About the Artist, Mike Buess

Mike Buess is the creator of Fabiola of Hollywood. Embarking upon this project, he was inspired by the Golden Age of Hollywood, fashion from the 1950s and 1960s, and his Puerto Rican heritage. With Fabiola, he goes back in time — telling the story of a strong Latina who is making her mark in fashion and culture.

A graduate of Parsons School of Design, Mike has worked as a stylist for fashion magazines, a makeup artist, and an interior designer. He owned his own modeling agency for children, and later, opened the shop Bodega in Asbury Park, New Jersey, where he featured must-have personal and home accessories. Bodega was named “Best Gift Shop” by Philadelphia Magazine

Mike brought these myriad experiences to bear upon the manufacture and construction of Fabiola of Hollywood. He worked with a factory in Spain to arrive at the perfect golden-brown skin tone, and he minimized the amount of joint seams in order to preserve the smooth lines of the doll’s curvaceous body. Unlike other contemporary fashion dolls — which may be dressed in vintage styles but constructed with modern bodies and hyper-realistic makeup — the Boriqua Bombshell looks as if she could have been plucked off a midcentury shelf. Dressed, styled, and hand-painted by Mike, Fabiola and her accouterments pay homage to the quirks and charms of that era.  

Mike divides his time between work in public relations, interior design, and Fabiola of Hollywood. He lives in Bloomfield, New Jersey with his boyfriend.