Alice Taylor has been awarded the Rising star accolade at the annual Chicago Toy and Game Group ceremony.
The inventor’s community has a new rising star among its ranks.
The Chicago Toy and Game Group has crowned the year’s recipients of the 2014 Toy and Game Inventor of the Year Awards.
The seventh annual event commemorated innovation in the toy and game industry with an evening of cocktails, cordon bleu and comedy.
And among its list of celebrated brains, designers and inventors, the group appointed Alice Taylor, the name behind the range of Makie 3D printed fashion dolls, the Rising Star Award.
2014 marks the first time Taylor has scooped the award, an accolade that last year was handed to the creator of Goldieblox, Debbie Sterling.
“Winning the Rising Star Inventor award was completely unexpected and a total delight,” Taylor told ToyNews.
“But, I am only representing the work of our incredibly talented and hardworking team here, who have been inventing like crazy for a few years on this. We are chuffed to bits.”
And receiving the award in the run up to the Christmas and holiday season offers the added benefit to Taylor, who believes it will help parents and families make a decision when it comes to present shopping.
“Parents and familes buying for children will look for reassurance that they are buying a good product,” continued Taylor.
“In the absence of a long-known brand or a massive advertising campaign – both only available to the toymaker giants – awards and reviews are our best assets.”
Taylor has made a big impact on the US toy market, and reveals that Christmas 2014 is looking to be a good year for the firm.
“Christmas is looking good,” she said.
“We are shipping as fast as we can, and dolls are flying out of the door, on their way to their new homes. Most are headed for the US, but we’re even sending some as far as New Zealand and Brazil.”
Of course, Taylor wasn’t the only name at this year’s Toy and Game Inventor of the Year Awards. Check out the full list of winners below:
EXCELLENCE IN GAME DESIGN
Oliver Morris, designer of Gravity Maze
EXCELLENCE IN TOY DESIGN
Ian Bernstein, Adam Wilson and Sphero team, inventors of Ollie
RISING STAR DESIGNER
Alice Taylor, designer of Makies
YOUNG INVENTOR OF THE YEAR
Lyla Black, inventor of Lyla Tov Monsters
Honorees of the following closed categories were also awarded:
EXCELLENCE IN CHARACTER CREATION:
Hasbro for Transformers
IN MEMORIAM
Bill Goodman
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Michael Kohner, on behalf of The Kohner Bros.
HASSENFELD FAMILY HUMANITARIAN AWARD
Diane and Quintin Primo
