Selina
The first clone that catch my attention is the Selina doll. They are being sold in Toy Kingdom and SM department stores. They cost about a third of Barbie Fashionista dolls. I noticed that the hand is of a different color than the body but I try to ignore that. The clothing is obviously poorly made but since I want just the body, I decided to buy one.
Upon disrobing the doll I found out that it has a slightly different joint design than the Fashionista. It's a good thing that I just bought one. My major issue with this dolls is the neck. It's not compatible with regular Barbie dolls. I'm keeping the body just in case the right doll comes along.
Ginni
Ginni is a Liv doll clone being sold at Divisoria. They also cost at around the same price as the Selina dolls. I first got myself just one to check if I won't be disappointed like the Selina doll. The package included a spare wig which I think is really cool if I really like the Liv dolls.
There is a slight difference between the two dolls. Below is a comparison photo of a Ginni body (left) and a Liv body (right). The neck knob is different but will still work the same way. The plastic body of the Ginni doll seems light, brittle and less durable compared to the Liv doll. (I'm not about to break my doll just to prove my point but touching these dolls reminds me of the Barbie clones that cracks and breaks easily.) The rubbery parts (hands and feet) seems to be tougher on the Liv and softer on the Ginni. In the end, I'm still satisfied with the Ginni body (considering the price) so I decided to get another one.
Clone Fashion
There is a local eBay seller that sells doll items and I recognized those items to be from Divisoria. He/She also sells doll clothes and I haven't seen those in Divisoria. I decided to hunt for those. The first time I went there, the designs left are not to my liking so I didn't buy. I did ask for the price and the Divi seller said it was PhP100. (The eBay seller sells it for PhP140.)
I decided to visit the store again last weekend and luckily, the stocks have been replenished. I picked up the three shown in the photo, two of which are now on my Jenny dolls (with Ginni body). They look like they are enjoying it.
Clones and Fakes
Dictionary.com defines a clone as "a person or thing that duplicates, imitates, or closely resembles another in appearance, function, performance, or style." On the other hand, a fake is "anything made to appear otherwise than it actually is."
Those dolls are not trying to pass themselves off as the real Fashionista or Liv dolls, as they use a different brand. The dresses does not have any Barbie or Mattel labels. Following the definition above, they are clones.
Other than the clones above, dolls (from playline to collector's editon) carrying the Barbie packaging and trademark are also being sold at Divisoria for a lot less. Those dolls are not exactly the Barbie dolls I would buy even if they are on a discounted price so I didn't buy (so no picture). The low price seems to make other collectors suspicious. Some think they could be fakes. Although I cannot vouch for the authenticity of those products, I have an interesting story to tell.
A friend who works for a company selling an popular international sports apparel brand told me that those items that didn't sell in malls ended up in Divisoria at low prices (and one can even haggle)! They realized that the more their items stays in the shelves or in their warehouse, the more it cost them to store and secure the items. They would rather have the shelf space occupied by fast selling items. That is why they have to dispose the other items as quickly as possible.
It's not something the company will publicly admit as it could ruin the sales in malls but that's how it is for that major brand. Who knows if other brands use the same technique? And those Barbie items I saw in Divisoria are just the types that don't sell well, so who knows, right?
