Bratz sales skyrocketed during the Christmas period of 2001, and they soon became Barbie’s first competitor in the market. 
  • In juxtaposition to Barbie, the Bratz dolls were considered to be ‘edgy’, with their disproportionate facial features, curvier bodies, and contemporary outfits. 
  • The original Bratz series consisted of four dolls; ‘Jade’, ‘Yasmine’, ‘Sasha’, and ‘Cloe’. 
  • Of the four original dolls, ‘Jade’ was Asian, ‘Sasha’ was Black, ‘Yasmine’ was Brown, and ‘Cloe’ was white. 
  • Each Bratz had their own distinct fashion style and personality, and this was conveyed through a tagline on the box. 

Boy Bratz, 2002

  • After the commercial success of Bratz in late 2001, a number of new series, including the first ‘Boy Bratz’, were released in 2002.
  •   Bratz remained successful for the next five years, until their popularity began to wane around 2008.  A number of re-brands and improvements to the dolls quality over the course of the next ten years did little to boost sales. 
  • In 2018, an 18th Anniversary collection was released with a target audience of adult collectors. 

Dolls Kill X Bratz, 2020

  • Bratz collections in collaboration with fashion brands such as Dolls Kill and Pretty Little Thing were released in 2020. 
  • 2021 saw the release of reproduction Bratz dolls, once again aimed specifically at adult collectors. 
  • The brands first lesbian Bratz were released in June 2022 as part of the ‘Pride Pack’, in celebration of Pride Month. 

‘Pride Pack’, June 2022

“Desire has long felt seen by the Bratz brand. Growing up goth meant lines like Rock Angelz and Pretty ‘N’ Punk (both circa 2005) resonated with her “alternative” sense of style and brought representation to a subculture that was largely non-existent in the realm of children’s toys—not to mention Bratz’s inclusion of non-white dolls from the jump. “The fact they released a black doll on their first launch and it wasn’t added in at a later date means we weren’t an afterthought,” she says.”

https://capsule98.com/features/history-of-bratz

“…Bratz’s bold statements of style, friendship, and the empowerment of minority girls, does demonstrate that Bratz had something to offer the industry in terms of paving a new path for femininity and sexuality.”

https://medium.com/@corinnevient/the-triumphs-and-drawbacks-in-how-bratz-dolls-paved-a-new-path-for-femininity-and-sexuality-c9ef2109bab8

“Seeing Bratz offer that lifesaving representation to children today makes me emotional because it is giving LGBTQ youth the opportunities to feel seen and heard that I never had.”

https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2021/11/pair-bratz-dolls-changing-toy-industry-better-making-kids-feel-included

List of Selection of Barbie Dolls in the Hanley Collection (lists are also in relevant boxes)

1. 4 Rock Angelz Bratz: 

A/1) Rock Angelz, ‘Yasmin’, 2005. 

A/2) Rock Angelz, ‘Sasha’, 2005. 

A/3) Rock Angelz, ‘Cloe’, 2005. 

A/4) 2 Rock Angelz, ‘Jade’, 2005. 

  1. 3 Talking Bratz: 

B/1) Talking ‘Sasha’, 2006. 

B/2) Talking ‘Cloe’, 2006. 

B/3) Talking ‘Yasmin’, 2006. 

  1. ‘Leah’ Bratz, circa 2007. (?) 

C/1) ‘Leah’, 2007.

C/2) ‘Leah’, 2007.

C/3) ‘Leah’, 2007. 

  1. Fashion Pixiez, ‘Jade’, 2007. 
  2. 2 Pretty ‘N’ Punk Bratz

E/1) Pretty ‘N’ Punk, ‘Jade’, 2005. 

E/2) Pretty ‘N’ Punk, ‘Yasmin’, 2005. 

  1. Girlz Really Rock!, ‘Jade’, 2008. 
  2. Ice Champions, ‘Vinessa’, 2006. 
  3. Holiday (3rd Edition), ‘Cloe’, 2007. 
  4. Live in Concert Space Angelz Pop Starz, ‘Yasmin’, 2005. (Not wearing the corresponding outfit.) 
  5. Forever Diamondz, ‘Jade’, 2006. 
  6. Wild Wild West, ‘Kiana’, 2005, (Real eyelashes). 
  7. It’s a Yasmin Exclusive!, 2003. (Debut ‘Big Bratz’)
  8. M/1) Bratz Babyz Hair Flair, ‘Cloe’, 2006, (comes with baby’s bottle).

M/2) Bratz Babyz Hair Flair, ‘Cloe’, 2006.

M/3) Bratz Babyz Hair Flair, ‘Cloe’,(Multiple editions, date not certain).

M/4) Bratz Babyz Hair Flair, ‘Roxxi’, 2006.

  1. N/1) Lil Angelz, ‘Dana’(Date not certain) 

N/2) Lil Angelz, ‘Yasmin’(Date not certain)

  1. Bratz Kidz, ‘Cloe’, 2007.
  2. Bratz Kidz Horseback Fun, ‘Yasmin’, 2007.
  3. Q/1) Bratz Kidz Sleepover Adventure dolls (?). 

Q/2) Bratz Kidz Sleepover Adventure dolls (?).

  1. 2 Bratzillaz 

R/1) Bratzillaz, ‘Meygana Broomsitx’, 2012.

R/2) Bratzillaz, ‘Cloetta Spelletta’, 2012. 

  1. Bratz Big Babyz Princess, ‘Yasmin’, 2007. 
  2. Styling Head Makeover Doll, ‘Cloe’, 2002. 
  3. Secret Date, ‘Jade’, 2004. 
  4. Campfire, ‘Cloe’, 2005.
  5. Bratz The Movie Full Body Funky Fashion Makeover, ‘Cloe’, 2007. 
  6. Bratz Diva Starz, 1999. 
  7. Bratz Babyz Triiiplets

Y/1) Babyz Triiiplets, ‘Sivan’, 2007. 

Y/2) Babyz Triiiplets, ‘Aira’, 2007.

Y/3) Babyz Triiiplets, ‘Kesara’, 2007. 

  1. Bratz Play Sports Xtreme Motocross, ‘Jade’, 2008. 

AX) Bratz Big Babyz, ‘Cloe’, (No date available). 

BX) Bratz Babyz The Movie Lil Dancers, ‘Cloe’, 2006. 

CX) Itsy Bitsy Bratz Babyz Bobblehead, ‘Phoebe’, 2004. 

DX) Bratz Boyz Nu Cool, ‘Eitan’, 2003.

EX) ‘Cameron’ wearing Eitan’s Boyz Really Rock outfit, 2008.