Background
Elina Vartiainen, a graphic designer and illustrator, has been producing plush toy designs and graphics under the name Pretty Disturbed in Finland. BAM - Bully the Alpha Male – was released in October 2011.
BAM is mean, crude and ruthless. He absolutely hates everyone. The source of his aggression can be found by turning him around and peaking into his brain...
BAM is the first design from the Pretty Disturbed plush toy series. They will all be designed and handmade by Elina. She is planning to make 6 variants using this plush pattern, with the next one expected to be released in January 2012.
The Facts
BAM - Bully the Alpha Male
Manufacturer: Pretty Disturbed (handmade)
Artist: Elina Vartiainen
Material: Plush (faux fur and 100% cotton fabric)
Dimensions: 9.25” tall
Edition Size: Handmade
Pricing: 30€ plus shipping (Around $40.00)
Packaging/Tag
There's a small Pretty Disturbed tag stitched into the seam of the BAM plush. Other than that...it was packaged with an illustration of the character.
Our Opinion
If I had to simplify the designer plush market, you'd have cute and cuddly plush toys on one end of the spectrum and displayable collectible plush toys on the other. Now, there is a lot of overlap between the two categories. But I would definitely put the BAM plush on the displayable collectible side.
The Bully Alpha Male is solidly stuffed. The cotton material on the front almost feels like denim, while the back of the plush is covered in faux fur. These is a small cutout where BAM's brains (which are strangely enough, a steaming pile of poo) can be seen. All of the features appear to have been screenprinted on the cotton material.
So...do I think the plush could have been better quality-wise? Maybe a little. But it is handmade by the artist, so there are bound to be a few little imperfections. I found that by moving around some of the stuffing, you can get BAM to sit down pretty nicely. (That was one concern I had)
As an aside, the artist (Elina) sent me some salmiakki – aka salty licorice. She said that she ate a lot of this candy while designing and creating the BAM plush. Apparently, it is an acquired taste. It tastes just like the description.
Overall thoughts on the Bully Alpha Male plush from Pretty Disturbed? It's one of my favorite plush CHARACTERS of the year. I like that it's unique. From the screenprinted features to the different materials used on each side to the little peephole into BAM's brain. It's just a fun, unique character.
You can pick one up at the following:
If you're interested in purchasing a BAM plush toy, email Elina at hello@prettydisturbed.com or visit her site or blog.
