A couple of years ago, stylist Valeria Chrampani was on set with a make-up artist from the US once they began talking about Chrampani’s collection of Cabbage Patch Kids. “The make-up artist told me that she was buying CPK dolls and objects for her kids and that she had also passed her own collection on to them,” says Chrampani. “A couple of months later, she asked for my address and I received an enormous box with CPK clothes and design patterns. I used to be really touched by that.” 

Chrampani has been collecting Cabbage Patch Kids and their memorabilia since she was a toddler. The primary doll she got, her favourite, is known as “Lachanou” meaning little cabbage in Greek. Chrampani was three when she got Lachanou as a present from her grandmother, the 12 months Cabbage Patch Kids got here out in Greece. Two more eventually followed alongside miniatures, a vinyl, clothes, design patterns, magazines, tableware, sliders and a puzzle. Her friends, knowing her obsession, make paintings of Cabbage Patch Kids for her and buy her birthday cakes with them on it.

A running thread throughout her life, Chrampani’s passion for CPK has inspired her practice as a creative in subtle ways, and a few less subtle ways. Her latest shoot is an example of the more overt: a Cabbage Patch Kids-inspired beauty shoot that documents Chrampani’s personal collection of memorabilia opposite make-up and nail looks by Janina Zais and Kat Kattana. “Because it’s a characteristic element of my work, I desired to share with the world the inspiration that Cabbage Patch Kids gave me,” she says. “I need people to feel nostalgic and produce out their inner child.”

Here, Chrampani shares more about how she translated her obsession right into a rollicking, joyful beauty shoot.

Tell me about your love of cabbage patch kids! What do you want about them?

Valeria Chrampani: They differ from some other toys, there’s something special about them. They’re super cute and funny. Personally, I even have many memories with them in numerous time periods combined with pieces I collected. I like their knitted hair and chubby faces, also the proven fact that you get an adoption certificate if you purchase a baby, it makes it truly personal. Also, people can visit their Babyland General Hospital in Cleveland and adopt a doll there – which is something I’d like to do in the longer term.

How did the concept for a beauty shoot with the cabbage patch kids start?

Valeria Chrampani: I desired to create a really organic shoot, with a small team, to not involve a photographer as I wanted it to be very personal so I can show my personal perception of this project. Once I saw Janina Zais’s work I immediately thought that she would communicate it rather well as she’s super talented – her work has a number of anime inspiration and I knew that she is going to make my CPK dream come true. Then I discovered Kat Kattana who’s an incredible sculptural nail artist, she does extravagant 3D nails and just about anything you may imagine. I sent them each images from my archive they usually each created these incredible pieces.

How did the team translate the CPK theme into make-up and nails?

Valeria Chrampani: I sent my personal images and research to each of the artists they usually picked a few of their favourite elements. Janina picked a characteristic Cabbage Patch Doll, a vintage one with blonde braided hair and we selected so as to add pink on her clothes as we each find it irresistible. Kat Kattana loved the green Cabbage so she used cabbage as a base for the nails and she or he created these pointy green cabbage nails and she or he added two CPK faces, one female and one male with threads as their hair.

Is there anything you ought to share in regards to the shoot?

Valeria Chrampani: No, but I need to ask – would you adopt a Cabbage Patch Kid?

Join Dazed Club and be a part of our world! You get exclusive access to events, parties, festivals and our editors, in addition to a free subscription to Dazed for a 12 months. Join for £5/month today.