Alber Plays With Dolls

Usually, when we can't afford a favorite designer, we wait for their diffusion line.

But Alber Elbaz has a different alternative for budget-conscious Lanvin lovers:

He's made them miniature, hand-painted porcelain dolls wearing the collection’s signature looks.

But are they really that much cheaper than Lanvin's clothes?

WWD reports the limited edition dolls cost $345 each—not exactly the price of your average American Girl ($87).

The elegant dolls certainly have a cool factor that Felicity and Addy don’t. They’ll add a bit of eccentricity to your apartment décor, and give you a small piece of the Lanvin dynasty. But photos of them haven't been released yet, and we worry they'll look creepy - or like Bob Mackie Barbie!

Instead, we see an easy way to have the best of both worlds:

Order a kitschy Madame Alexander fashion doll ($95), and save the rest of the money for these Lanvin sandals ($170).

--NATALIE MATTHEWS