In the treacherous wake of the Barbie phenomenon float dozens of dolls that, try as they might have, just couldn’t hold their own and capture the spotlight amidst the competition. Toy manufacturers tried every gimmick imaginable to knock the blond bombshell from her pedestal and most failed. But one doll managed to garner her fifteen minutes of fame, short-lived as it may have been. And she did so by standing tall and flexing like no other. Her name was Darci and had it not been for Barbie, she almost assuredly would have made a bigger mark in the doll world.

Darci, manufactured by Kenner Toys in the late 70s, boasted a respectable height of 12 inches, allowing her to virtually tower over the competition. She also have the flexibility to rival any circus contortionist, thanks to her ability to do splits and bend her arms in ways Barbie could never have dreamed. A fashion model by trade, she was provocatively dressed, could strike a sexy pose seemingly forever (thanks to her patented stand that was included,) and even boasted her own fashion portfolio, complete with magazine cover shots.

 

She would later be marketed with a variety of swanky wardrobe choices and hair colors, not to mention the bikini-clad Fashion Fragrance Darci, complete with her own vial of perfume. She even had a couple of friends to pal around with, the less-memorable Erica and Dana dolls. There were plenty of places for Darci and the girls to hang out, thanks to a number of playsets that were released. The Perfect Pose Studio placed her in her element - in front of camera and spotlight and ready to strut her stuff. And after a rigorous day of posing, she could go unwind with her friends at her own Fabulous Disco (the apparent stomping ground of choice for the models of the day) complete with revolving disco ball, spotlight, and as if the product hadn’t been dated enough, a pinball machine.

Thanks to her extensive and lavish marketing, you almost had to remind yourself that she was actually a children’s toy and not a real fashion model. She was given complete star treatment in print ads and store displays and basically anything else that Kenner could think of to get her noticed on a grand scale. Despite their valiant efforts, however, Darci just couldn’t muster the staying power of her rival and within a couple of years had thrown in the towel.

Ironically, her lack of significant shelf life is one of the main reasons that she is still sought by doll collectors to this day, a rare gem in a sea of forgettable competitors. She remains an inspiration for all plastic women - one that stood tall against formidable adversity and always managed to look fabulous while doing so.