KEN & FRIENDS: MALE FASHION DOLLS & CLOTHING FROM 1961-1987
1976 The Outfits
All 1976 outfits were produced in Korea. There were some great ones this year, with an overall seaside-holiday theme. Four of them (#9696-9699) were exclusive to Sears.* Note Ken’s new logo on all the packaging.
BEST BUY FASHIONS
BEST BUY FASHIONS #9127
BEST BUY FASHIONS #9128
BEST BUY FASHIONS #9129
BEST BUY FASHIONS #9130
BEST BUY FASHIONS #9131
BEST BUY FASHIONS #9132
SEARS STORE EXCLUSIVE BEST BUY FASHIONS
*Like all Best Buy Fashions sold between 1976-1978 these are dated 1975 on the packaging, so, without any printed reference such as a Sears store guide, I’m relying on the received wisdom of other collectors that these outfits are indeed Sears exclusives from this year.
BEST BUY FASHIONS #9696
BEST BUY FASHIONS #9697
BEST BUY FASHIONS #9698
BEST BUY FASHIONS #9699
BEST BUY FASHIONS #8627
Ken’s Best Buy Fashions shoes were reissued in Europe with the new style logo. There was also a variation produced in Taiwan which was possibly a European exclusive. It contains several shoes which were not available with any other outfit or set.
SEARS EXCLUSIVE FASHIONS #9657
The Sears Wish Book offered an exclusive 2-outfit Wardrobe Set for Ken, which was possibly also sold in their department stores. It consisted of mix ‘n match versions of Best Buy Fashions #9127 and #9128.
GET-UPS ‘N GO / FASHION ORIGINALS
GET-UPS ‘N GO Casual plaid for business and pleasure / FASHION ORIGINALS #9167
GET-UPS ‘N GO Sporty duds play ball in style / FASHION ORIGINALS #9168
The NRFP version below right has a darker mitt and lighter sneakers.
GET-UPS ‘N GO Classy tux for handsome groom! / FASHION ORIGINALS #9596
This tuxedo is very similar in design to the Donny Osmond outfit Starlight Night (see section 1977-1978 Donny & Jimmy Osmond).
REVERSE OF PACKAGING
The Get-Ups ‘N Go outfits from 1973-1978 and the Best Buy Fashions from 1974-1978 are all blank on reverse. The Fashion Originals for 1976 appear to have come in two different boxes. The earliest ones came in a pink box which still used the same graphic design as the previous year. The later ones came with a squarer window and the new Ken logo. The illustration on reverse of box was also modernized.
BOOKLETS & CATALOGUES
I haven’t yet discovered any US Barbie booklet for 1976. In Europe the Get-Ups ‘N Go outfits were packaged as Fashion Originals, and note that the Best Buy Fashions were still given names.
The 1976 French catalogue also features several older outfits. The Bridegroom, Tennis and Pilot outfits are even pictured twice, and described as ‘Ensembles’ or ‘Vêtements’. The only difference I can think of could be the packaging. The ‘Ensembles’ could be the regular GUAG packaging, and the ‘Vêtements’ are packaged as Fashion Originals (Boite Fenêtre). Note too that the Bridegroom and Tennis outfits have swapped code numbers, and the brown suit has a completely different code number (should be 7838).