Hey Angelz!

Love her or hate her, Kylie Jenner has been on a roll this year between launching a new clothing brand, a recent guest star stint on The Simpsons, and—most of all—collaborating with MGA Entertainment on a line of Bratz dolls and collectibles. While this collaboration has been the topic of controversy, it has proven to be a celebrated release for Bratz and Kylie Jenner fans alike… but maybe not for the reasons you would think!

For some context of how the Bratz x Kylie Jenner collab came about, well… there’s some history! The Bratz x Kylie collab wasn’t officially announced till this past August, but listings for “Bratz Celebrity” dolls surfaced as early as December of last year, with many fans speculating who the secret celeb could be. At some point this year, a pair of boots with Kylie’s signature (often used on the packaging of her Kylie Cosmetics lip kits) were leaked, leading fans to believe Bratz was collaborating with Kylie Jenner. This past July, a Reddit user found a display for the Mini Bratz x Kylie Jenner Series 1 collectibles, confirming that the celebrity collab was in fact with Kylie Jenner. The first phase of the Bratz x Kylie collab launched in August via the first series of minis, followed by the launch of the 10-inch “Day” and “Night” dolls, which will soon be followed by a second series of Mini Bratz and a 24-inch Kylie doll.

The Bratz x Kylie collab has led to a major revitalization of the Bratz brand in physical stores, with Walmart stores across the United States exclusively displaying the current Bratz lineup in a “Bratz World” retail experience. Do the latest Bratz x Kylie releases align well with the current Bratz roster, or has Kylie not proven herself as a member of the Bratz Pack? MGA Entertainment was kind enough to send me the Bratz World PR kit, including the Kylie Day and Night dolls! Keep reading for a detailed review on the Bratz x Kylie Jenner dolls, including tons of pictures plus details on the dolls’ hair, faces, and accessories!

THE PACKAGING

The packaging concept for the Bratz x Kylie dolls is interesting and honestly was not what I expected when the dolls were finally revealed. Both dolls come in warped trapezoid-shaped packaging, with Day Kylie’s box being warped upwards to the right and Night Kylie’s being warped upwards to the left. Across the top of each box is the “Kylie” logo created for the collab in plastic cut-out letters with a pink outline, as well as Kylie Jenner’s name printed below. The front of the packaging also features the full Bratz x Kylie logo at the bottom accompanied by Kylie’s picture and corresponding artwork. There is also a plain plastic handle at the top. The packaging uses a plain baby pink color all around, and the back solely features the Bratz x Kylie logo against this backdrop.

Day Kylie is displayed in the middle of her box, with her sunglasses displayed to the right and the Mugler-inspired star-shaped Bratz brush to the left. Night Kylie has two packaging variants; the most common Night Kylie is displayed to the left of the box with her dog, Norman, and the Bratz brush displayed to the right, while the less common variant switches Kylie to the right everything else to the left. In the less common variant, a blister pop-out reads “Bratz Poster Inside!” similar to that of classic Bratz dolls. It is unknown why Night Kylie has packaging variants, but this has been common practice for many Bratz releases in the past—if you are looking for the less common variant, I recommend checking Target and Walmart as you are more likely to find them in physical retailers as opposed to online retailers. I am not a fan of how the doll and accessories are placed in the less common variant, but I do appreciate the pop-out advertising the poster!

At first glance, I was a bit underwhelmed with the packaging for these dolls. While I love the meshing of the Bratz and Kylie brands, I felt that the boxes were too simple for what is theoretically a big collab. But, I have grown to adore the simplicity of the boxes—especially as it highlights the beauty of the dolls themselves and doesn’t distract onlookers from them. However, I am not a big fan of the large “Kylie” logo across the top of the box. While I think it is a cute design concept, it obstructs the view of the dolls’ faces; for fans who are picky about their dolls’ faces, this may be bothersome when trying to pick out the “perfect” doll. I really love the artwork used for this collab and wish it was more highlighted throughout the packaging. I would love for this style of artwork to be used on future Bratz releases! Additionally, I would have loved for more to be added to the back of the box. Perhaps a small bio for Kylie and a nickname to really induct her as a member of the Bratz Pack? I understand that the packaging is inspired by Kylie’s brands which are known for simplistic designs, but I would have appreciated some more of the Bratz brand’s flair to shine through in some assets. Swipe through the gallery to check out the packaging, plus you can find barcodes at the end!

