We are pleased to announce that Stefanie Eskander (Product Designer from the Hasbro Toy Line) will be joining us in person at JemCon 2023!
Stefanie is a toy industry veteran who is delighted to be returning to JemCon after a five year hiatus. She has been a professional doll and girl’s toy designer for 40 years. She worked as an in-house designer at Mattel (twice), Hasbro, Playskool, Tonka, Fisher-Price, Spin Master, Toys R Us, and Madame Alexander Doll. She also had her own doll and toy design business for 15 cumulative years, freelancing for such clients as Mattel, Hasbro, MGA, Playmates, Manhattan Toy, Spin Master, DSI, Jazwares, and many others.
Stefanie got her start as an illustrator, specializing in children’s illustration. Finding the toy industry was the perfect career choice for her as it combined her love of children’s art and her love of toys.
Stefanie has loved the variety of toys and dolls she has worked on everything from fashion dolls, character dolls, baby dolls, accessories, playsets, stuffed animals, mechanical toys, even a few boy’s toys. She considers herself a “toy person”, loving every aspect of designing for children.
Some of the Jem and the Holograms products she was involved with include the second year Holograms, Synergy, the infamous Rama Llama, Regine's portfolio, and the Hollywood Jem Star of Fame. Some of the other toy and doll lines she has designed and contributed to are: Rainbow Brite, Popples, My Child, Lady Lovely Locks, Jem, Maxie, Real Baby, Love-A-Bye Baby, Dolly Surprise, Moondreamers, My Beautiful Doll, Little Miss, Polly Pocket, Cabbage Patch Kids, Winnie the Pooh, Disney Preschool, Disney Princesses, Barbie, My Dream Baby, Sky Dancers, Berenstain Bears, Holly Hobbie, My Little Pony, Puzzle Place, Cupcakes, Strawberry Shortcake, Journey Girls, You & Me dolls, and many many more!
She recently published a book documenting some of her toy adventures “Toy Stories: The Secret Life of a Toy Designer” and often shares stories about her toy design career on her Instagram @StefDesignsToys. Today, Stefanie lives in Utah where she enjoys designing and inventing toys and dolls in her studio overlooking the beautiful Wasatch Front mountains. She has been married to her supportive husband for 40 years, and has 4 children and 6 grandchildren, who often inspire her designs and help her with her market research.
For more information on her visit her website https://stefanieeskanderdesign.com/