Showing posts with label Avantguard doll. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Avantguard doll. Show all posts

7/24/2014

Reviews: Fashion Explorer Vanessa and Poppy Fashions

Fashion Explorer Vanessa is one of the three optional 2014 W Club upgrade dolls and the only one I ordered. Apparently I can't shake the Vanessa addiction completely. She was $130 plus postage.

Let me deal with the sculpt first. She's described as having the Vanessa 3.0 sculpt. I'm still struggling to figure out what the 2.0 sculpt was. It seems that there were several other attempts at a new Vanessa sculpt between DC and now. Half this...half that...I don't get it. 


Could it have been Dress Code Vanessa?


Go back to the original Vanessa.
Make the rest of us happy. 
We don't care if you're bored.

Anyway, the new gal is a pretty doll. There have been many complaints about the screening difference between the left and right eyes. I see it when I look very closely but it doesn't bother me. Her hair, which is long in the back in a beautiful wrapped pony tail, is offset by the boring side curl and an ultra high forehead. A different hairstyle would do wonders.


She is styled awkwardly.
The fashion consists of a boxy, ill-fitting ultra suede top over a sheer mesh bodysuit. The skirt is, as you can see, is a wrap mini in light blue. This is supposed to be a fashion doll and I don't think she ranks up there as well dressed or worth $130.
This is the first time I've seen the revised FR2 body. It's a good body with firm joints. The elbow joints on this doll squeak! 

Her accessories are a huge brown handbag, super tall boots in the same brown, cheap looking sunglasses, irrelevant silver colored bracelets and pin ball studs.

W Club dolls should be the 
very best 
of what's available 
for so many reasons.

Here she shows off her assets:

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I purchased two fashions from the recently offered three dressed IFDC Poppy Parker dolls. Since I do not collect Poppy dolls, I was hoping that some of my flatter chested dolls would be able to wear them. Success.

This lavender confection comes from a doll called Glamorous Darling. It fits my Monogram Exaggeration perfectly - including the shoes. I am so happy that Poppy has grown up to have normal fashion feet! I hate the articulated ankle on that doll.
The gown is very pretty. The person that sold it to me made the mistake of folding the tulle so it's not draping properly - yet. It will. I'm not going near it with heat. (Been there, done that. Not good.)
Anyway, the only thing wrong with this ensemble is the GLITTER. Sequins would have been sufficient.  Glitter is Mattel's gig. 
Please, no more glitter.
Above is my Mini Avantguard doll, Aphrodisiac, modeling IT Girl. The skirt is a bit loose in the hip area but it doesn't affect the appearance. I wasn't able to get the jewelry or the sunglasses with the ensemble so I added Knife Edge bracelets and IT earrings from some other doll. The earrings came with a bracelet that was way too large for Aphro so I'm thinking they were from a 16" doll. At this point, I have no idea what goes with what and I don't care either.
I removed the bow that was attached to the bodice. It wouldn't lay straight and stuck out too far.

I'm very pleased with both fashions.


8/10/2013

Time for Pretty Dolls

I like pretty dolls. They appeal to my desire to see myself as forever young and beautiful.
Currently, my only Ellowyne, "Gilded Gloom", gets the feminine treatment in "Ruffled Up."




Avantguard "On Edge" is a fairly recent purchase. I sold off all of my Avantguards as I was disgusted with their bodies. I did love the Goldmine sculpt, however, and when I saw this doll for a very fair price I hit the buy-it-now button.
The body is crappy, wiggly, too thin and unstable. Am I making myself clear? Could be one of the reasons they were discontinued. The other reasons, well that's for another post.
Anyway, along comes Tulabelle with her giant head and her 'pick me up by my lips' mouth.
Body switching ensues and voilĂ ! We have a beautiful doll. In the pictures, the fashion is from Yeti to Wear. The shoes are JamieShow. The wig is by Patta.




Yes, she is standing on her own, thanks to the solid joints of this body and the well-made JamieShow shoes.

A girl can't have enough furs, lace and jewelry.

1/28/2013

Integrity Toys' New Dolls

On Saturday, January 26. 2013 members of the W Club were invited to a webinar during which new dolls were described and shown.
Not all of IT's doll lines were included in this reveal. The most popular appears to be the new Funny Face collection designed by Chris Stoeckel. These dolls and fashions are based on the 1957 movie by the same name that stars Audrey Hepburn and  Fred Astaire. In a brilliant move, the designers decided to give each doll in the new line a different sculpt. And, instead of having a bunch of single dressed Poppy Parker-faced dolls, several of the dolls are mini-giftsets and full giftsets. The focus is on the fashion and although none of the designs is original, Stoeckl has interpreted them very nicely.

