Bratz x GCDS Collection: A Lookin' Bratz Review!
Hey Angelz!
Back in late November of last year, Bratz collaborated with fashion powerhouse GCDS, launching a capsule collection and two limited-edition dolls. MGA was kind enough to send me Sasha from the collection back in December and recently sent me Yasmin, so I figured I’d do a review on them because of how iconic this release was! The GCDS campaign was huge, from taking over billboards in New York City and taxi cabs in London to having pop-up shops in London and Milan. The collaboration is even a finalist in the Licensing International Excellence Awards because of its marketing efforts! Wondering what the tea is on the GCDS dolls? Keep reading for a detailed review of the Bratz x GCDS dolls.
THE PACKAGING
Can we talk about how cool the Bratz x GCDS packaging is?! I was so shocked by how hefty and bulky this packaging was compared to other Bratz releases. We’ve seldom had such huge designer/collector releases from the brand and those have typically received slim trapezoid-shaped packaging similar to regular Bratz releases, so the GCDS boxes being so large was quite shocking. In comparison, it is like a scaled-down version of the boxes used for the Disney Designer dolls released in the past year. The box is super reflective, making it difficult to take pictures or videos of without my studio lights reflecting off of it. The box is enclosed by a plastic sleeve with the GCDS and Bratz logos on the front and back of it; this piece is easy to slip off once you take off the tape holding it in place, in case anyone wants to keep it. Once you take off the plastic sleeve, the box has a magnetic closure that allows collectors to open and close the display depending on how they want to display the doll in-box. If you plan on taking your GCDS doll out of the box, be careful if you plan on keeping the packaging because it is a bit tricky to open. Personally, I unboxed the dolls but plan to keep the packaging and slide the dolls back into their respective boxes for display purposes.
While I love how different the box shape is compared to other Bratz releases, what I truly love is the unique box art on Sasha and Yasmin’s packaging. Both girls have manga-esque art styles, with the rest of the box designs featuring fun forest graphics with trees, sunsets, lucky cat embellishments, and dinosaurs. These are references to past GCDS runway shows, with themes ranging from fairytales to Jurassic Park. These graphics are definitely outside the realm of what Bratz would normally do, making them exciting and fresh for the brand! And, despite the fact that these graphics aren’t typical for the brand, the addition of the Bratz logo and the Bratz-ification of the GCDS logo make them feel more connected to the brand.
I should note that, in my pictures of the packaging, I was too eager to open Yasmin and forgot to take in-box pictures of her. But, she’s been out for over four months at this point so I’m sure most people have had a peek at what she looks like in her packaging.
THE DOLLS, FASHIONS, ‘N’ FACES
When these dolls first (accidentally) hit shelves back in November, I don’t think anyone was expecting what we received in terms of fashion. A lot of people expected all four core girls in modern streetwear clothing tailored to their individual styles. We still got that, sort of! What I think was unexpected about the GCDS collection is that it only featured Sasha and Yasmin, and the clothing was more “runway” rather than what most people would consider day-to-day streetwear. Regardless of what people were expecting, I am personally happy with what we received!
Starting with Sasha, I am highly impressed with the quality of her pieces! Sasha wears the Logo Drama faux fur from the FW18 collection covered in Bratz and GCDS logos, a translucent bodysuit from the FW21 collection, a sparking shell dress from the FW21 collection, the GCDS logo boots from the FW20 collection, gold drop earrings featuring the Bratz logo, and a gold GCDS heart bag. Sasha is serving luxury from head to toe in her GCDS outfit and has some of the most detailed pieces I’ve ever seen on a Bratz outfit. I was a bit shocked when I first saw pictures of Sasha because I felt she was wearing too much, but now I feel like all of her pieces work incredibly well together. I am genuinely shocked at how MGA managed to produce faux fur jackets with logos printed all over them! I would have never expected such detailed and high-quality fashions to come from the Bratz brand. Her jacket even has sewn buttons on the side, which is a cute detail. As for her bodysuit, I wasn’t feeling it at first because we already got a similar one with Collector Sasha in 2018, but I still really love what they did with this new one. Another impressive piece from Sasha is her sparking shell dress, which has a lobster clasp in the back and features the GCDS logos on the straps; again, I am blown away by how expensive and high-quality this looks! The details don’t stop there, with the GCDS logo being featured on the heart bag and boots, and the Bratz logo being featured on the earrings, heart bag, and boot zippers.
