Tonner Dolls
About Robert Tonner
Robert Tonner’s interest in the glamorous fashion dolls of the 50’s formed a part of his early artistic inspiration, leading him to a career in fashion design. After graduating from Parsons School of Design, Tonner was hired by Bill Blass, designing the Blassport label for many years. Throughout his 7th Avenue career, Tonner’s spin on modern American dressing continually caught the eye of the fashion world’ s trend-spotters—his designs were frequently featured in Women’s Wear Daily, Town & Country, NewYork Magazine, The New York Times and Vogue.
Tonner’s long-time fascination with doll art inspired him to try his hand at sculpting original figures. In 1985, Tonner received a glowing review from the National Institute of American Doll Artists (NIADA) for a model-like fashion doll he created for critique. During the years that followed, Tonner turned more of his attention to developing and perfecting his doll designs, eventually leaving 7th Avenue to start the Robert Tonner Doll Company, Inc. in 1991.
