The Iconic Dollcast

The Iconic Dollcast is back! 💖 After a much-needed summer break, I’m checking in with a quick life update, chatting about what I’ve been up to, and giving you a little preview of what’s coming this fall!

The fall season officially kicks off with the Patreon premiere on October 2nd, followed by the return of weekly main episodes of The Iconic Dollcast on October 4th! 🎙️✨ I’m sharing all the details about what you can expect from Patreon, including bonus episodes, early access and lots of new conversations beyond the usual doll talk.

You can SUBSCRIBE to the Patreon Channel NOW!

Thank you for sticking with me during the break. I’m so excited to be back! 💕

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Patreon: @Iconicdollcast

Join me for an incredible extra-long conversation with one of the toy industry’s most accomplished designers, Stefanie Eskander, whose remarkable career has spanned more than 45 years.

Beginning as a children’s illustrator before transitioning into toy design, Stefanie has worked for some of the biggest names in the business, including Mattel, Hasbro, Tonka, Fisher-Price, Play Along Toys, and Small World Toys. Her creative fingerprints can be found on some of the most beloved toys and dolls of the last four decades, including Moonglow (Rainbow Brite), Popples, Jem and the Holograms, Sweetie Pops, Maxie, MoonDreamers, Tonka Trucks, Cabbage Patch Kids, Skydancers, and so much more.

Stefanie also takes us behind the scenes of one of the most fascinating eras in toy history—working at Hasbro during the legendary Jem and the Holograms vs. Barbie and the Rockers rivalry. We discuss what it was really like designing toys at major companies, juggling multiple product lines in different stages of development, and navigating the creative and corporate challenges that come with bringing iconic toys to life.

We also dive into why toy and doll designers so rarely receive public recognition, the strict confidentiality surrounding unreleased projects, and the reality that many toys can spend months—or even years—in development before never making it to store shelves. Finally, we explore how the toy industry has evolved over the decades and what it’s really like to build a career creating the toys that shaped generations.

This is a fascinating conversation filled with incredible stories, behind-the-scenes history, and insights you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you’re a lifelong collector, toy enthusiast, or simply curious about how your favorite childhood toys came to life, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

This episode also marks the finale of this year’s Summer Session! Thank you so much for spending your summer with me and all of my incredible guests. The Iconic Dollcast will return this fall with an all-new lineup of episodes, interviews, and deep dives into the world of dolls, toys, and pop culture. I can’t wait to share what’s next—see you this fall!
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This week on The Iconic Dollcast, I’m joined by Dr. Erick DuPree for one of the most thoughtful conversations we’ve ever had about what doll collecting really means. We go far beyond the dolls themselves to explore identity, memory, history, and the deeply personal connections that make this hobby so meaningful.

We discuss Erick’s own journey with dolls growing up, why doll collecting is so often misunderstood as an “immature” hobby, and why male collectors frequently face even greater criticism. We also challenge the common assumption that collecting is always about healing childhood trauma and explore how every collector brings something unique to the hobby.

Together, we dive into how our collections often reveal more about who we are than we realize, why doll collectors can sometimes become defensive, the unique language and culture that exists within collecting communities, and the important role dolls play in preserving history. We also discuss how doll companies can continue expanding diversity and representation, Erick’s published books on dolls and doll collecting, and so much more.

Whether you’ve been collecting for decades or have never understood why someone would, this conversation offers a fascinating look at the psychology, culture, and lasting importance of doll collecting.
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Celebrity dolls have been a part of pop culture for nearly a century, and in this episode I’m counting down my Top 10 favorite celebrity dolls in my personal collection!

Before the countdown, we take a quick look back at the history of celebrity dolls, beginning with the iconic Shirley Temple dolls of the 1930s and how celebrity dolls evolved into the collectibles we know today.

From Lindsay Lohan, Brandy, Hilary Duff, and a few unexpected picks (yes… Fran Fine from The Nanny makes the list!), to pop culture icons like the Spice Girls and Britney Spears, I’m sharing the dolls that mean the most to me, why I love them, and what makes each one so special.

I also talk about how valuable many of these dolls have become over the years, whether their quality still holds up by today’s standards, and finish things off with an unboxing of Mattel’s brand-new Miley Cyrus doll!

Whether you’re a longtime doll collector, a pop culture fan, or just feeling nostalgic, I hope you enjoy this countdown!

✨ Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and let me know in the comments: What’s your favorite celebrity doll of all time?

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This may be the most random Doll Check-In yet.

This week I’m talking about American Girl’s 40th Anniversary releases (so far), the newly revealed Girl of the Year, JAKKS Pacific’s upcoming Super Villain (and Supergirl?) dolls, and why I passed on the new Padmé Amidala collector doll. I’ll also discuss the new Barbie Deluxe Rare Find doll featuring the classic Superstar face mold and ask the important question: why is the new He-Man doll so ridiculously attractive?

My main topic, though, is KATSEYE. Why are there still no KATSEYE dolls on the market? I break down the group’s potential as a doll brand, the very obvious parallels between KATSEYE and the Spice Girls, and why I think next year would be the perfect time for the Spice Girls dolls to make a comeback.