Showing posts with label Integrity Toys. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Integrity Toys. Show all posts

12/10/2022

The Final Dolls From Integrity Toys X Magia 2000

Celebrating 23 years in the doll world, Magia 2000, the artistic duo formed by fashion designer, Mario Paglino and graphic art director, Gianni Grossi, playfully began in 1999. After a few months, playing became collecting, which was soon followed by artistic passion. Their elegant, rich, fully detailed style, which takes a lot of inspiration from Italian couture, has been their distinguishing mark from the start.


Through the years, they attended almost 100 doll conventions around the world, traveling everywhere from Japan, the US, and all over Europe, promoting their brand and passion for doll customization, while generously donating several of their unique creations, which helped raise over $200,000.00 for various charities!


Magia 2000 was the first international design team to attend an Integrity Toys convention back in 2004 and won Judge’s and People’s choice awards at several design competitions afterward. In 2018, they were the first and only to host a Poppy Parker event outside of the US, welcoming designer David Buttry for the unveiling of the exclusive “Ciao!” Poppy Parker convention exclusive doll. Today, Mario and Gianni collaborate with various celebrities and brands and have been featured in multiple media outlets.


About The Final Dolls In This Series



“For the final two dolls of our capsule collection, we wanted to continue with the concept of “day-to-night” fun!
We know how much IT collectors love to play with their dolls, undress them and switch accessories and clothing pieces, therefore, we opted to embrace this facet of collecting as much as possible. We were given the chance to design for two NU. Face characters and we couldn’t be more excited at the opportunity to challenge ourselves by creating extravagant looks for this highly prized, modern, and younger doll collection.

We also jumped at the chance to have Colette and Karolin appear in never-used-before skin tones/hair color combos and incorporate details inspired by the last two cities of the Italian tour, Milan and Rome!"

-Mario & Gianni, Magia 2000









For me, Colette "Runway in Milan" fills the requirements of being different and attractive enough to add to my collection. The two fashions she's shown wearing are very stylish and edgy. I would have liked to see different makeup, but it's supposed to be runway so it makes sense. 

Look at these very early versions of Colette. I like 1.0 better.




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At first glance, Karolin, "Grand Gala in Rome," looks dramatic and appealing. Then I looked at a close-up of her face. She's not for me. Her hair is beautifully styled. The gown has a WOW factor. The mini skirt and high boots are adorable but I'm not a fan of the sculpt. 
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Dolls are available by lottery first. A portion has been set aside for the public. 









10/12/2022

Integrity Toys X Magia 2000 Collaboration: "Summer in Taormina" Vanessa Perrin

 Integrity Toys has unveiled the second of four dolls in their collaboration with Mario Paglino and Gianni Grossi. The members of the W Club may enter a "right-to-buy" lottery for "Vanessa in 'Summer in Taormina."

Second in a series of dolls created especially for Integrity Toys, each figure and doll in this series will take fans on an ultra-creative tour of some of Italy's most iconic venues and festivals, as seen through the eyes of fabulous design duo Magia 2000!


Perched on a cliff overlooking the Ionian Sea on the East Coast of Sicily, with a rich history that pre-dates the arrival of the ancient Greeks, Taormina is well known as a welcoming haven for artists and is one of the top tourist destinations of Italy, attracting visitors from all over the world! Magia 2000’s exciting, fashionable journey through Italy continues as famed Fashion Royalty® top model Vanessa Perrin® visits the gorgeous seaside town, dressed in a glamorous ultra-detailed gown that is filled with symbolism, ready to make a most anticipated appearance at one of the many festivals that happen in town throughout the summer! 








