Why Are We So Obsessed With Looking Like Dolls?
Whether it’s nostalgia-fueled or a deeper cultural shift, one thing is certain: fashion is playing dress-up again and everyone wants in.
Dolls have always held a certain allure — whether as childhood toys with painted-on smiles, symbols of unattainable perfection or even a deeper cultural definition as slang for transwomen — no matter the context, the term carries layers of meaning. In today’s world of Ozempic-slim silhouettes and The Substance-esque beauty obsessions, the doll aesthetic is taking on an eerie new relevance. Are we simply pretending, or are we turning into dolls ourselves?
This fascination isn’t new. The late ’00s and early 2010s saw high fashion embrace doll-like imagery, too. McQueen cast the wide-eyed Blythe dolls in its 2009 campaigns, while Bottega Veneta made them the face of its Spring/Summer 2014 collection. By the mid-2010s, the hyper-cute aesthetic started to fade, but it seems like it made a comeback with Greta Gerwig‘s Barbie. The film didn’t just celebrate girlhood; it reignited a fascination with all things cute, paving the way for the resurgence of charm bracelets, collectible POP Mart figurines and the global rise of kawaii culture, now amplified by TikTok. What started as nostalgia has evolved into a full-blown “cute renaissance,” shaping fashion, beauty and jewelry.
Pinterest‘s 2025 predictions point to a “Dolled Up” movement, with a 45% rise in doll-like makeup, 130% leap in doll shoes and a 40% increase in cute room interior ideas. While Depop‘s trend specialist, Agus Panzioni explains, “Its resurgence is tied to the reclamation of femininity, fueled by Tumblr-era nostalgia and the subversive performance of girlhood. As people seek ways to reconnect with youth through fashion, Dollcore offers another outlet for this exploration.” The resell platform also noted a remarkable 215% surge in using the word “Dainty” over the past four months, while “Dollcore” rose by 89%.
Beyond the aesthetic, the term “doll” carries cultural weight, too. The word has taken on new life, with the rise of trans visibility in the last decade and the likes of Alex Consani, Hunter Schafer and Aaron Philip redefining beauty norms. Designers, too, are embracing the moment — Conner Ives‘ “Protect The Dolls” T-shirt from his Fall/Winter 2025 London Fashion Week runway went viral for good reason. Proceeds made from the T-shirt sales are pledged to a US-based trans led charity, Trans Lifeline.
From runway shows like Maison Margiela‘s Spring 2024 Couture show (with Pat McGrath‘s porcelain-skin makeup,) campaigns like Racer Worldwide‘s latest collection, to Brooklyn-based jewelry designer, Alexis Bittar‘s FW25 collection, the doll aesthetic reflects a larger cultural shift; one that merges nostalgia, identity and the ever-evolving pursuit of an idealized self. On the runway, Dollcore takes on new dimensions, evolving from saccharine sweetness into something more theatrical, surreal and at times, uncanny. This season’s designers have pushed the aesthetic further than ever, reimagining dolls not just as symbols of beauty but as vessels for fantasy, rebellion and transformation. Continue reading to see how Dollcore is evolving on the runway.
Pat McGrath’s Glass Skin Makeup
Pat McGrath’s “Glass 001 Artistry Mask,” first seen on Maison Margiela’s Spring 2024 Couture show, takes the idea of flawless, porcelain skin to an almost surreal extreme. On the show’s runway, the models appeared eerily doll-like, their faces coated in an ultra-glossy, reflective sheen that blurred the line between human and inanimate — like living porcelain figurines. Now that the product is released, it brings the fantasy into reality, allowing anyone to achieve that hyper-perfect, almost synthetic beauty (so long as you don’t smile or move a muscle.)
We spoke with Dame Pat McGrath herself, who shared her thoughts on the trend, “Its hyper-feminine beauty is elevated to an art form,” she explains, “I’ve explored this world extensively, including with the ethereal, glass-like complexions at Maison Margiela’s Artisanal couture show and the recent hyper-polished, doll-like glamour of Sabrina Carpenter, on Vogue‘s March 2025 cover. Whether on the runway or the red carpet, this trend is all about celebrating beauty that is both delicate and daring.”
