KISS Footballers & Other Custom Kickers For Foosball Tables

I'm not sure whether or not the rock group KISS are big soccer players - or even foosball (table football) fans, but I came across these hilarious custom 'footballers' on Vinçon, the design store in Spain. Each is made of aluminum and hand painted and costs around 42 euros a piece.

In addition to Gene Simmons, Ace Freeley, Paul Stanley and Peter Criss as possible goalies, center forwards, wings, or whatever position you please, they sell many others. Gigolos, business men, punks, glamour gals, even a dominatrix can replace your boring little men on your foosball (or football) tables.


Buy the fun little footballers here.


Foosball Fan?


Here's a collection of really cool foosball tables from Bonzini and Teckell.

•And be sure to see the special and stunning tables from Eleven Forty:

Opus, the Beautiful Game and the Good Vs. Evil limited edition tables here.

MAD MEN Barbie Doll Diorama From Haute Doll

Much to the glee of advertising folk and doll collectors, todays' New York Times announced the fact that Mattel is soon coming out with MAD MEN Barbie dolls.

The dolls, fashioned after the cast of AMC's MAD MEN, are expected to retail for $75.00 each and a limited number of less than 10,000 dolls of each are to be produced.



above photo courtesy of New York Times



In honor of the release of the upcoming dolls, Haute Doll has created their own versions in an upcoming diorama for the magazine.

I happen to be acquainted with the fabulous photographer, Michael Williams, about who's Barbie Jonathan Adler diorama's I blogged about before.
So, I have a sneak peek at the first images of their own MAD MEN Dolls for you.





This month, for the March/April issue of HauteDoll, Michael collaborated with some One-Of-A-Kind doll artists to create our own custom MAD MEN dolls, wearing fashions directly from the TV show, along with an amazingly detailed miniature diorama of Don Draper's office (COMPLETE with cocktails and cigarettes).


above: I love the mini story boards and the Lucky Strike Cigarettes!



Diorama by Carloyn Allen
Fashions by Natalia Sheppard
Barbie repaints by Vin Trapani
Photos by Michael Williams

Designer & Artist Mannequins for Ralph Pucci International

Pucci Manikin Co., which is now Ralph Pucci International, was originally a mannequin repair company begun by Leda and Nicholas Pucci in the 1950s, in the basement of their Mount Vernon, New York home.


above: Ralph Pucci in his NY showroom (photo courtesy of New York Daily News)

Pucci's son Ralph joined the business in 1976 and then took it over in the 1980's. He then transformed it into a company that created high-end mannequins in the likenesses of top models and collaborated on mannequin designs with top fashion designers and illustrators.


above and top image: Pucci's Madame Mannequins

I'm going to show you some of those amazing mannequins today.

Of course they are also known for their pricey high end unique pieces of furniture, interior decorating, hotel designing, lighting and graphics designed by some of the most influential innovators of this time.

Literally hundreds of beautiful mannequins, clothed and au naturel, sculpted and/or painted, have graced the showrooms of Ralph Pucci International. Too many to show you in one post. But here are just a few of my favorite collaborations.

Anna Sui:



Chelsey Maclaren:


Jeffrey Fulvimari:



Kenny Scharf:



Laura Ljungkvist:


Maira Kalman:



Michael Bartalos:



Patrick Elie Naggar:



Robert Clyde Anderson:



Ruben Toledo:




Like I said earlier in this post, there are too many to share them all with you, but there is a book!
Show by Ralph Pucci, 192 pages, 154 color illustrations, published by Glitterati Inc, 2009


Buy Ralph Pucci's SHOW book here.


• Check out this nice feature the SeeSaw blog did on a 2008 tour of the Pucci mannequin factory.

above: detail of a photo by Liza Cowan for the See Saw blog factory tour article

If you'd like to know more, here's a nice and interesting 2009 article on Ralph Pucci and his company from the New York Daily News

Ralph Pucci International