  • 12.5-inch articulated doll with intricately styled, fully rooted hair;
  • Custom printed cocktail gown with extravagant detachable train and ruffle detail at the shoulders;
  • Black velvet bow belt with jeweled heart charm;
  • Black satin bra and panties with lace trim details;
  • Fitted, sheer black petticoat with ruffle detail at the hem;
  • Elaborate "sacred heart" tiara with black lace ruffle accent;
  • Matching "sacred heart" earrings;
  • Red "ruby" ring;
  • "Gold" chain bracelet with tiny lemon charms;
  • Elaborate oversized sunglasses with sculpted heart and flower accents;
  • Pair of black pleather strappy high-heels;
  • Pair of custom-printed platform sandals;
  • Custom embroidered purse;
  • Pair of manicured hands;
  • Alternate pair of "grip" hands;
  • Doll stand;
  • Certificate of authenticity.



  • This is my favorite look. 


    Love those sunglasses!

    A small percentage of the total number of dolls will be offered to the public after the lottery period ends. 

      

    'Beauty marks' were once very popular. Do you know the history?

    The origin of faux-beauty marks lies in the Renaissance, where pale white ladies covered any sort of blemish with a little dark dot. Before this, any blemish on the face was considered the sign of possession by the devil. Women would have to find ways to cover the marks they were born with. However, once the wealthy women in the Renaissance started a trend, the world would follow suit.


    By the 18th century, the beauty mark was a staple to the court of King Louis the XIV. Women and men would cover any blemish with dark makeup to both cover and add more character to their faces. As the trend continued, more elaborate felted marks, sometimes shaped like hearts, stars, or even carriages, became in vogue as a way for the aristocrats to cover blemishes on the face, especially syphilis spots (syphilis was quite common during this time).


    After the French Revolution, most fashion trends were seen as excessive and undesirable. Fashion completely changed by the arrival of the 19th century. Gowns were crisp white muslin with simple Empire waist lines, while faces were expected to be clear and deathly pale. After the Reign of Terror, the death look became very popular. Women would even go so far as to drop mercury in their eyes to get dilated pupils. Because of the shifting trends, the beauty mark was out, and wouldn’t be seen again for years to come.

     

    A minor resurgence in the trend happened during the Edwardian era. Fashion had yet again become as ostentatious and loud as it was during the time of Marie Antoinette. Big hairstyles and even bigger “picture” hats drew the attention to the face. Of course, no woman wanted a blemish on her face, so they looked to the past to find a way to disguise the unwanted guest. These women must have found the patches common in the court of Versailles appealing.

     

    Again, the simple circle wasn’t enough for these modern matrons. Designs of all kinds were seen on the faces of the fashion elite. Like the French satirists before them, modern comics were quick to make fun of the exaggerated shapes of the beauty patches. Similar to the Reign of Terror, the stock market crash halted the trend from continuing, although it seems like the beauty mark had become less and less popular throughout the 1920s.

     

    Marilyn Monroe has made sure the beauty mark would not go away, thanks to the many copycats who want to obtain the starlets “look”. It is not known weather it was a real mark, darkened to enhance and make her face more recognizable, or just drawn on. Still, people associate the above-the- lip mark with Marilyn so much, a piercing above the lip is known as the “Monroe”.


    Marilyn, of course, had plenty of copycats in her day and even after her death. Whenever Madonna really wanted to play the blonde bombshell in the press or in her videos, she would draw on the beauty mark. Super Model Cindy Crawford’s beauty mark was real, and just a little south of where Marilyn’s was. Instead of being ashamed, Cindy embraced the mark and it became her most defining feature.

    Today, people everywhere use the beauty mark to cover up blemishes, sure, but really, to pay homage to the stars they look up to, whether Marilyn, Madonna, or Marie Antoinette.  The beauty mark has really found its place in pop culture and will remain a favorite makeup trick/trend for years to come. 

    Source https://fashionsflashback.com/2017/06/05/the-brazen-beauty-mark/ 

    9/11/2022

    Coralynn "Cora" Kwan - The East 59th Collection

    I must say that the packaging of Coralynn is as glamorous as the doll herself. The brown shipper box opens at the side and the lid lifts up. Inside you'll see a white paper-wrapped doll box. The doll box itself is beautiful. It's shiny white with a colorful striped circle and a gold foil magnetic seal spanning the box opening.







