Robert Tonner
Encyclopedia
Robert Tonner is an American entrepreneur, fashion designer, sculptor, doll artist and owner of Tonner Doll Company, Inc.
and the Effanbee Doll Company, Inc.
Robert Tonner is best known for his fashion doll designs and the creation of the Tonner Doll Company, Inc.
, which designs a number of original doll lines, such as the Tyler Wentworth
and Antoinette series. In addition, Tonner Doll Company Inc. contracts with and designs for many major film studios. They have designed dolls for such contemporary films as Harry Potter
, Spider-Man 3
, and Twilight
, as well as classic films, such as Gone with the Wind
and The Wizard of Oz
.
Robert Tonner has received national and international artistic awards and recognition including a permanent piece at The Louvre Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris
. He has also served as President of the National Institute of American Doll Artist (NIADA).
family in Bluffton, Indiana
. Martin Tonner, his father, was a self-educated engineer, and his mother, Virginia, a housewife. Robert has one older brother, John; his twin brother, David; and a younger sister, Mary.
Tonner's mother Virginia was plagued with several illnesses throughout her life, including; epilepsy
, encephalitis
, cancer of the kidney and myasthenia gravis
. The continual cost of his mother's health care would lead to very low economic and family stability throughout Tonner's childhood.
As a child, Tonner turned to drawing and television as an escape from the difficult home situation. Programs such as The Mickey Mouse Club, The Wonderful World of Disney, Bonanza
, Bewitched
, as well as many comic book superheroes, such as the members of The Justice League, would be his greatest inspiration. At the age of eight, Tonner learned to sew.
Tonner began his college career as a pre-med major, attending three different universities. However, in 1973 the struggling student abandoned his goal of becoming a surgeon
and decided to pursue his true passion of becoming a fashion designer. That same year he would attend the Parsons School of Design in New York City
.
. After three years with Gamut, Tonner accepted a position with fashion designer Bill Blass
and was later asked to head the Blassport label. In 1983 Tonner launched his personal fashion label, "Robert Tonner for Tudor Square".
After leaving the fashion industry, Tonner joined the National Institute of American Doll Artists (NIADA). He served as Standards Chairman from 1991–1995 and was later elected President of NIADA 1995, a post which he held until 1997.
Tonner launched Robert Tonner Doll Design (RTDD) in 1991 with his partner Harris Safier. The first RTDD designs were introduced at the American International Toy Fair
that same year. Backed by past connections within the NIADA and fashion design world, and the aggressive publicizing by Tonner’s partner Harris, RTDD saw exponential growth within the first few years. In 2000, RTDD was renamed Tonner Doll Company, Inc.
In 2006, Robert Tonner created the direct-marketing company, Wilde Imagination, which built a collectible fashion doll
design business based on Tonner’s fictional character, Ellowyne Wilde. Wilde Imagination continues to market direct to the consumer with new collections featuring Evangeline Ghastly and licensed pop-culture dolls based on The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)
.
Recently, Tonner has returned to the world of fashion design
with the introduction of the Robert Tonner 2010 Spring Collection which debuted on September 9, 2009, at the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York City.
with his family. An avid reader and pop culture connoisseur, Tonner spends a great deal of time traveling for business. However, he much prefers the comforts of home where one of his hobbies includes collecting original illustration art. Tonner is still the owner and director of Tonner Doll Company, Inc., while also working on his self-funded clothing line. He has also expressed interest in developing a line of toys for children.
Still a member of NIADA, however no longer explicitly active, Tonner also belongs to the National Toy and Doll Collectors Club in New York City, and is a sitting member of the Kingston Hospital Foundation in Kingston New York.
Tonner Doll Company, Inc.
Tonner Doll Company, Inc. is a collectible doll design and distribution company located in Hurley, New York. Founded by Robert Tonner in 1991, Tonner Doll designs and markets original doll lines as well as a number of licensed dolls for movies such as Harry Potter, Spider-Man 3, and Twilight...
and the Effanbee Doll Company, Inc.
Robert Tonner is best known for his fashion doll designs and the creation of the Tonner Doll Company, Inc.
Tonner Doll Company, Inc.
Tonner Doll Company, Inc. is a collectible doll design and distribution company located in Hurley, New York. Founded by Robert Tonner in 1991, Tonner Doll designs and markets original doll lines as well as a number of licensed dolls for movies such as Harry Potter, Spider-Man 3, and Twilight...
, which designs a number of original doll lines, such as the Tyler Wentworth
Tyler Wentworth
Tyler Wentworth is a 16" fashion doll created by Robert Tonner produced by the Tonner Doll Company, Inc. for adult collectors. Tyler Wentworth dolls are constructed of vinyl and hard plastic and have rooted hair or wigs...
and Antoinette series. In addition, Tonner Doll Company Inc. contracts with and designs for many major film studios. They have designed dolls for such contemporary films as Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
, Spider-Man 3
Spider-Man 3
Spider-Man 3 is a 2007 American superhero film written and directed by Sam Raimi, with a screenplay by Ivan Raimi and Alvin Sargent. It is the third film in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man...
, and Twilight
The Twilight Saga (film series)
The Twilight Saga is a series of supernatural romance fantasy films from Summit Entertainment based on the four Twilight series novels by the American author Stephenie Meyer. The films star Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner. The series has grossed over $2 billion in worldwide...
, as well as classic films, such as Gone with the Wind
Gone with the Wind
The slaves depicted in Gone with the Wind are primarily loyal house servants, such as Mammy, Pork and Uncle Peter, and these slaves stay on with their masters even after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 sets them free...
and The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)
The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, but there were uncredited contributions by others. The lyrics for the songs...
