must renew their portray to young girls, membership. Hage said Hage said she never saw they sell out of the fan club Barbie that way at all. doll of the year every year. “I saw her as doing Members can also get club anything she wanted to and exclusive dolls, such as the buying, having and going 1950s era Homecoming anywhere,” Hage said. “I Queen Barbie that sits in liked Barbie because she Hage’s ‘50s diner diorama. makes me feel good and After Hage married it gives me pleasure to do her husband, Ken, her dioramas and play with her collection changed and I just think it’s fun.” because she realized she Hage said as a little girl had to start collecting more she would take shoeboxes and make them into a Kristine Barbie Hage spends a lot of time putting detail in her Barbie dolls. Ken dolls, but the lack of Kens and fashionable camper and use fabric as a This doll though, while not a Barbie, is a recreation meant to reflect her husband Ken who is also a pilot. clothes for him was a tent for her dolls. problem for Hage, so she The first Barbie she modified other dolls. owned was a Swirl Ponytail Barbie from her mother. Her aunt “I buy action figure clothes and put them on Ken dolls or was going to make clothes for the doll at her apartment, but actually buy action figures because a lot of the action figures unfortunately it burned down and Hage lost that doll. Later in are 12 inches which works just fine, because Barbie is 11 and life, she bought a No. 3 Ponytail Barbie to replace the one she a half inches and it works out fine,” Hage said. lost. Hage said her collection is changing again because of Hage said she doesn’t have a favorite doll, instead she has friends and designers she’s met at the Kenvention (a convention favorite categories. Her favorite vintage doll is Stacey. specifically for the doll himself). She is now learning how to “Her outfit and the doll are from my childhood and I played paint dolls, how to mix and match doll heads and bodies, and with her a lot,” Hage said. how to make doll parts such as fingers, via Facebook groups. Another favorite category is the bridal collection. Barbie is portrayed as a 1964 Swirl Ponytail wearing the Bride’s Dream dress, circa 1963-1965. It is also the first vintage doll and outfit Hage purchased at a Twin Cities doll show. Childhood Ken When Kristine married her husband, Ken, she also changed is circa 1962 and wearing an outfit from 1961-1965. Other her middle name to Barbie because that’s what he always called notable dolls include Midge as the maid of honor, Skipper as her ever since they started dating. the flower girl, best man Allan and ring bearer Todd. “He came to see my collection and he said, ‘I’m going to have to call you Barbie,’ and I said ‘Why? Just because I collect them?’ And he said, ‘No, I’m Ken, so you’re Barbie,’” Hage recalled. “He always calls me Barbie, if he Hage’s fascination with Barbie started This Barbie features a dress Hage knitted calls me Kris, he broke his leg or the house when she was young and hasn’t stopped. herself. is on fire.” “The last Barbie my mom gave me for Hage said her stepdaughter suggested my birthday, I was 19,” Hage said. “I’ve changing her middle name because “that’s always loved Barbie.” all Dad ever calls you.” There are also Hage started collecting in the early ‘90s, people Hage and Ken have met who don’t when collecting was at its best. Collecting know her real name, they just call them has also improved with the advent of the Barbie and Ken, Hage said. Internet. When they attended the Kenvention, “I found out I’m not that crazy and the lady at registration looked at Ken’s there are hundreds of thousands of license and said, “Oh cool! You’re Ken at collectors all across the globe,” Hage said. the Kenvention.” To which he said, “Well Collecting Barbies can be more difficult you have to look at my wife’s driver’s than one might think, but it depends on license.” The lady was really surprised then, what you want to collect. For example, Hage said. vintage is a more difficult category to start Also at the convention, the designers in because it’s a very close-knit community. signed their doll boxes to Barbie and Ken. The Barbie Fan Club sells 8,000 “We just go by Barbie and Ken, and it’s memberships worldwide for $24.95, kind of fun,” Hage said. according to their website, and members
Barbie and Ken in real life
A growing and changing collection
March–April 2016 | Austin Living | 43