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of raw materials. Thanks to Also in 1937, Madame caught the “Royal” bug as the young yet-to-
her strong resolve, she held be Queen Elizabeth II became popular on this side of the pond thanks
her own with larger shops, to her efforts supporting the War effort during World War II. Madame
as well. FAO Schwarz was produced a full ensemble commemorating her father King George VI
one of her earliest (and in 1947. According to The Strong, the National Museum of Play, when
best) stores to place orders Elizabeth was crowned in 1953, Madame created a “36-doll set includ-
with her. ed the queen, maids of honor, archbishops, choir boys,
Madame also pulled her royal relatives, and honor guards dressed in great detail, right down
husband Phillip away from to their undergarments, from the same mill that manufactured the
his job at a hat-making real coronation wardrobe. CBS even used the dolls to recreate the
company to work for the coronation on television.”
company – threatening to
divorce him if he didn’t!
“I meant it,” she told
Stephanie Finnegan and
nd Lia Sargent who wrote the Madame working with an employee on the finer
book Madame Alexander points of tailoring gowns for her dolls.
Dolls: An American Legend. “It seemed to me I can always get another
man.” A modern woman, indeed.
Being a “hands-on” owner of the company, Madame also knew
where her strengths were, and where they were not. Phillip dealt
with administrative duties including logistics, payroll, unions, and
operations. Madame handled product development and monitored
trends within society that could influence the next line of dolls. At
times, these seemed to change on a day-to-day basis in those times of
the Great Depression, World War II, post-war restoration, and the con-
tinuous advancements in manufacturing in this fast-moving, ever-
growing United States.
According to an article in the Harlem World Newsletter, “The
company evolved into one of Harlem’s largest private employers,
according to the New York State Urban Development Corporation. Madame standing in front of her display in honor of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation.
Doll historians said the company had up to 650 employees in the
1960s. … The company once manufactured all its dolls at the 131st Innovations in Doll Traits
Street building, with some parts made in The Bronx When Madame’s dolls changed from being made
and White Plains. But production shifted overseas in from cloth to being made from composition (a
the 1990s.” composite material composed of sawdust, glue, and
other materials such as cornstarch, resin, and wood
Staying On Trend flour), she took a page from the 19th century French
Madame had the soul of an artist, the imagination porcelain doll company’s popular “Jumeau” head and
of an inventor, and the drive of a determined felt the use of “sleep” eyes in her dolls would prove
entrepreneur. These, combined with her skill as a to be more realistic for her hand-crafted dolls.
craftsman, helped her to make a great many innova- In 1942, Madame introduced the Jeannie doll,
tions in the world of dolls. She had strong ideas one of the very first walking dolls, but this one was
regarding what she felt a doll could be and could only made for one year. She “walked” thanks to a
mean to the American public. unique walking mechanism with pullies and levers.
One way to keep dolls at the top of the play Other walker dolls included Binnie and Winnie who
industry was by having them reflect what were offered in a variety of different sizes.
was current and trending. This idea led her Shortly after World War II in 1947,
to obtain a trademark for Alice in Madame developed a durable, hard plastic
Wonderland, allowing her to create Alice doll that could be well played with and
dolls as early as the 1920s. She also not break. Thanks to newly developed
obtained trademarks to create dolls that technologies that came from DuPont,
coincided with the release of the movie Madame was able to manipulate the mold
d version of Little Women in 1933 and used for the face of the
ne Scarlett O’Hara after reading Gone With doll to let it show more
the Wind in 1937. Oddly enough, expression. This plastic
Madame’s Scarlett happened to look like face mold fundamentally
Vivian Leigh a full two years before the changed the doll industry.
release of the movie in 1939. Madame earned the
One trademark she did not attain was for Gold Medal from the
the starlet Shirley Temple. This misguided Fashion Academy in
decision was a thorn in her side but only Top: This earliest version of Madame’s cloth Little Women dolls 1951 and would go on
made her more determined to stay on top of fetched $2,800 at auction. Bottom: This 1954 set of Little to win it three more
other characters, such as those being Women brought $1,500 at auction. photo: Theriaults times before the decade
introduced by another 1923-founded entre- was done.
preneur, Walt Disney. Madame Alexander had a creative relationship Her attention to detail and strong work ethic was
with Disney starting in the 1930s. Leading characters from classic also passed on to generations of designers and
Disney films and stories provided inspiration for some of the most factory workers. The company motto became “Love
imaginative and best-loved Madame Alexander dolls including Snow is in the Details,” a phrase that continues to be A Jeannie Walking Doll
White, Cinderella, and even the Seven Dwarfs. printed on the doll hangtags that are used today. selling for $116
at etsy.com

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