Ginny's roots actually extend back
to 1922, when a resourceful young woman, Jennie Adler Graves, established Ye
Olde Vogue Doll Shoppe in her home in Somerville, Massachusetts. The story is
that a "friend", who knew of Jennie Grave's skill in sewing
children's clothes, asked her to dress some dolls for a charity event.
Unbeknownst to Jennie, the "friend" was selling the dolls instead of
giving them to charity! Thus inspired, Jennie Graves began dressing and
selling imported German dolls to Jordan Marsh, a well-known Boston department
store.
Success followed success until
1948, when a sales dip in her line of existing dolls inspired Mrs. Graves to
introduce an 8" plastic doll, the forerunner to Ginny. Storeowners and
consumers alike loved the new doll, and in 1951, Ginny was officially born,
named after Jennie's daughter Virginia. From a point in 1949 where a 15,000
square foot warehouse was needed and Vogue employed 50 regular workers plus
from 100 to 200 home sewers and did a sales volume of $239,000 a year, Vogue
grew to a point in 1953 where annual volume reached $2,113,904. Ginny's
success was assured.
Ginny was so popular that many tried to emulate her, and an entire group of
8" dolls appeared on the market in anticipation of securing some of the
Vogue business and Ginny fans. By 1957, Ginny had reached over five million
dollars per year in sales, and was a beloved fixture in most American
households.
Mrs. Graves decided to retire in 1960, and her daughter Virginia and son in
law Edwin Nelson continued to lead the company until Mrs. Virginia Carlson's
retirement in 1966. The company was then run entirely by Mr. Nelson until 1972
when the Vogue name was sold to Tonka Corporation.
In 1995 Ginny was re-united with
The Vogue Doll Company name. The NEW Vogue Doll Company pledged to restore
Ginny to her deserved place in the modern doll era, and has worked diligently
since 1995 to achieve those ends. President Linda Smith has stated
"Ginny, that engaging little girl of the 1950's does indeed have a place
in the 21st century. Her well-loved image, love of fashion, and fun attitude
are shining through, and there is much more to come! We hope you will share
Ginny, The Best Of Times Part II with us."
