Blocks picks out the very best mini-dolls from the LEGO Friends theme, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
With the introduction of LEGO Friends came a brand new style of LEGO figure – the mini-doll. While the mini-doll was met with initial skepticism, the characters have been around for a decade now and are a staple part of many LEGO collections. Across the 10 years of LEGO Friends there have been over 400 mini-dolls released, with many characters inhabiting the world of Heartlake City.
From school uniforms to scuba divers, and baristas to magicians, the range of mini-dolls is nearly endless. In celebration of the Friends 10th anniversary, Blocks, the LEGO magazine for fans, is picking out our favourites…
Andrea (41685 Magical Funfair Roller Coaster)
Andrea dons a ringmaster style outfit in 41685, with embellishments galore. The magician inspired sets are something truly different in the Friends range and that shows through Andrea. For once her hair is styled in a practical ponytail, and she even sports a golden bowtie. Very unusually, this mini-doll is also one of the few to feature some printed makeup, including bold eyeshadow to complete Andrea’s extravagant look.
Dottie (41349 Drifting Diner)
Only Friends could give fans a roller-skating, go-cart loving grandmother with a coiffed hairstyle. Dottie was the first older character to appear in the theme, and has a brilliant 1950s vibe. Her mini-doll is outrageously fun, combining a retro shirt and leather waistcoat with some printed pearls for a classy touch. Fun fact – her mini-doll has printed glasses, yet Dottie doesn’t wear any in the Friends animated series.
Blocks celebrates 10 years of Friends with an exclusive interview in the next issue. To get the LEGO magazine for fans every month – at a discount and earlier than the shops – order a 12-month or 24-month subscription. Direct debit payment options are available too; to find out more get in touch via subs@silverbackpublishing.rocks.
Emma (41701 Street Food Market)
Back in 2018 the LEGO Group updated the Friends characters to be more culturally diverse, giving Emma a makeover to suggest she has South East Asian heritage. Her latest 2022 minifigure really celebrates this, with a more authentic bun hairstyle and giving her beautiful almond shaped eyes. Her shirt also features a bird pattern, which makes sense as different birds can be found throughout Chinese and Japanese folklore.
Mia (41324 Snow Resort Ski Lift)
Mia has always been the most adventurous and outdoorsy of all the Friends, so she was the perfect fit for the winter sports wave in 2017. She probably already had a skiing outfit in her wardrobe, which explains why Mia is so coordinated. A dark blue and lime green ski suit is accessorised with lavender gloves and matching helmet. Plus Mia’s got goggles for when she’s out on the slopes.
Which LEGO themes paved the way for LEGO Friends?
Olivia (41682 Heartlake City School)
As prefect for Heartlake City School, Olivia looks stunningly smart in her blue and yellow uniform. A lavender jumper vest is printed with a clever cable-knit design, while yellow edging runs down the lapels. It’s a classic school uniform design, but the cheerful colours give it a Friends twist. Of course Olivia also has her shiny prefect’s badge on proud display too.
Stephanie (5005236 Friends Clubhouse)
While the Friends pods range was met with a bit of a mixed reaction, they are a great way to get exclusive mini-dolls quite cost-effectively. Stephanie’s version may have been one of the simplest, yet her ‘I love Heartlake City’ t-shirt was an ingenious new design. Clearly inspired by similar shirts found in big cities like New York, it shows off how much Heartlake has grown in the last 10 years.
Liz (41449 Andrea’s Family Home)
41449 Andrea’s Family Home was the first to use the recently introduced micro-dolls from the Disney theme as a young Friends character. The scale works perfectly next to the much taller mini-doll, and Liz looks completely adorable in her buttercup yellow dress. The star embellishment on it could be a subtle reference to Liz’s big sister Andrea being a music star within Heartlake.
These are some of the mini-dolls we love for their unique designs and debuts, but we want to know – which is your favourite mini-doll? Join the conversation on any of the Blocks social media channels!
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