    And then you open the box to see a lovely displayed, fully dressed Coralynn.  Whoever said that presentation is a very small part of a doll, doesn't know what they're talking about. 
     


    The accessory box lifts right out so there's no tearing/destroying of any cardboard. Inside you'll find several pieces of blingy jewelry, a tiny perfume atomizer, shoes and extra hands.




    Coralynn was waiting for me when I got home from the UK with three Kingdom Dolls and several outfits and a load of other goodies. I am not de-boxing her at this time but I plan to. Here is one of IT's photos which shows what I will find when I take her out of the box.


    Why does IT have such difficulty delivering dolls in a time-appropriate fashion? She was preordered on February 1, 2022. Seven & 1/3 months is an unusually long time to wait for a doll that's not custom-made. Has the business gotten out of hand for them?

    5/27/2022

    "Make 'Em Lit" Rashad Rouissi by Integrity Toys

    "Make 'Em Lit"  Rashad Rouissi by Integrity Toys


    Integrity continues to release fabulous male dolls and today I was able to put a deposit on Rashad. He reminds me of Captain Jack Sparrow or perhaps Johnny Depp is on my mind? 

    "Award-winning sound engineer Rashad Rouissi is all set to hop on a new adventure to help his friend and collaborator, music industry mogul Darius Reid, put Tae Min's hot tracks over the edge!"

    "With his unique ability to "paint" with music and superior engineering skills, this guy is the one and only magician every recording artist needs on their team!"







    Rashad is part of the new Homme collection and is only available via lottery directly from IT.

    This is what buyers will receive. 

    • 12.5-inch articulated fashion figure with shoulder-length, fully rooted hair;
    • Multi-toned denim pants with contrasting topstitching;
    • Neon yellow long-sleeved hoodie;
    • Utility vest;
    • Three earrings;
    • Three rings;
    • Square sunglasses;
    • Watch;
    • Sling bag;
    • High-top sneakers;
    • Two pairs of hands;
    • Doll stand;
    • Certificate of authenticity.

    7/27/2020

    Keeki Adaeze, A New Doll from Integrity's New Meteor Line

    The new line of dolls from Integrity Toys looks to be quite unique. The one doll that I was very attracted to was "Afterglow" Keeki Adaeze. Her spectacular coat did it for me. I did not order her when the W Club offered her to members but after I saw her IRL, I was lucky to find a member sell her to me for retail. She is here now and I'm mostly pleased.

    She was not easy to photograph only because her boots are just soles with woven everything else. Her feet keep slipping off the soles. I need to come up with a solution - or not - but it's not a supportive type of foot covering. It should have been a slip-on shoe with the stocking attached. There had to be a better way that was not considered.
    Her hair came with a product on it that I'll eventually wash out and I could have done with much less glitter on her eyelids.
    She's wearing a flimsy mini dress that appears to be over a shirt but it's all one piece. Her neckpiece is a 2 piece magnetic rhinestone covered creation that is my favorite part of the fashion after the coat. The earrings dangle below her shoulders and her sparkly ring is lovely.

    The new box is very attractive.

    The Meteor body has been reworked thus:

    "We know that for many customers, compatibility between brands is extremely important. After careful consideration, Meteor ladies feature a newly assembled doll body composed of the following components:
    East 59th upper torso
    Slightly re-engineered Color Infusion lower torso
    Fashion Royalty/NU. Face arms and hands
    Newly developed legs compatible with Fashion Royalty and NU. Face shoes."

    Quite honestly, I wouldn't know the difference between Color Infusion torsos and East 59th torsos if they were to fall on me.

    Here are some of her promotional photos.