Just like Sasha, I am impressed with Yasmin’s pieces! Admittedly, Yasmin has less pieces than Sasha but is still stunning and impressive to say the least. Yasmin wears a puffy dress featuring a monogram print of brand-new Bratz artwork inspired by the K-Hawaii dress from the SS20 collection, mesh gloves, multicolored GCDS logo earrings, a multicolored GCDS logo choker, a Bratz logo chain belt, cow-print clogs from the FW21 collection (listed as being “borrowed from Cloe” on Yasmin’s packaging), kitty cat sunglasses, and a sneaker bag from the FW20 collection. I was unsure of how I’d feel about Yasmin’s dress because of how poofy it is, but seeing her in-person truly changed my perspective on this. The dress is big, for sure, but it looks so good on Yasmin and the gloves are a nice touch! All of the accessories truly compliment Yasmin’s outfit, and I am blown away by how well everything works together. Each piece is also well-constructed, giving Yasmin an overall luxe feel. Yasmin’s bag has an added Bratz logo zipper detail that I can’t get over!
Considering all of the details, I am happy that MGA used brand-new tooling to create the accessories for these dolls. MGA is known to recycle tooling and molds for all of their doll lines, so it’s nice that they switched it up and gave fans new stuff for this collection. Let’s hope they keep it up in the future!
As for Sasha and Yasmin’s faces, they both use the UV printing method that MGA began using on Bratz starting with the Rock Angelz reproductions last year. To avoid sounding like a broken record, I recommend reading the explanation I provide regarding how faces are printed in my recent Sweet Heart Meygan review if you want to learn more about the process. I am disappointed that MGA used the UV printing method for this collection because, although the quality control of these dolls is overall great, the eyes still give off a “feathered” look and there are some collectors who have received dolls with misprinted lips. The dolls I was sent have really great faces and I’m blown away by their makeup looks, but it is still disappointing to see them consistently using the UV method. Maybe some sacrifices had to be made to keep the dolls within budget constraints while delivering great quality in other areas? Who knows…
THE HAIR
GCDS Sasha has one of the most unique hairstyles on a Bratz doll, being the first to feature a head full of microbraids and painted baby hairs. Sasha’s hair is styled in a half-up, half-down ponytail. Yasmin, on the other hand, has a jewel piece on her parting with part of her hair being twisted back and the rest flowing down. Yasmin’s hair piece is removable, but you will need to cut it out and it may be difficult to put back on after the fact. Both dolls have nylon hair, which is a premium hair fiber and is now the new “standard” for high-quality doll hair. I didn’t have to do much to either doll’s hair when I unboxed them. I ran both doll’s hair under hot water to get it to lay flatter, and lightly conditioned Yasmin’s hair which made it silkier. There was some speculation that Yasmin has polypropylene hair, but I can happily confirm that this is not the case. In fact, Yasmin has some of the silkiest nylon I’ve ever felt! Again, I’d recommend reading about all the different hair types in my recent Sweet Heart Meygan review (linked in the previous section) if you are interested in learning about the different hair types that have been used on Bratz!
THE BODY
Just like the recent Holiday Felicia and Sweet Heart Meygan releases, the Bratz x GCDS dolls use the Collector 2018 body. If you don’t know already, this body is a hybrid of the original 2001 torso and legs with arms from the Movie dolls from 2007 and hands from the 2013 bodies. I don’t mind this body, but this collection really made me wish we had a new standard Bratz body with slightly longer torsos and legs. I feel like some Bratz fashions would be better suited to the dolls if they had longer torsos and legs, which is something a lot of Bratz collectors have created by taking different pieces of different Bratz bodies to create their own hybrids. The fashions used in the GCDS collection would have been much better-suited to a new body type because of how bulky they are, but they still look beautiful on the 2018 body nonetheless. I also noticed that Yasmin’s complexion appears to be lighter than usual; in particular, her face doesn’t seem to match her body. This difference is not super noticeable, but it is something to consider for those who like to re-body their dolls. I have included pictures of both GCDS dolls and how they compare to the 20 Yearz and Collector 2018 dolls in regards to skintones.
