Be Ready To Defend Yourself

Join us for a weekend filled with artists, exhibitors and all things designed to inspire and engage every kind of designer toy fan. Whether you're a seasoned collector, a budding artist, or simply curious about the world of designer toys, CollectedCon will offer something for everyone. Get up close and personal with some of the most talented designer toy artists in the world, and learn about their creative process, inspiration, and backgrounds. Discover new and rare toys, expand your collection, or simply marvel at the unique and captivating artistry that is designer toys. Our convention is not just about buying and selling toys — it's about fostering a culture of creativity, innovation, and community. We are passionate about bringing people together to celebrate the art form that is designer toys, and we can't wait for you to join us. Plus, with Navy Pier as our backdrop, you'll have easy access to some of Chicago's most iconic landmarks, restaurants, and attractions. Create your own designer toy adventure, and experience all that Chicago has to offer. Giclée (pronounced "zhee-clay") is a neologism for the process of making fine art prints from a digital source using ink-jet printing. The word "giclée" is derived from the French language word "le gicleur" meaning "nozzle", or more specifically "gicler" meaning "to squirt, spurt, or spray". It was coined in 1991 by Jack Duganne, a printmaker working in the field, to represent any inkjet-based digital print used as fine art. The intent of that name was to distinguish commonly known industrial "Iris proofs" from the type of fine art prints artists were producing on those same types of printers. The name was originally applied to fine art prints created on Iris printers in a process invented in the early 1990s but has since come to mean any high quality ink-jet print and is often used in galleries and print shops to denote such prints.