Their name is a holy grail of the one-of-a-kind-doll world. Based in Saint Petersburg, Ekaterina and Elena Popovy handcraft hyperreal, posable dolls that combine elements of fashion, otherworldly fantasy and fetish. Alongside dollmaking, they’ve picked up fine-art photography, 3D modelling and mapping, and video, giving their dolls unique environments to exist in. The couturier Jean Paul Gaultier, Louis Vuitton, shoe designer Fabrizio Viti, and one half of ‘Die Antwoord’ Yolandi Visser are all avid collectors of their dolls. Could fashion go back in time and metamorphose to showcase trends on dolls instead of human beings?
WORDS BY THE AUTHORS / We have been making fine-art dolls since 2004. And, for us, this activity has transformed into a special thematic kind of art. Together with fashion, it has given us the freedom to express our contemporary and cosmopolitan vision of beauty. We believe that our mission is to tell you a story and, each time, it should be a new one allowing you to dream and escape into a world of unfettered imagination. Inspired by history and nature, we always try to transcend the humdrum and commonplaceness.
We invest a lot to get the authentic look of our dolls. In 2012, we have started our BJD line called “SISTERS”. Starting with sketches, we create everything ourselves: mould prototypes, makeups, body blushing, wigs, whole outfits and shoes. In the course of many years, we have developed our signature technique of wire-frame designs for wigs and clothes. By now, we have accumulated rich experience in working with different materials. To reflect the ongoing dialogue between the past and the present, we use natural, high-quality traditional and modern materials. You can find fur, antique Edo-period silk or mica in our collections. All our dolls are limited edition.
Sometimes, the look of our dolls is completed by special accessory furniture designed as an element of fashion or its logical continuation.
All our works are made with love. If you chose us, we thank you for your choice. You have become a part of our history.
