Volks Dollfie Salon

What we love…

Dollfies and Super Dollfies are a type of customizable ball-jointed dolls that collectors and artists style individually. If you aren't a collector or doll aficionado you might think the hype around these glorified Barbie dolls is a little odd, and even more odd that the target demographic for these dolls are adults. Well, these aren't you typical run-of-the-mill dolls. For one they're a lot more expensive than regular dolls, with basic models running around $300 USD, while artist creations can fetch thousands.

What makes Dollfie dolls special is their articulating joints (ball-joints), which means they can be set in more realistic poses. Super Dollfies look takes inspiration from anime and manga characters so the features closely resembly the anima aesthetic. Dollfies and Super Dollfies are popular due to their highly customizable features. Super Dollfies come in pieces which you can mix and match to create your own custom look, with interchangeable body parts and a head that comes apart so you can change the eye color. The hair is purchased as a wig, and can be changed easily, and the even the face-paint (which is referred to as a face-up) can be removed and re-applied.

Dollfies are the smalller version (the 1/16 playscale size is between 9-11 inches) while Super Dollfies (sometime referred to as SD) are much larger, around 24 inches tall. Both Dollfies and Super Dollfies are made from a type of hard plastic called polyurethane resin and cast in several different molds. Super Dollfies are heavily associated with the Gothic Lolita fashion scene as well so you can often find adorable fashion outfits and accessories to dress your dolls in.

Volks, the creators of Dollfies and Super Dollfies, have become a well-known name in Japan for their innovative doll kits, and have grown in popularity with doll collectors around the world. The Volks headquarters is located in Kyoto, but the popularity of Dollfies and Super Dollfies has meant stores are now located in several Tokyo neighborhoods. If you want to check these dolls out close up and personal make sure you carve out some time to visit the Dollfie Salon.