Everyone knows that Barbie throws the best parties!

The Barbie shop inside the iconic F.A.O Schwarz toy store in Manhattan, NY was the perfect location for her 65th Anniversary. It was an event to remember, with an interactive activation that included live fashion sketches by Fashion Illustrator Deanna Kei (that’s me!) , and lots of other fun gifts!

The energy level inside the shop was off the charts! Everyone was so happy to be there! At the Barbie shop, fans can customize their very own Barbies with the help of a trained Barbie stylist. Each time a kid finished customizing their Barbie doll, the stylist presented them to the audience by name and everyone in the shop gave them a round of applause. The applause were going all day and had everyone smiling.

After guests chose their Barbies, they were treated to Barbie donuts and fashion sketches of themselves as a Barbie doll!

It was a fun filled day full of cute photo ops! Shoppers were given a Barbie hat with their purchases and the large Barbie box at the front of the store made the best frame for photos!

Barbie shoppers who spent $75 or more were able to have a live illustration done of themselves. The fashion illustrations were framed with a pink Barbie box border. It was the perfect memento from the day!

Krispy Kreme joined in on the festivities with a beautiful donut display of their Barbie x Krispy Kreme collaboration donuts. There were 4 different flavors to choose from, each featuring a different design! The Barbie donuts are available outside of the event too!* See Krispy Kreme for details.

Barbie fans showed up from all over, dressed in their best Barbie outfits. It was so much fun sketching everyone and chatting with them about their collections! There was a fun crowd around the sketch station and everyone was mingling with each other and showing off their Barbies and it was really just such an amazing day full of good, pink vibes!

The Barbie shop is located inside F.A.O Schwarz and is definitely worth a visit!

Deanna Kei is a fashion and beauty illustrator who works with brands to create custom illustrations, and she also sketches guests live at special events. To book live fashion art for your next event contact: DeannaKei@gmail.com or see here for more details!

Design is in the details and this bridal shower was laden with meticulously curated details! Guests were visually swept away to the Mediterranean coast the moment they entered this space. The venue was adorned in lemon yellow hues and Capri blues for the occasion. A vibrant welcome sign greeted guests at the door and the color story continued through out the space, from the delicate place settings, down to the table seating cards which were composed of beautiful white roses, each in their own glass vase with the guests’ names and table numbers attached.

The event was designed and planned by Party with Sol and they definitely brought the ‘sol’ to this vibrant bridal shower!

The Maritime Parc, set inside Jersey City’s Liberty State Park was the perfect venue for this intimate brunch. The large windows brought in natural lighting and the room had plenty of space for with space for mingling as well as table seating.

Guests were treated to live acoustic music by Lawrence Trailer and live fashion illustrations by Deanna Kei (~ that’s me!)

The sketches were a hit! Guests were invited to be turned into fashion illustration versions of themselves and each walked away with a special keepsake from the day! Since it was a sit down event, guests posed for a quick photo at the sketching station and were able to return to their seats while their drawings were being created on the spot. Then they were able to pick up their sketches at their leisure.

Credit: Walter Wall Photography - Illustration: Deanna Kei

The bride-to-be wore a beautiful white sundress with a corseted bodice and a full skirt.

There was a gorgeous back drop set out for people to take selfies and photos in front of. It was the perfect spot for the cake cutting!

The event was photographed by Walter Wall Photography. The breathtaking images in this post are credit to Walter Wall Photography.

Each of the guests were dressed for the occasion. Here are some more illustrations of their looks!:

Here are some of the vendors who made the event such a success:

Venue: The Maritime Parc , Jersey City, New Jersey USA

Event Planner: Party With Sol

Music: Lawrence Trailer - Trailer Entertainment

Photographer: Walter Wall Photography

Live Fashion Art: Deanna Kei

Deanna Kei is a New York based live event illustrator who turns guests into fun fashion illustrations at special events. She’s available to book for live events, and for custom illustration projects *Contact deannakei@gmail.com

Everyone knows that Barbie throws the best parties!

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