THE DOLLS, FASHIONS, ‘N’ FACES

While I have mixed feelings about the Bratz x Kylie dolls’ packaging, I feel very positive about the actual dolls! The Day doll is dressed in a replication of a FW22 patent leather mini dress from Blumarine, which Kylie wore on a night out in October 2022; apparently, the original “dress” is actually a two-piece while the Bratz version is one. I have mentioned in the past that I am not a fan of how fashions fit on the original Bratz torso, but I am quite impressed with this piece. The Day dress is fitted perfectly to Kylie’s body and the construction is gorgeous. The Day doll sports ankle boots with a large platform, with Kylie’s signature along the front of the platform and the heel being shaped like an open lipstick tube. The shoes on the Day doll might be one of my favorite shoe molds to come from the Bratz brand! The lipstick tube heel feels like a fun nod to Kylie Cosmetics, while the overall boot feels like a perfect Bratz shoe. I also adore the Day doll’s lip-shaped purse, though I do wish the strap was an actual chain as opposed to electroplated plastic. The Day doll also comes with electroplated raindrop-shaped earrings and a basic pair of black sunglasses. Though it is a simple one, I love the Day doll’s design and everything ties in together perfectly. I do have one quip with her accessory count as I wish that she came with a few more things. Maybe a cell phone and mini lip kit would’ve been nice additions?

While the Day doll showcases Kylie’s casual style, the Night doll presents Kylie in elegant evening wear attire. The Night doll is dressed in a replication of a vintage AW99 Mugler gown, which Kylie wore to the CFDA Awards in November 2022. Similar to how I felt about the Day doll’s dress, I am pleasantly surprised with how well-fitting the dress is on the Night doll. The fabrics used on the dress are gorgeous and closely mimic the original dress, and the overall construction is impressive. One thing I would change about the dress is that I wish the train was a bit more flowy or slightly longer, but I do think the fabric used may prevent that look. The dress also features a detached single glove that matches the gown’s bustier. The gown is complimented by a pair of basic black pumps, which are another new shoe mold. The Night doll also comes with electroplated serpent earrings and a ring, both of which are based off Bulgari’s Serpenti jewelry. I was not expecting to love the Night doll as much as I do, but I cannot deny that this is a stellar doll from head to toe. The Night doll also comes with a flocked miniature of Kylie’s dog, Norman, who comes with a removable plastic collar.

Both the Day and Night dolls are absolutely stunning and I love seeing these pieces in Bratz form—I would love to see official Blumarine and Mugler collaborations with Bratz in the future! My main quip about both of these dolls is the lack of accessories. The Night doll barely comes with any accessories aside from jewelry and Norman, and I think a clutch or even a leash for Norman would have been good additions to this doll. However, I am keeping in mind that this is a playline-priced celebrity collaboration; thus, accessories may have been sacrificed in favor of lower price points.

Moving on to the dolls’ faces, I love the new faceups created for the Bratz x Kylie collection! Both the Day and Night dolls share the same faceup and makeup palette. I do wish the dolls had different faceups or at least different palettes instead of the exact-same faces, but I guess it makes sense as this is Kylie’s signature makeup look. The faces seem to vary between dolls, with the placement of the eyes and lips playing a big part in how different the dolls can look. Some Kylie dolls have lower eye placements, which I personally prefer, while some have higher eye placements. I love the ombré look on the lips, but I wish they were slightly bigger; surprisingly, I think the lips look too small on most of the placements.

The faceups were created by Bratz collector and artist Roman (a.k.a. Lolliword), who did a terrific job! Lolliword also worked on the Cult Gaia faceups last year—it’s amazing to see fans get amazing opportunities like this!

Are you wondering what head mold and face application is used on the Bratz x Kylie Jenner dolls? The Kylie dolls use the original 2001 head mold, and I believe the method used to apply the faceups is a mix of stamping and spraying.