    The following are mine:





    ⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬⧬





    9/26/2019

    The 3rd W Club Doll of 2019 - My Brutal Opinion

    There is not a thing I like about these two dolls except Nadja's face.
    The first turn-off was the metal barrettes and earrings which dominate their appearance in the first photo. I also think there's something off about Erin's face. Her eyes are squinty and her mouth is strange. Her eyebrows come down too far towards her nose. Her features do not work well together, IMO.
    Nadja has a beautiful face but it needs to be a matte finish and allowed to be the main feature, not overwhelmed by big hair, metallic ornaments and pink/black leopard print. She's overdone and it takes away from her face.



    Take a look at these outfits. I want to know what street corner these two are working.
    What's with the plastic coat over a slip? Don't tell me the slip is a dress. That's lingerie.

    She has lost her dress.
    Adding a plastic coat for modesty's sake.


    Staying warm with hot pants.

    You take that corner; I'll take this one.

    The designer is Jesse Ayala.
    Erin Salston "Your Motivation" and Nadja Rhymes "Like No Other" are available separately at $145 each plus S&H.
    This is a W Club Member Exclusive pre-order. Edition size depends upon how many are ordered.
    Shipping expected Winter 2019-2020.
    One of each doll per membership.


    7/06/2019

    Summer Project Part VII - The End

    This project wraps up with 3 gorgeous dolls.

    July 6, 2019

    Adele "Frosted Glamour" 2017
    Dressed in her original fashion. 



    It was difficult for me to get a really good photo of her outside so here is an indoor one that shows the shadows and highlights the way they should be.




    Agnes Von Weiss "Devotion" W Club Exclusive 2018
    Wearing original fashion.

    I'm not a fan of the Agnes sculpt. I've had many and always wound up selling them and I wasn't sure if I'd keep this doll when she arrived. Well, she is staying! The jewelry and the henna are beautiful. The black dress doesn't do anything for me but it makes a decent backdrop for the rest. 







    Isha "Divinity" 2018
    Wearing original fashion.






    The line of dolls called "Sacred Lotus Collection" by Integrity Toys is inspired and beautiful. I'm still expecting the Elise "Divinely Luminous,"  which is a W Club exclusive.




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    That does it for my 12" Integrity Toys collection. I have managed to halve it in the last three years. The process of photographing each doll this season has pointed out to me that I can still eliminate a few here and there but there are still many that I just love. They bring me joy. 

    7/01/2019

    Summer Project Continued Part V

    July 1, 2019

    Vanessa "True Royalty" 2006.  Rerooted
    Wearing Antonio Realli dress. I don't recall the origin of her hat.

    I've always thought True Royalty was one of the least attractive of all the 1.0 Vanessa dolls. There is something weird about her face - it's as if it is pushed in at the upper part of the nose.
    But her clothing was beautiful and so different that she was irresistible.
    There was a big controversy before her actual release. First of all, one had to buy a Magma Heritage calendar. It was filled with beautiful FR photography. If you bought a calendar, you became eligible to be in a lottery to be able to purchase her. There were a few pissed off collectors. Then she was listed at one price and shortly after, Integrity tried to raise the price. Collectors rebelled and IT backed down. Magma Heritage, who owned the exclusive, stopped being an IT dealer after that.
    I had a lot of fun photographing her in her original form. Some of those photos are located in posts on this blog.




    Here is her original presentation.  This was a very large padded box and it was fabulous. It was one of three "Atelier" products ever offered by IT. They did not call it a gift set if I remember correctly.





    Vanessa "Aerodynamic" 2009.  Repainted by Vin Trapani
    Wearing "Illustrious Luxury Wear Costume" Available at Gloss Convention 2014  as an outfit only. I've always thought it was unattractive to show the under-bust joint on a doll wearing a low cut gown. In this photo, I have edited the joint out.





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    June 30, 2019

    Vanessa "High Tide" 2007
    Wearing Elise Jolie "Flawless"




    Vanessa "Sheer Sensuality" 2014
    Wearing a OOAK by unknown (at this stage) artist.


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