Here are several of the images with which we were presented.
Jo Stockton "Take the Picture"



Maggie Prescott's Assistant "Think Pink"
Dovima as Marion "A Woman Who Thinks"
Jo Stockton "On How To Be Lovely"
Jo Stockton "Bonjour Paris"
Maggie Prescott "The Quality Woman"

There is a lottery for another gift set. This one is called "Let's Kiss and Make Up." It looks like a fabulous gift set consisting of three complete outfits and lots of accessories. Also included is a little dog. It's not a poodle but we'll over look that fact.


I need this giftset and will be very disappointed if I am not amongst the lottery entrants who is picked. VERY disappointed.
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Another reveal was this year's Dynamite Girls designed by David Buttry. Entitled "London Calling,"  the collection consists of 7 dolls each priced at $65.  I didn't care for any of the four girls; their outfits are pedestrian. But, the two male dolls are fabulous.The layering, attention to detail and edgy styling is clear in the guys and missing from the girls.
Kyu

Cruz
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Integrity's 16" doll line has morphed into Tulabelle. The backstory sounds like a fantasy from Cosmo magazine. Here's the promo text from Integrity Toys:

Every once in a while, you meet a character that is so special and unique that you can't forget her. That's Tulabelle! She's a young influential fashion blogger and the go-to expert for the latest in trends for young fashionistas around the world. Tulabelle comes from a long line of fashion insiders and has inherited her family's extensive archive of clothing from the beginning of the 20th century to today. The highlight of the collection consists of some amazing pieces from her famous model grandmother, Poppy Parker! Whether she's hanging out with friends at her favorite thrift store or sitting front row at the hottest runway show, Tulabelle is always at the forefront of style.

There are 6 dressed dolls in the collection, one of which is a "basic" priced at $115. The others are priced at $150. 
I have previously written that I prefer sophisticated looking doll sculpts more than the teen look. I think it's sad that the giant Poppy dolls and these gals have replaced the Avantguard line. They could have kept the sculpts and used the improved body. As a collector who spans both the 16" and 12" groups, I know many who loved the AG sculpts and would buy them again. But I believe IT caters to it's post-Barbie collectors who tend to prefer more youthful looks. 
That being said, I did like one of the Tulabelles very much...enough to pre-order her! 


Calling this doll "Yeti to Wear" — dorky — but I like the fashion. Hopefully the bangs come out flat enough to stay on her forehead. I'm curious about the body as I've not seen it yet. I don't think her fashion will fit any of my 16" dolls but we'll see.
_______________________

The other new dolls revealed are three Holograms from the Jem and the Holograms line.
Since I am not one of the former television watchers of this cartoon, I have no connection there. To me they look trashy. IMO, there is no fashion, just costume, all for $119. each. Lest I forget, you get a detailed plastic guitar.
______________________

1/01/2012

Let's Start 2012 by Featuring Glorious Repaints seen on Prego

There is a lot of glorious eye candy in the form of repainted dolls being posted today on Prego. Here are a few just from the first page.
First up by Nigel Chia:
Freeze Frame Avantguard and Spring Kissed respectively. Amazing, right?



Next, a Monster High repaint/redress by Freddy Tan:
Do you see her nails?

By Laurie Lenz:
"Always Playing Solitaire" Ellowyne Repaint.

By France Briere:
Silkstone Barbie.


From (the amazing) James in Florida:
Repainted Sybarite Geometry.

3/16/2011

Re-Styling A Doll - A Success Story in Pictures

My friend collector, ParadiseBlue-Jay, recently acquired the Jason Wu designed Neo-Cissy, "L'Enfant Terrible."  I found this doll to be unappealing.  She has hair growing out of her eye for goodness sake. And someone forgot to give her eyebrows. On top of that, her outfit is very sexy for a doll with a child body and a big head. Nuff said.
Poor thing. She's been hit in the face by a crow.
So yesterday he sends me a bunch of pictures. Here are several:
Monaeglo Gown
Acid green hosiery by Linda in Las Vegas. Necklace from Limousine Sybarite.

Shoes are her own.

She looks fabulous now! I love the colors. It's electric!

He also sent me pictures and a review/comparison between the Neo-Cissy and the Avantguard body which follows.


AG looks pissed.
Body review:
There is a feel to Cissy that smells of Integrity. The light weight hollow plastic feel is okay.. not great but I have come to expect that of Integrity. Integrity has a way of dressing up the cheap.