Racer Worldwide’s “Doll Core” Collection
Racer Worldwide’s “Doll Core” capsule brought digital dolls to life, reflecting a broader shift toward AI-generated beauty and the blurring of human and digital aesthetics. The models photographed in the campaign were coated in reflective gold, metallic and iridescent finishes from head to toe, looking less like people and more like mannequins or 3D-rendered avatars. On top of pieces printed with the words “Doll” and “Doll Core,” the collection played with the idea of what this era’s modern-day doll would look like, perhaps something almost synthetic: polished, uncanny and eerily flawless.
Gabe Gordon FW25
At New York Fashion Week, Gabe Gordon‘s FW25 collection, “Rubber Boyfriend,” reimagines the doll-like aesthetic with a darker, more unsettling twist. The narrative follows a high school dance team and their sinister coach, who transforms the wrestling team into rubber sex dolls after a betrayal. This eerie transformation is embodied in the use of latex throughout the collection, which molds and contours the body with a slick, artificial sheen. The latex exaggerates the sculptural quality of the models’ figures, blurring the line between human form and plastic perfection. By infusing latex with a fetishized edge, Gordon subverts traditional doll imagery; his pieces evoke a sense of restriction and dehumanization, transforming perfection into discomfort.
Keburia FW25
Shown at LFW, Keburia‘s FW25 collection fully embraces the pursuit of doll-like aesthetics, with exaggerated silhouettes and details that show a sense of fantasy and playfulness. The collection explores duality and feminine archetypes, incorporating voluminous and soft, billowing textures, reminiscent of vintage dolls. Luxurious fabrics like white metallic Chantilly lace lend an ethereal, almost otherworldly lightness to the garments. The use of beads, crystals and sequins add a touch of opulence, while sharply tailored jackets with exaggerated collars create a contrast to blend elegance with a sense of whimsy.
Marc Jacobs FW25
Marc Jacobs‘ FW25 show brought doll-like fashion to life in a truly surreal way. The runway transformed into a dreamlike paper doll world, with models sporting oversized, exaggerated silhouettes. Puffed-up dresses, quirky accessories and sequined dots on lips and cheeks created a playful vibe. Even the shoes — huge, rubbery and clog-like — were reminiscent of something out of a childhood toy set. With such a fantastical collection, it’s tempting to dismiss Marc Jacobs’ work as an escape into a reality far removed from our own.
Alexis Bittar FW25
The fascination with doll-like aesthetics isn’t just in beauty or fashion — it’s now making its way into jewelry. Alexis Bittar’s FW25 collection, presented at NYFW, blends ’80s and ’90s aesthetics with an imagined 2050 future. Titled “The Portal,” the performative showcase explored age, identity and technology. Models were styled like plastic blow-up dolls, blurring the lines between organic and artificial, reflecting the collection’s themes of ageism, sexism and technology’s impact.
In an era where cosmetic procedures and weight-loss injections are more accessible, the boundary between reality and artifice continues to blur. Just as The Substance examines the darker side of beauty obsession, Bittar’s collection speaks to our desire for control, transformation and perfection. His jewelry symbolizes a society obsessed with erasing imperfection and reshaping identity through technology.
Lisa Says Gah x Mattel’s Polly Pocket Collaboration
Lisa Says Gah dropped a recent collaboration with Mattel‘s Polly Pocket to bring a collection that feels like a dream pulled straight from a Polly Pocket playset. The capsule features baby tees adorned with playful phrases like “Cute as a Button” and “Tiny Vibes” and denim splashed with Polly Pocket prints — styled into a mini skirt, tote and more. It also includes a quilted tank dress with a coordinating skirt and charm-adorned accessories that add a dose of ’90s nostalgia. The most Polly Pocket touch of all is the PVC slingback kitten heels; these shoes look as if they’ve stepped right out of the tiny, plastic world we adored as children.