.
Robert Tonner has received national and international artistic awards and recognition including a permanent piece at The Louvre Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He has also served as President of the National Institute of American Doll Artist (NIADA).
Early life
Robert Tonner was born as a twin, to a working classWorking class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
family in Bluffton, Indiana
Bluffton, Indiana
Bluffton is a city in Harrison and Lancaster Townships, Wells County, Indiana, United States. The population was 9,897 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Wells County.-Geography:Bluffton is located at ....
. Martin Tonner, his father, was a self-educated engineer, and his mother, Virginia, a housewife. Robert has one older brother, John; his twin brother, David; and a younger sister, Mary.
Tonner's mother Virginia was plagued with several illnesses throughout her life, including; epilepsy
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases...
, encephalitis
Encephalitis
Encephalitis is an acute inflammation of the brain. Encephalitis with meningitis is known as meningoencephalitis. Symptoms include headache, fever, confusion, drowsiness, and fatigue...
, cancer of the kidney and myasthenia gravis
Myasthenia gravis
Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune neuromuscular disease leading to fluctuating muscle weakness and fatiguability...
. The continual cost of his mother's health care would lead to very low economic and family stability throughout Tonner's childhood.
As a child, Tonner turned to drawing and television as an escape from the difficult home situation. Programs such as The Mickey Mouse Club, The Wonderful World of Disney, Bonanza
Bonanza
Bonanza is an American western television series that both ran on and was a production of NBC from September 12, 1959 to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 430 episodes, it ranks as the second longest running western series and still continues to air in syndication. It centers on the...
, Bewitched
Bewitched
Bewitched is an American situation comedy originally broadcast for eight seasons on ABC from 1964 to 1972, starring Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York and Dick Sargent , Agnes Moorehead, and David White. The show is about a witch who marries a mortal and tries to lead the life of a typical suburban...
, as well as many comic book superheroes, such as the members of The Justice League, would be his greatest inspiration. At the age of eight, Tonner learned to sew.
Tonner began his college career as a pre-med major, attending three different universities. However, in 1973 the struggling student abandoned his goal of becoming a surgeon
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
and decided to pursue his true passion of becoming a fashion designer. That same year he would attend the Parsons School of Design in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Fashion career
In 1975, at the age of 23, Tonner was hired as the Personal Assistant to Don Sayres, a designer for Gamut, a sportswear company located in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. After three years with Gamut, Tonner accepted a position with fashion designer Bill Blass
Bill Blass
William Ralph "Bill" Blass was an American fashion designer, born in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He is known for his tailoring and his innovative combinations of textures and patterns...
and was later asked to head the Blassport label. In 1983 Tonner launched his personal fashion label, "Robert Tonner for Tudor Square".
After leaving the fashion industry, Tonner joined the National Institute of American Doll Artists (NIADA). He served as Standards Chairman from 1991–1995 and was later elected President of NIADA 1995, a post which he held until 1997.
Tonner launched Robert Tonner Doll Design (RTDD) in 1991 with his partner Harris Safier. The first RTDD designs were introduced at the American International Toy Fair
American International Toy Fair
The American International Toy Fair is one of a few major toy industry trade shows held around the world. It is held annually in mid February in New York City's Toy Center, located at 23rd Street at the crossover of Fifth Avenue and Broadway and at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, and is...
that same year. Backed by past connections within the NIADA and fashion design world, and the aggressive publicizing by Tonner’s partner Harris, RTDD saw exponential growth within the first few years. In 2000, RTDD was renamed Tonner Doll Company, Inc.
In 2006, Robert Tonner created the direct-marketing company, Wilde Imagination, which built a collectible fashion doll
Fashion doll
Fashion dolls are dolls primarily designed to be dressed to reflect fashion trends. They are manufactured both as toys for children to play with and as collectibles for adult collectors. The dolls are usually modeled after teen girls or adult women, though child, male, and even some non-human...
design business based on Tonner’s fictional character, Ellowyne Wilde. Wilde Imagination continues to market direct to the consumer with new collections featuring Evangeline Ghastly and licensed pop-culture dolls based on The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)
The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)
The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, but there were uncredited contributions by others. The lyrics for the songs...
.
Recently, Tonner has returned to the world of fashion design
Fashion design
Fashion design is the art of the application of design and aesthetics or natural beauty to clothing and accessories. Fashion design is influenced by cultural and social latitudes, and has varied over time and place. Fashion designers work in a number of ways in designing clothing and accessories....
with the introduction of the Robert Tonner 2010 Spring Collection which debuted on September 9, 2009, at the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York City.
Current activities
Today, Robert Tonner resides in the Mid-Hudson River Valley town of Stone Ridge, New YorkStone Ridge, New York
Stone Ridge is a hamlet in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 1,173 at the 2000 census.Stone Ridge is located in the Town of Marbletown, along US 209 where it overlaps NY 213.-Geography:...
with his family. An avid reader and pop culture connoisseur, Tonner spends a great deal of time traveling for business. However, he much prefers the comforts of home where one of his hobbies includes collecting original illustration art. Tonner is still the owner and director of Tonner Doll Company, Inc., while also working on his self-funded clothing line. He has also expressed interest in developing a line of toys for children.
Still a member of NIADA, however no longer explicitly active, Tonner also belongs to the National Toy and Doll Collectors Club in New York City, and is a sitting member of the Kingston Hospital Foundation in Kingston New York.
Publications
- Robert Tonner Inspirations: A personal guided tour through the culture that shaped the acclaimed doll designer's career and creations.
- The Robert Tonner Story: Dreams and Dolls. By Stephanie Finnegan.