The Torso / arm pit area is the same on both types of dolls. Knees are better on Cissy. They have the swivel knee-cap. The spindle that attaches the feet and hands to the arms or legs are loose on Neo Cissy. The ridges on the Cissy feet/hands spindles are almost non existent. They slide in and out with no grip. Very floppy.. on my doll. They may be better on someone else's.

The Torsos on the AG's are horrible and floppy.. Neo Cissy's are better.. but not great. I think what aggravates me the most about Neo Cissy's feet is that they are so floppy that she couldn't stand on her bare high heeled feet, without the doll's weight forcing the feet to go almost flat. She looks like the weight of her large head has crushed her feet. Flat high heeled feet is not a great look. LOL.

Hands. I am not happy with the Neo Cissy "hand balls" (looks like posing balls at her hand's base) at her arms. They were made to look like the "balls were needed to pose better. Maybe BJD like? There was no need to do that as the spindle goes into the arm close.


Would I buy another? Probably not. If the sale was good.. maybe. I wish Integrity would pay attention to detail on the underlings of a doll and not just the fashion.

Speaking of the fashion.. very nice. Boots are not cut the way the promo pics indicated. Those looked ankle tight.. these look like rubber boots.
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I want to thank James for the pictures and for taking the dead crow off the doll's face. LOL.
In addition, I appreciate the review of the bodies as I'm sure my readers will as well.

12/18/2010

BIJOU, the New W Club Exclusive Avantguard Doll

Wow! This week has been spectacular for 16" dolls in my collection.
Bijou is the latest Avantguard doll from Integrity Toys. She's been on pre-order for what seems like an eternity. When I saw her at the convention I was very happy because she looked great. Now that she's here, I can confirm that she is the best looking Avantguard since Goldmine. I'm basing that not only on her face but on her fashion as well. In fact, this may be the most beautiful AG fashion yet.


The fabric feels like silk chiffon. It varies in color from hot pink to hot orange and somewhere in between. I should have steamed the gown but I was too lazy. It fits her like a dream. When I post a picture of the back of a gown, you have to know how beautiful it truly is.

The black embroidery is in scale and nicely applied. Her shoes aren't my taste but they are different and well made. You will have to use the adjustable toe foot to fit into these shoes.

The metal rose jewelry has shown up on enough dolls already. Time for a change.

The single misstep is the cut of the wig. I get the idea; it's supposed to be shorter in the back and gradually lengthen towards the front. In the picture above you can see the background color showing through the wig around her neck. Normally I'd Photoshop that in to match the hair. I would prefer to have the cut of the wig be more even at the sides as it gradually gets to the back. But I do have other wigs.

If you're on the fence about this doll - jump now. She's a keeper.

I do have an extra one for sale. Email me.

12/06/2010

Chinese Factory Worker Can't Believe The Shit He Makes For Americans

W Club members received an email explaining the situation with the factories in China. They reported that due to "changes" there is a high turnover of employees resulting in fewer employees who are now overburdened and need training. Another consequence is that less items are being produced and waiting periods are longer. Higher prices come along with this.
I vaguely remember that Jason said there would be a mini-collection at the end of the year. I assume that will not happen. 

http://www.photomichaelwolf.com/the_real_toy_story/index.html
The image above is one of many from a very interesting installation by photographer Michael Wolf. The caption under the image is the link to the story and more pictures about toy factory workers in China in 2004. Hopefully conditions have changed. 

Also announced :
-Integrity's "Toy Fair" will be held on-line (again) and they said the event doll is awesome.
-The 2011 convention will be held in Schaumburg, IL on October 6—8 with a cocktail reception on the evening of October 5.
-There will be a club exclusive Poppy Parker doll.

Link to the article in the Onion: 
Chinese Factory Worker Can't Believe The Shit He Makes For Americans

 *Note to Trolls: This article does not say that Integrity makes shit. 

8/28/2010

W Club Exclusive Doll Avantguard BIJOUX

Bijoux is a French word meaning a small, dainty ornamental piece of delicate work or, as the adjective bijou, it describes something delicate, elegant or highly prized. That's a nice name for a doll.
This new Avantguard doll is described by Integrity as follows:
The Exclusive W Club Bijoux AvantGuards Doll wears a dark fuchsia satin gown with black contrasting embroidery, orange chiffon inserted accent panels and striking black netting. A dramatic sprinkle of gold on her eyes makes this doll the shimmering bijoux that she is. The fabulous tapered black bob wig delicately shapes her face. The jewelry that accents this fashion consists of a necklace with three black roses and matching earrings. To complete the ensemble, Bijoux wears black platform skyscraper shoes.


The price is $185. which is $40 less than prior releases. What happened? Is the price seeking the correct level at last?