So it has come to this.

	From left: Lynette, Edie and Gabrielle of "Desperate Housewives." Click photo for larger image. Related article Gali Girls line of dolls celebrates Jewish history, values

The 87-year-old company that makes Madame Alexander dolls, those petite, exquisitely costumed, rosy-cheeked versions of beloved storybook characters, from Meg, Amy, Beth and Jo to Scarlett to Alice in Wonderland, is introducing something to appeal to a new generation of little girls -- or perhaps, more tellingly, their mothers.

A "Desperate Housewives" line of dolls.

"Now women of all ages will be able to play 'housewife,' unlocking delicious secrets hidden in a seemingly 'perfect' suburban neighborhood," says the company's press release announcing the limited-edition, five-doll collection, which will be available in early summer at selected stores and online and will retail for $129 each.

It's tempting to wonder if Gabrielle's teenage gardener will come with the package.

The new line of dolls is all about "creating buzz," said Jane Abrahams, a spokeswoman for the New York-based Alexander Doll Co., which has gone through several ownership changes since the death of its founder, Beatrice Alexander Behrman, in 1990.

The real Madame Alexander felt dolls could be educational toys -- hence her original focus on historical figures and characters from fairy tales. In the 1930s, she wouldn't allow the production of a Shirley Temple doll because she didn't believe in child labor. She was also one of the first to produce black dolls. Her dolls are in the Smithsonian Institution and the National Museum of American History.

But in an increasingly competitive doll market dominated by mass produced foreign imports and populated by Barbie, assorted Bratz, American Girls and their young, fashion-and-accessories-obsessed owners, the handcrafted, gently traditional image of Madame Alexander needed "some freshening," said Ms. Abrahams. "We have to evolve our company and keep it growing."

Yes, but is there a risk of cheapening the Madame Alexander brand, which for generations of girls meant blue boxes, pink tissue paper and pink-cheeked dolls dressed in beautifully detailed costumes from beloved children's literature?

"You'll still be able to buy those dolls from the storybook collection," said Jill Jackson, editor of Doll Reader, a magazine for collectors of antique, vintage and modern dolls.

"The only way for Madame Alexander to cheapen their brand is to deny collectors diversity in their choices," she said. "You have to give people what they want, and this company offers something for everyone."

Indeed, the "Desperate Housewives" line, given their high price, will perhaps be more attractive to adult collectors than little girls, said Adrienne Citrin, a spokewoman for the Toy Industry Association.

"These dolls are really not going to be something that kids are playing with in the bathtub or the back yard," said Ms. Citrin. "The company is going after the older collector."

Given their popularity during Baby Boomer girls' formative years, it's perhaps not surprising that Madame Alexander dolls have a strong adult following -- there's a Madame Alexander Doll Club with more than 10,000 members -- and they make valuable collectibles. A 1951-era doll that cost $70 recently resold for $15,000.

It's also not the first time in recent years that Madame Alexander has sought to shake up its delicate image. In 1998, there was a line of dolls commemorating Alfred Hitchcock's movie heroines -- including a Janet Leigh doll wrapped in a towel from "Psycho" and posed in a shower, with a killer's shadow in the background.

But the company still wants to reach out to little girls, and in 2005, it partnered with McDonald's to offer a "Happy Meals" promotion featuring 4-inch versions of its signature 8-inch Wendy doll, including Asian and African-American models playing tennis, performing ballet and other activities.

"What it allowed us to do was reach that younger consumer, but what made it work so well was that it promoted the relationship between parent and child. The parent bought it and then, over the meal, would share her own memories of Madame Alexander dolls with her child," said Ms. Abrahams.

The next Happy Meal promotion is scheduled for March 23.

"We're trying to be classic yet current enough for this younger generation," she said, while acknowledging that the target demographic for the 'Desperate Housewives' line will not be 9-year-old Madison or Chelsea but their mothers.

"We're a fashion and design company, and 'Desperate Housewives' is the No. 1 show on television, so this allows us to tap into a new consumer -- the woman who loves that show."

Kate Greenway, we hardly knew ye.