One of the best things about collecting fashion dolls is meeting extraordinary people with the same passion and exchanging ideas, making friendships and get creative with them. Best place to do that in real life is attending a fashion doll convention. For years I have been yearning to go to one of them, especially the grand events that get organised in the US. Budget of course gets always in the way for far away trips like that. Europe is closer, the conventions might be smaller but there are many of them and the costs are significantly lower.

So I took the plunge and finally decided to attend a European convention, especially after discovering it would be the first one featuring a specially made exclusive Poppy Parker for it. The Italian Fashion Doll Convention, held annually in Milan, begins on the 18th Of May and I am happy to announce it will be my first convention. I cannot wait to finally meet all those wonderful fellow fashion doll collectors that are, for now, online friends and acquaintances and enjoy three days full of fashion dolls.

Not only that, two very talented people will be attending as well, making the event even more special: David Buttry will be in Milan to present the very first exclusive european Poppy Parker on Friday, 18th of May. And then, Linda Kyaw, the well known Mattel designer, will be attending the Barbie gala dinner on Saturday, 19th of May. Both designers will be signing dolls on Sunday, 20th of May. The theme of the event is Cartoonia, so the whole convention is inspired by cartoons, comics and animation. And apart from the exclusive Poppy Parker and the Barbie convention doll, there is an extra doll, for those who chose the corresponding package, made by the very talented duo Magia 2000.

What happens on Sunday you ask? Well, apart from the signing events with David and Linda, there will be a huge doll bazaar, filled with every kind of fashion doll, available both to attendees and the general public. Lots of dealers, doll creators and doll fashion designers will be selling their wares. See them below.

But that’s not all. There was also an auction of specially made OOAK dolls, to benefit a very special cause. Because fashion doll people are people who care for others. This year the recipient of the proceeds from the auction is the Dynamo Camp. Dynamo Camp is the first camp of Therapeutic Recreation in Italy, specially designed to accommodate - for free - children suffering from serious and chronic diseases, from 6 to 17 years in therapy and in the period after hospitalization. These are mainly children affected by haematological cancers, neurological issues and diabetes. Dynamo Camp will offer these sick children the opportunity to go back to being "just children" spending a week of fun in a safe and secure environment. The auction was online here, ended on Monday afternoon.