User:Adridgm/Boneca Susi

The doll Susi is considered the first Brazilian fashion doll and was manufactured by Estrela. Despite being considered a genuinely Brazilian doll, it actually used the mold of the American doll Tammy, created in 1962 by the Ideal Toy Company. Tammy, in turn, was inspired by Debbie Reynolds, whose character was named in the movie Tammy and the Bachelor from 1957. The production of the doll lasted for four years, until 1966. It is believed that the restyling the doll underwent between 1962 and 1966 led to the end of its production. Coincidentally, Ideal Toy Company granted Estrela the production rights for Tammy in Brazil, precisely in 1966. It was renamed Susi and gained rosy lips to differentiate it from its American "relative," who has red lips. In fact, some dolls from 1966 have the inscription Ideal Toy Company engraved on the back of the neck. The Ideal Toy Company wanted to compete with Barbie in the American market. The first dolls sold in Brazilian lands, starting in 1966, still carried a lot of foreign DNA, with clothes and accessories that were not appropriate for tropical climate. Between 1966 and 1967, dolls were commercialized with blue eyes painted on a vinyl head, which was more flexible. The arms were made of the same material. Starting in 1968, the head underwent a slight decrease in size and became made of vi-vinyl, which was more resistant. Following the example of Ideal Toy Company, in addition to the catalog models, Estrela also provided clothes and accessories that could be purchased separately on blister packs. From 1969, the doll gained the visual identity that immortalized it as a genuinely Brazilian doll. The torso still maintained the same structure as the Tammy doll, but the painted eyes were replaced with acrylic eyes with "real" eyelashes instead of painted ones, inserted into an eye socket cavity of the new head model. The diversity of hair colors becomes evident, always voluminous and styled in different hairstyles: bangs, parted in the middle, platinum, black, brown, blonde, and carrot color. The first edition of Susi "Faz Pose" had hair strands inserted into the interior of the structure of her legs and arms so that the doll could be posed in different positions. However, the vinyl used at the time suffered from the effects of time, and the models from that time, which withstood the test of time, cannot have their limbs bent. In addition, the bodies were heavier than those of Tammy and the later versions of the doll and were prone to breakage. Faced with this, Estrela changed the doll's structure again in the early 1970s. Starting in 1969, the doll gains the visual identity that immortalized it as a genuinely Brazilian doll. The torso still maintained the same structure as the Tammy doll, except that the painted eyes were replaced with acrylic eyes, with "real" eyelashes instead of painted ones, inserted into an eye socket cavity of the new head model. The diversity of hair colors becomes evident, always voluminous and styled in different hairstyles: bangs, parted in the middle, platinum, black, brown, blonde, and carrot color. The first edition of Susi Faz Pose had hair strands inserted into the interior of the structure of her legs and arms so that the doll could be posed in different positions. However, the vinyl used at the time suffered from the effects of time, and the models from that period, which withstood the test of time, cannot have their limbs bent. In addition, the bodies were heavier than those of Tammy and the later versions of the doll and prone to breakage. Faced with this, Estrela changes the doll's structure again in the early 1970s.

In the second edition of the Susi Faz Pose line, in 1970, a different structure emerges from the previous version. The face, slightly more adult-like, gained drawn eyelashes underneath the eyes, eyeliner (blue or dark brown), and eyeshadow. The waist becomes rotatable. The material used is different from the previous version and less prone to breakage. Estrela stops producing only white, Caucasian dolls and starts producing different skin tones. Brunette-themed dolls appear, with long, black or blonde hair, Baiana, and Mexican dolls. Brown hair with long lighter strands, characteristic of the 1970s, emerges, along with the continuation of carrot color, dark blond, and platinum blond. The clothes also undergo some modifications, becoming more adult and contemporary. The catalog models follow the same trends, and accessories such as hats, combs, scarves, and wigs are definitively incorporated into the fashion doll universe.

Despite the catalog featuring the body model popularized in 1970, the doll underwent another alteration in 1971. The new Susi features an articulated body with movable wrists, bending arms, and a waist that allows the doll to assume different positions. The arms are made of vinyl that simulates the texture of human skin. The vinyl covers a metallic mechanism to assist in the bending of the arm at the elbow. These changes lead to problems over time: the material used in manufacturing the new body is less resistant, and a frequent occurrence is the breakage of the hip, especially at the point where the legs are inserted; the interaction between the vinyl arms and the plastic body causes a kind of melting effect on the shoulders. Additionally, the interaction of the vinyl with the metal parts of the bending mechanism can produce bluish-gray stains above the elbows.

Despite some changes not being beneficial for the durability of the dolls, creativity, model diversity, and alignment with the fashion of the time were remarkable. The Japanese Susi emerges with black, voluminous hair tied in a bun and braid, adorned with cherry blossom flowers. The silk kimono is wrapped in a belt of the same material with golden straps. The Spanish Susi wears a black and red dress with white and silver lace, a red hat, and flowers inserted in an opening that reaches the left thigh. The wavy blonde hair is pinned on one side of the head with a silver clip and a red flower covering one of the ears. The Baiana and Mexican Susis continue to be popular and receive new editions with aesthetic modifications to their attire.

Estrela launched a boyfriend for Susi in 1974. According to the tale among collectors, he was inspired by the singer Roberto Carlos. There are no concrete references regarding the inspiration, only assumptions based on the face mold and the clothing style of the Jovem Guarda (a Brazilian musical movement in the 1960s). In her doctoral thesis, Patrícia Jerônimo Sobrinho analyzes that the Susi doll presents social representations of femininity, seeking to understand whether they propagated traditional female models or brought new paradigms. The doctor writes the following about Beto: "However, Beto was introduced as the 'cheerful companion of Susi,' indicating that he only participated in her life. They never got married (even though Susi appeared in several collections wearing a wedding dress), they were just dating. They were never sold together. They only appeared as a couple on the packaging. After several years, Susi continued to be portrayed as single, independent (despite the fact that in society at the time, a single woman was not well-regarded), without children, which deconstructed the established gender stereotype for women, that is, being confined 'to the domestic family group.' The boyfriend was just an accessory for Susi, a good companion to go to the park, the beach, and have dates." She concludes that the doll followed market logic, breaking or reinforcing traditional patterns but bringing forth "a series of representations of femininity."

Estrela introduced the fashion doll concept that was highly successful. Unfortunately Susi, a doll that was beloved by several generations of Brazilian girls, was manufactured until 1985 when Estrela ceased production due to contractual policies involving Mattel, holder of the production rights of Barbie. The company demanded Estrela to stop manufacturing Susi as a condition of being the only manufacturer authorized to use the Barbie brand in Brazil. Eventually, Susi was reintroduced in 1997 after more than 20 million units had been distributed. In the late 2000s, the doll underwent a new mold change, becoming slimmer with more voluminous breasts. The last model was produced to celebrate the doll's 50th anniversary, in 2016.

The doll was reissued in its classic model, featuring pose ability and movable wrists, in 2021. The manufacturer created a reinterpretation of a 1971 model (model 63.255) and named it "Passeio de Domingo". This first model was released in October 2021, followed by the models "Embalos do Rock" and "Era do Disco" in the same year. The stunning "No Balanço da Pista," a black doll reimagined from 1974, was made available on August 4, 2022. Towards the end of that year, the "Manhã no Park" model was released.