Kiki and Coco in Paris

Head over to M29 LIFESTYLE (2800 Pennsylvania Ave, NW) on Saturday as they welcome doll maker and designer, Jess Brown to Georgetown for the inauguration of her book, Kiki & Coco in Paris. The store will kick off the launch with a “Mommy and Me” Parisian style play date.

Kiki and Coco in Paris is a photographical journey of a girl, Kiki, and her beloved rag doll, Coco. The stunning images, taken by photographer Stephanie Rausser, take Kiki, Coco and young readers on a magical journey to the city of lights.

The idea came about when Rausser purchased one of Brown’s dolls for her daughter Kiki. During a mother/daughter trip to Paris, Stephanie couldn’t resist photographing Kiki with her loyal rag doll friend, Coco.

Rausser explains, “I had a close friend die and it was disheartening and overwhelming. I decided to take a trip with my daughter to get away and address my grief. Being a photographer I decided to turn it into a photography expedition and I came up with this idea of a child (my Kiki) in love with a doll who never lets her go.”

Upon returning from Paris, Rausser created a slide show and calendar with the whimsical images. The response was so overwhelming that she and Brown decided to collaborate on this book.

When asked what it’s like to photograph children, Rausser simply said, “Awesome. Without pretense. Organic. Lovely. Hilarious. Kids are so open and full of life.”

Californian Jess Brown, began making dolls for her children, Stella and Tiger, eleven years ago. She made the dolls for her Petaluma, Ca. shop, MAUDE, to sell during one of their first holiday seasons. Other shop owners from around the Bay Area took notice and placed orders for their shops. Business took off from there.

She makes the dolls by embroidering on the faces with a bamboo lace weight Japanese yarn. She uses reclaimed cashmere remnants for the hair and dresses are all done in linen, Liberty of London fabrics and antique scraps. To create variations in skin tones, each doll is hand dyed in Persian black teas.

Last summer, Brown was commissioned by designer BOTTEGA VENETA, to create life-sized dolls to display in their Beverly Hills, New York, Paris, London and Milan store windows for Fashion Week.

How does she balance motherhood with her career? 

“The kids have to come first. I work in my studio while they are at school. Then I am on their time the moment school is out until bed time. Then... often it's back to the studio” she said.

If you want to check out these unique dolls and fanciful book, take your petite princesse to M29 on Saturday between noon and 4 p.m. Little ones will enjoy seeing the video version of the book in a junior-sized movie theater while mommies can savor French pastries from the delectable new bakery, PAUL.

The Jess Brown collection will be available at M29 LIFESTYLE beginning
Saturday with prices ranging from $130 to $350.