If you’ve already read my explanation on how Bratz faces are applied, feel free to skip to the next section! If not and you’re interested in learning more, keep on reading! Nearly every Bratz doll between 2001 and 2014, except for a select few, has a face screening that was applied using the “spray” method. The spray method ensures the eyes are elongated across the face for a classic, sultry Bratz look. Between 2015 and 2016 (except for the V Files x Bratz doll), and for the Bratz 20 Yearz Special Edition dolls released last year, the “sticker” method (also referred to as the “stamp” or “tampo” method) was used to apply the dolls’ faces. The sticker method is hit-or-miss as the 20 Yearz dolls looked beautiful (in most cases), while it played a huge role in the discontinuation of the brand in 2016. A new method was introduced to the Bratz brand with the Rock Angelz reproductions in 2021, which is UV printing. UV printing is a cost-effective method to apply dolls’ faces as spraying seems to be less common in the doll industry these days. Holiday Felicia, the GCDS dolls, Sweet Heart Meygan, and the JimmyPaul dolls also use the UV printing method. However, the GNO 21st Birthday Edition dolls reintroduced the spray method to the brand ever since the 2018 Collector dolls; it has been theorized that the dolls released since GNO are not completely sprayed, but rather a mix of sprayed and stamped.

In this case, I do believe the Bratz x Kylie dolls utilized the stamp method for the eyes and the spray method for the lips. While I wish the dolls were completely sprayed, I do not mind the use of the stamp method when the dolls look pretty. If the current Bratz roster is utilizing the stamp method, I think this is okay as long as the dolls look good; on that note, the Bratz x Kylie dolls are facially gorgeous aside from placement issues with some batches.

THE HAIR

Are you wondering what hair type the Bratz x Kylie dolls use? Well, the answer is nylon. Don’t act shocked. Nylon is the new standard for Bratz dolls—keep reading for a detailed explanation on the different hair types used on Bratz dolls. On the hairstyles used on the Kylie dolls, the Day doll has long nylon hair with bangs parted to the sides. I love the length on the Day doll’s hair, but the bangs are huge miss in my opinion! A lot of the bangs I’ve seen on the Day dolls in-store have been hit or miss, with some of the bangs looking choppy or not full. The sample MGA sent me of the Day doll had somewhat fuller bangs, but I had to blend some longer pieces to the front and cut them to improve the doll’s bangs. If you aren’t a fan of the bangs, most collectors have taken the liberty of pulling the bangs out altogether—this should be fairly easy to do without completely losing hair plugs as the bangs are thatched. I wish the bangs were more full and possibly longer, or had been omitted completely in favor of a simple side-part. Kylie isn’t really known for often wearing bangs, though the hairstyle seems to derive from a Kylie Cosmetics campaign from late last year.

The Night doll’s hair is one that has worried me as it is an intricate hairstyle, which may not be as neatly styled in some cases as it is a mass-produced doll. Thankfully, I received a Night doll with a perfect updo and have managed to find more Night dolls with perfect updos in-store. Night Kylie’s hair is taken directly from her 2022 CFDA Awards look—an updo with curls/waves and swirly hair pieces perfectly gelled down. The fact that this hairstyle could be replicated on such a small scale is impressive and makes the overall doll feel luxurious!

Just like the face application method section, feel free to skip this portion if you’ve already read my explanations on the differences between Bratz hair types! Nylon hair is the current standard for the Bratz brand, as is the case for most MGA doll brands since 2019. For context on some of the different hair types used on Bratz, nylon has often been confused with polypropylene, a hair fiber that was used in a majority of lines between 2008-2013 and is known for being hard to manage and prone to degrading over time, because of a name mix-up over a decade ago. Saran—which has been used on most Bratz released between 2001-2007, 2015-2018, and on most of the Bratz 20 Yearz Special Edition dolls (except for some later variants which use nylon) released in 2021—is a great hair fiber that has always satisfied collectors, though it is prone to yellowing and breakage over time. Nylon is another premium hair type that can be easily restyled with heated hair tools and is less likely to degrade over time like saran and polypropylene can do. Saran hair is harder to come by in certain colors and is not as commonly used in modern doll productions due to rising prices, so nylon provides a way for consumers to have these hair colors without resorting to using low-grade polypropylene. Nylon also tends to feel really nice and oftentimes better than saran.

One major hair fault for the Bratz x Kylie dolls, aside from Day Kylie’s bangs, is the overuse of hair gel. The use of gel works great for Night Kylie, but Day Kylie’s hair is stiff because of all the product in it. If you are having trouble getting the factory product out of your dolls’ hair that makes it feel “crunchy”, I recommend washing it once (maybe twice depending on how much product is used) with dish soap then following up with a conditioner rinse; a boil wash is not necessary for nylon hair and can damage it, but a flat iron and other heated hairstyling tools may work better for styling their hair after it has been washed and dried. For a video specifically on fixing up Day Kylie’s hair, check out my short hair care video where I wash and style Day Kylie’s hair here. For a more detailed video on fixing Bratz nylon, watch my Series 3 and Pretty ‘N’ Punk hair care guide video here.

