Polly Pocket

Polly Pocket is a toy line of dolls and accessories. The name comes from the fact that many of the original Polly Pocket dolls came in pocket-size cases. The current Fashion Polly dolls sold by Mattel differ significantly from those originally sold by Bluebird Toys. The original Bluebird dolls were less than one inch tall and made of hard plastic. Mattel's versions are two to three inches tall and are composed of a pliable plastic with soft rubberized clothing and fashion accessories.

History

Polly Pocket German series was first designed by Chris Wiggs in 1983 for his daughter Kate. Using a powder compact, he fashioned a small house for the tiny doll. Bluebird Toys of Swindon, England licensed the concept and the first Polly Pocket toys appeared in stores in 1989. Mattel held a distribution arrangement with Bluebird Toys for Polly Pocket items in the early-1990s. In 1998, while production lulled, Bluebird Toys endured several hostile take-over attempts until Mattel finally purchased them later that year.

Le Château

Le Château Inc. is a fashion company founded in 1959 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada that designs, imports and retails a wide range of women's and men's apparel, accessories and footwear. In 2006, the company generated sales of nearly $303.88 million CAD. The company sells directly to customers with over 232 retail stores in Canada, one in the New York metropolitan area, as well as five throughout the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. As of 2007, Le Château employed more than 3,000 people worldwide. Le Château manufactures about 35% of the merchandise itself in Canadian factories with the remainder being imported.

History

Early years: 1959-1982

Founded by Herschel Segal in 1959, as "Le Chateau Men's Wear", it began as a menswear store in downtown Montreal's Victoria Square, formerly called Craig St.and on St. Catherine's Street, a bustling shopping district at the time and a third store in Verdun on Wellington street. Segal gave his store a French name because of the budding francophone feelings occurring in Quebec. At first, Le Château was not a "fashion-forward" store, as it would later become, as Segal sold overstock from his father's old store. In 2003, Segal described his early customers as "old ... blue-haired ladies." Le Château did well at first, and three more stores were opened. However, by the early 1960s the company was close to bankruptcy, and all but the original store were closed.