OTHER FEATURES
Each Bratz x GCDS doll includes a stand using the L.O.L. Surprise O.M.G. clip piece. The stand disconnects in the middle to reveal a Certificate of Authenticity, which is encased in a pink envelope featuring the GCDS and Bratz logos and sealed with a round sticker. This was a super cute detail that I would not have expected, and I’m glad it was included because it makes the dolls feel even more special!
WHERE TO BUY
If you’re wondering where you can buy the GCDS x Bratz dolls, you should be able to get them now on the Amazon (internationally) and Target (United States) websites. The Walmart (U.S.) website also has them listed, but they don’t tend to stay in stock. If you’re like me, you may find some GCDS dolls on store shelves depending on people who may make in-store returns. I do not have much information on international releases nor will I be posting about them, but some fans have been able to find the dolls at Toys”R”Us in Singapore (where the dolls were originally found) and Hamley’s in the United Kingdom. My best advice is to contact local retailers to see if they’ll be selling the GCDS dolls, especially if those retailers sold the 20 Yearz dolls last year!
International fans also have the option of checking the retailers listed on MGA Entertainment’s Where To Buy webpage or contacting their international offices for more info.
OVERALL THOUGHTZ
Overall, I am shook by the GCDS x Bratz dolls! Not only did MGA and GCDS deliver a strong doll collection, but also an amazing marketing campaign and ready-to-wear collection. Aside from some faults like the dolls’ faces, I am genuinely in love with the GCDS dolls and feel this is a step in the right direction for the brand. It has been years since we have received a designer collaboration, and getting new tooling for the accessories is a major treat that shows MGA’s commitment to making this collaboration as luxurious and new as possible. I truly hope MGA continues to invest in new tooling for future collections—especially with their playline Bratz. This definitely seems like it will be the case for the Cult Gaia dolls, which Jasmin Larian gave fans a sneak peek of a few months ago.
The dolls are being sold for $60 USD, which I feel is more than reasonable for this collection. Some may not agree, but there are other brands from other companies delivering collector dolls with overall low quality (cheap fabrics, clothes that stain the dolls’ bodies, low-quality hair, UV-printed faces, etc.) for twice the price of the GCDS x Bratz dolls. Not only that, but GCDS is a major fashion brand and I cannot imagine other companies collaborating with fashion houses without slapping expensive prices on their items because they are brand-name; MGA managed to collaborate with a major brand and deliver high-quality products without making the dolls ridiculously expensive. I do agree that some of the capsule collection pieces are very expensive and out of my personal price range, but there are smaller items such as the Bratzology book and AirPods case that I was able to buy so I could still enjoy the collection!
Some fans are also disappointed that we only received Sasha and Yasmin in this collaboration. While I do feel like Cloe and Jade would have looked amazing based on the artwork we’ve seen on some of the GCDS fashion pieces, I think it was nice that MGA and GCDS decided to shift the spotlight on two characters—especially two characters of color at that—instead of all four core girls. Sasha has rarely gotten the collector’s treatment, so it’s about time we let our Bunny Boo shine! Also, I feel like it should be quality over quantity. And we definitely got quality. But, that doesn’t mean we can’t expect to see more characters pop up in future designer collabs with the Bratz brand! I am eager and excited to see what MGA does with their future designer collabs, with more dolls expected to come out later this year! The Cult Gaia doll collaboration has been confirmed, but there is also another mystery fashion brand expected to collab with Bratz this year. Who do you think it will be?
Thank you to the Bratz team at MGA Entertainment for sending me GCDS Sasha and Yasmin! I hope to provide more in-depth reviews on new Bratz products in the future.
Thank you for taking the time to read this detailed review of the Bratz x GCDS dolls and I hope you keep checkin’ out Lookin’ Bratz for more news and reviews in the future!
Stay tuned to LookinBratz.com for more news on the Girls with a Passion for Fashion, and make sure to check out Lookin’ Bratz on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok for more scorchin’ Bratz content and news!
xoxo