THE BODIES

The Bratz x Kylie dolls use the Collector 2018 body. If you don’t know already, this body is a hybrid of the original 2001 torso and legs with arms from the Movie dolls from 2007 and hands from the 2013 bodies. The hand peg shape has been changed starting with the Cult Gaia dolls. The arms and hands can be popped off for easier redressing. I have previously stated that I am not a fan of this body’s torso as it is a bit archaic and doesn’t always flatter certain fashions, but I do feel that Kylie’s fashions are form-fitting to this body. Also, I think the use of high-platform shoes helps make fashions look better on this body.

OTHER FEATURES

Both Bratz x Kylie dolls come with an 11”x17” poster. The Day doll’s poster features artwork of Bratzified Kylie posed with her bag and a cell phone in-hand, while the Night doll’s poster features a picture of real-life Kylie in her vintage Mugler look next to her Bratzified artwork. I feel that both posters should have solely highlighted the artwork and that the picture of Kylie on the Night doll’s poster looks out of place. Both dolls also come with a Certificate of Authenticity, doll stand, and Mugler-inspired star-shaped brush. The poster and certificate can be found in between the cardboard backing of the box.

MINI BRATZ X KYLIE AND BIG BRATZ KYLIE

If you didn’t already know, the first series of Mini Bratz x Kylie Jenner collectibles was released this past August. The first series features 6 mini Kylie dolls wearing iconic looks from Kylie’s wardrobe, Kylie’s dog Norman, three lip phones, two cruisers, a velvet rope, and Kylie’s cap from her 2022 Met Gala look. A second series, which was teased in a video on Kylie’s YouTube channel, is expected to release either later this year or possibly early next year—there have been no details on this series. The second series will feature 6 more mini Kylie dolls, another velvet rope, a telephone booth, a motorcycle, a purple-themed Retro-Swing Chair, a television, and vanity playset. Each Mini Bratz x Kylie Jenner capsule comes with 2 minis—1 doll and 1 accessory—and retails for $9.99 USD. The minis are widely available at most in-store and online retailers.

In a turn of events, Big Bratz are making a comeback via the Kylie collab having not been produced since 2015. The Big Bratz Kylie Jenner will be a replication of Kylie’s iconic 2019 Met Gala look, complete with purple hair and a feather shawl. The doll is 24 inches and an Amazon exclusive. The Big Bratz Kylie doll is up for pre-order now and is expected to officially release on December 15th. The Big Bratz Kylie doll retails for $99.99 USD.

WHERE TO BUY

If you are wondering where to buy the Bratz x Kylie dolls, they have been pretty widely available since their early October release. In the United States, the Kylie dolls are being sold in-store and online at Walmart, Target, and Toys”R”Us at Macy’s. In fact, Walmart currently has an in-store Bratz World popup with a large display featuring the Series 3 dolls, Kylie dolls, Mini Bratz (including the Kylie minis, Carrying Case, and Advent Calendar), a Walmart-exclusive Bratz blanket, Walmart-exclusive Bratz cosmetics, and other Bratz merchandise. The Bratz World at Walmart pop-up also features an augmented reality experience where fans can take selfies with the Bratz and experience a virtual Bratz world. The Bratz World experience is running through December 31st and is exclusive to Walmart stores in the United States. The full Bratz World lineup can be found on Walmart’s website, in case you are unable to visit a physical Walmart store. The Bratz x Kylie dolls can also be found at online retailers like Amazon and Bratz.com.

As expected, the Bratz x Kylie dolls are being sold at GameStop/EB Games in Canada and Myer in Australia. Another option for Australian fans is OzToyStore.com. Other than Australia and Canada, I am not sure where the Series 3 dolls will be sold outside of the United States nor will I be able to post about it. My best advice is to contact local retailers to see if they’ll be selling them, especially if those retailers sold any other Bratz releases in the past few years! Fans in other countries are often advised by other international fans to order directly from Amazon US. International fans also have the option of checking the retailers listed on MGA Entertainment’s Where To Buy webpage or contacting their international offices for more info. The dolls retail for $29.99 USD each; please ignore prices that are higher than this on websites like Amazon and Walmart—these websites allow third-party sellers to sell on their platforms and any prices higher than the retail price are from these sellers, not from the retailers directly.

