Showing posts with label Gene W Club. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gene W Club. Show all posts

4/22/2011

Designer Ties One On or An Ungapotchked Outfit

"Exquisite"~ A New Monogram Doll ~ An MFD LE300 Exclusive ~ $175.00

In the new design tradition (don't ask)  of Tricks of the Trade Eugenia, Regal Solstice Anja, Out of the Blue Kyori and Fire Within Jordan, Integrity Toys has released a new Monogram doll called Exquisite. Sigh. 
 On Wednesday, April 20, a lottery was announced to generate excitement and sales of this doll.

Integrity Promotional Photo
 MFD  has had gorgeous exclusives from the very start of the Fashion Royalty line:


Soir De Paris LE 200 $35.00

Paradise Veronique LE 750 $35.00

Girl of the Moment Veronique LE 1000 $72.00
Overachiever Eugenia LE 450 $139.99

Marg Matsui, the owner of My Favourite Doll aka MFD has hosted several Wu conventions and is an established and important dealer.

To my knowledge, with an exclusive, the dealer arranges for the creation of and pays for the item up front. I wonder how much of the design process is shared. I think perhaps only the concept is discussed.


For the sake of Marg Matsui, I hope the dolls sell out quickly. From the comments on the W Club board, the chances of that happening quickly appear slim. But only a very small percentage of the membership actually posts so one doesn't really know what most of the W Club thinks. The rest of the dolls will be available to the collecting public after the lottery winners take theirs.

I didn't want to post large pictures of the following because one can get lost in the details. In every case below the doll fashion is either overly designed or overwhelms the doll itself. In the last case, the draping is exceedingly poor.  Dolls aren't human and can't move on a runway. The clothes have to look good on the doll with zero motion. A real model can prance and walk down a runway in such a way as to make an outrageous fashion look amazing. Dolls can't.




Several years ago I was going crazy because every Tonner Tyler Boutique item coming out had bows and ribbons. Good grief. Now they're ruffle crazy.

12/30/2010

W Club Registration for 2011 is Open

Registration opened for the 2011 W Club yesterday.  A beautifully put together brochure is available.
It is a PDF download. Check it out.

The Fashion Royalty upgrade doll is a tanned Kyori in resort wear. Images in this post are the property of Integrity Toys, Inc.
Rising Sun Kyori $90. Plus Shipping (Plus $50 W Club Membership)

Hopefully, the designers will have the factory improve the fit of the jacket which looks awkward and ill-fitting in the prototype. I like big jewelry but this piece does not lay properly on the doll. The shoes look wonderful! Why no fabulous handbag?


The other optional upgrade doll is a rooted Avantguard with a new sculpt.

Spring Kissed $160. Plus Shipping (Plus $50. W Club Membership)
 
 It was a jaw-dropping moment to see this doll's face. Was she a giant Poppy or a super tall Dynamite Girl? Are the Avantguards to join the enormous ranks of cutesy teenage dolls?
Avantguard Compared to DG Neve
The rooted hair was a surprise. The fashion is very attractive; I want it for other dolls.  It seems out of character in this sophisticated line. I wonder what the top and shorts look like without the jacket on. Following in the wake of Bijou, this doll pales (literally) by comparison.
Collectors have been asking for a new AG sculpt. Is this what they had in mind?


I won't be buying the Kyori but I'm undecided about the AG only for the fashion. It's a good thing that I have until January 21, 2011 to make up my mind.

On a different topic that's sort of related, those of us who joined the 2010 Gene W Club for a year got only 6 months. We definitely should be compensated in some manner.

4/28/2010

Good News!

Integrity Toys has come forth with a statement concerning the defective Regal Estate Agnes dolls. If you have a doll that has been affected by the mold issue you must immediately contact PatientCare at patientcare@integritytoys.com. Do not wait. There is a voluntary replacement policy that will expire in May. Alternately, if you have taken care of the mold on your own and can document it, you may be eligible for a $25 gift certificate.

The other good news is that I will be getting the new Vanessa. That will make a total of 22 Vanessas that have been created since the beginning of time. ;-)

Having one of each is an obsession with me.
This is Flame Blue Vanessa a W Club exclusive doll with an ultra limited edition of 300. She is part of the "re-edition" line of dolls that celebrates the best of prior dolls in new editions with similar styles.
Her name is taken from that of "Flame Rouge" Veronique whose gown also consists of a bustier with mermaid skirt plus large train.
I had Flame Rouge for a time and sold her because the dress was just too big. Jason used a similar formula for Lush Life's gown.

I love the new Vanessa's hairdo. It's the type that stays in place forever. No frizzies or uneven ends. Yay!

The doll was by lottery and I'm guessing that pretty much everyone entered. I didn't read a single negative statement about her.

Here's hoping she arrives mold-free and swiftly.


The images in this post are the property of Integrity Toys.

11/14/2009

Gene Marshall & Wu Conventions 2010 - Save the Dates!

There will be a big going away bash for Gene Marshall to be held by Integrity Toys. This event being called the Gene Stardust Convention and will take place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from June 3-5, 2010. I am sure this will be the party of the year as devotees of the line flock to the scene to bid farewell and to get the last of the line's dolls. Internationals and others who will not be able to attend Stardust are clamoring for the ability to purchase the convention line. Will they be heard and accomodated?

The announcement of the impending end of the road for Gene has boosted interest in sales and other aspects of the line. In particular, the recently announced "It's A Cinch" which was received with much criticism one week before Mel's announcement, is now sold out at most dealers. The discussion board ICOG run by Dennis Bastien has booked it's sponsors for 2010 and will be up and running for the entire year. Members of the W Gene Club have been wondering what will become of that group. Wait a minute, I'm a member of that club, too. What will happen? Will we have a 1/2 year club with one club exclusive? If they do that, everyone in the world will join the club with multiple memberships. This will be an interesting development to watch.

The date and location of the Fashion Royalty Convention (which can now be called the Wu Fashion Royalty, NuFace, Hollywood Royalty, Poppy Parker & ITBE Convention) has been announced nice and early this year.
The event will be back at the Pittsburgh International Airport Hyatt from October 28-30, 2010. I'm guessing that Halloween will play a big role at this event. That should be lots of fun! There's been some disgruntled chatter about the change of location back to Pittsburgh but most people are happy with the location.

During the last two weeks there were so many announcements about "special purchase opportunities" that I could barely keep track of them. I had to make a list of what is on it's way, approaching lotteries and other opportunities in order to get the whole picture and to decide what I would go for. Right now I'm in non-spending mode. Haha, famous last words.... but I'm looking at IDEX and two conventions in 2010. I can hardly believe that I am not entering the lottery for the Colette Monogram doll. I really wanted her. I wish I wouldn't have purchased the Monogram doll from Jeffrey's. Her hair is unmanageable, the dress lost beads, one shoe strap broke and the body joints are so loose that I can't pose her standing upright. Ugh. I have been promised a replacement.

7/31/2009

Announcing the 2nd 2009 Gene Club Exclusive

Integrity Toys announced the second Gene W Club exclusive doll this week. She is a Zita Charles character and her name is "City Sleeker." This doll is dressed in a fabulous evening suit of burgundy satin with finely tailored details such as fabric covered buttons, a fitted ruched waist and stand-away collar.
The retail price is $125. plus s&h. Members of the club must order by August 5, 2009. The doll will be available late in the year.
Images in this post are the property of Integrity Toys