Below is a list of some links for the Bratz x Kylie Jenner dolls!

• Bratz x Kylie Jenner Day Doll: Amazon, Bratz.com, Walmart, Target, Macy’s

• Bratz x Kylie Jenner Night Doll: Amazon, Bratz.com, Walmart, Target, Macy’s

• Bratz x Kylie 24-Inch Doll: Amazon

• Mini Bratz x Kylie Jenner Series 1: Amazon, Bratz.com, LOLSurprise.com, Walmart, Target, Macy’s

OVERALL THOUGHTZ

Overall, I have both positive and negative feelings toward the Bratz x Kylie dolls. On one hand, I think this collaboration has received a lot of pushback which has sort of put a damper on this release for me. I did not expect to see so much controversy over this release, but it has reminded me a lot of how—whether or not its intentional—the Bratz brand knows how to attract both positive and negative attention. I have seen a lot of hateful comments towards Kylie, a lot of which are laced with misogyny and pure hatred. I love pop culture and have enjoyed Kylie throughout the years, but I do think celebrity culture can be weird at times and I can understand where some fans could be disappointed from this perspective. However, I cannot stand by or endorse some of the ill-intentioned comments made about Kylie; I don’t want to get into specifics, but there have been many gross and uncalled for comments. If you see this as celebrity worship or bootlicking, then so be it; I see it more from the perspective of being a decent human being. If you have a problem, that’s on you. To be honest, a lot of the comments made toward Kylie remind me a lot of the comments that conservative parents would make about Bratz back in their prime. It’s interesting to see some Bratz fans go against Kylie using the tactics that were once (and still are) used against the Bratz brand.

Contention aside, I feel that the Bratz x Kylie dolls are fantastic additions to the Bratz roster. Even if you dislike/hate or don’t care for Kylie Jenner, these are high-quality and overall great Bratz dolls. If these dolls had been released without a celebrity name attached to them, I think they would be some of the most well-received Bratz dolls for their top-quality fashions and attention to detail. Considering this is a celebrity collaboration, I am very impressed with the low price points. $29.99 may seem like a lot for a doll with one fashion and limited accessories, but I do think we need to take inflation and licensing into account. Celebrities almost always have a say in the pricing of their licensed collaborations, especially dolls made in their likeness. The fact that MGA managed to put out two gorgeous high-quality dolls with a celebrity name attached to them for only $29.99 is unexpected yet amazing. Dolls over $30 are hard to sell these days and MGA always aims to produce collector quality dolls at a playline price, so I am happy they managed to do this with the Bratz x Kylie collection. Keep in mind that the collaboration was originally expected to have a 10-inch doll at a $79.99 price point… thankfully, the dolls are much more accessible than that!

Along with my disappointment over accessory count and some packaging design choices, I dislike how the Mini Bratz were released before the 10-inch Bratz for this collaboration. It would have made much more sense had MGA launched this collaboration with the 10-inch dolls followed by the minis and 24-inch doll. The sudden launch of the Mini Bratz x Kylie collectibles caused a lot of confusion, especially because they were put on shelves before any official announcements.

Despite the mixed reaction to the Kylie collab, it seems that this collection is the first of what may become a regular celebrity-focused series of Bratz dolls. In an Instagram story back in September, the official Bratz account asked fans which celebrity they should collaborate with next. Who could the next Bratz celebrity collab be? Only time will tell, and hopefully this go-round inspires MGA to create even more top-quality collabs at a lower price point with an improved rollout.

Thank you again to MGA Entertainment for gifting me this set of Bratz x Kylie dolls, and thank YOU—the reader—for reading this article about the collection!

I hope you keep checkin’ out Lookin’ Bratz for more news and reviews in the future! Make sure to check out my YouTube unboxing video for another look at the dolls and subscribe for more Bratz videos.

Stay tuned to LookinBratz.com for more news on the Girls with a Passion for Fashion, and make sure to check out Lookin’ Bratz on Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube, and TikTok for more scorchin’ Bratz content and news!

The year is almost over and not many more releases are expected to come from the Bratz brand this year. You can keep up-to-date with all the latest and upcoming Bratz releases with the Bratz 2023 Masterpost! Till then…

xoxo