Ayumi's New Look and Adele's Incarnations

Ayumi Nakamura is a character who was introduced to the NuFace (originally called Model Behavior) collection in 2007. That doll was called Miracle Child. If I remember correctly, the Model Behavior dolls were quite popular. Ayumi wasn't as popular as Erin, Colette and Giselle.

The next Ayumi incarnations were London by Night in 2008 and Sunset Rave in 2011. By that time, the Model Behavior line was called NuFace and many new characters had been added. Ayumi seemed to have faded away along with Nadja and Colette.

Surprisingly, Ayumi popped up in the FR2 line as Luminous in 2011 (below, left)  and Opium in 2012. Luminous was not a popular doll and although her dress was quite pretty, her face was not.  I'm not sure what sculpt Opium uses. She has grown on me and in a close-up is very beautiful. Of all the aforementioned Ayumis, she has remained in my collection. She was a change from the first Ayumi sculpt. At that time, the IT designers were mixing up the sculpts like crazy. I don't have a clue as to whether or not Opium's sculpt is a mix from other dolls or a new sculpt entirely. 

The third sculpt is totally new. She looks beautiful. The screening is lovely. Her youthful and glamorous hairstyle and the sequined qi pao made her a keeper in my collection!

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"Le Smoking" Adele received rave reviews by collectors. She's been compared to The Muse Adele, (2008), widely held to be the most beautiful Adele ever produced. For this version of Adele, they went back to the Adele 2.0 sculpt. Hopefully, they will keep it there as 3.0 is dour. 

Via Venetto Adele (2004) from the amazing Voyages Collection was my first ever Fashion Royalty doll. I have a fondness for that sculpt but I do like 2.0 more. In the photo below, she is not wearing her original fashion. 

Graphic Language Adele (Graphic Flirtation, 2004) used a new sculpt. This doll is still very popular albeit not on her original body. 

The Muse (2008) It doesn't get better.

In 2011, Adele 3.0 was introduced at a convention as part of a two doll gift set called Style Counsel along with Veronique. What a hot mess these two turned out to be. Veronique needed a different hairstyle and Adele needed her old face back. 

In 2013, Adele was released as an ITBE doll. She appears to be using the 2.0 sculpt. This image is by Julia Leroy who restyled the hair and designed the jewelry.

I call this 2014 FR2 version What Were They Thinking? It is really named Vivid Encounter.

A Doll Rarely Played With

I'm usually so occupied with hunting and gathering dolls that I have many that are rarely played with. Colette is one of them. When the formerly-known-as Model Behavior dolls came out I was all over them. They have such perfect little bodies and they're so pretty. Their category name has been changed to Nu.Face Dolls with this incarnation. This is Colette Duranger, "Lost Angel," from the last group of these dolls. I actually adore her outfit, her hair and her lavender eyes.

When she arrived, I took her picture and stuck her in one of the showcases. And there she has been until yesterday.

A marvelously talented collector named Marguerite whose board name is MarC, made these pants. I just can't believe how perfectly they fit and how beautiful they look. Colette needed an immediate photo shoot.

The background is from a roll of textured wallpaper I found in a bin at Loew's. It has a great stucco texture and when I use armature wire to support dolls it provides a non-slip surface. The black grid is a frame which I can also use in front of posters to make it appear to be a large window. The chair is a jewelry box that a Canadian collector picked up for me. The table is a candle support with a mirror placed on top to give it a flat surface. The candlesticks are Fashion Royalty decor items. And the little poodles are little Rudy replicas. They appear in many of my photos.

If I get another pair of MarC's slacks perhaps Erin S., "Clash Control" will get to be redressed.

If They Make It, Will We Buy It?

The entire lot of them including Ayumi, came with either an ill fitting jacket or coat. Erin came with a ridiculous hat as well. Even the individually sold fashion had it's pleather problem. One could not lower the doll's arms due to the bulk of the fabric. Don't they try these things out before having them manufactured or does someone say, "Make it; they'll buy it?" The dropping re-sale prices are proof that has stopped working.

My fitting solution with the "Smoke Signals" Gear Up fashion was to open the seams under the arms and have the doll pray for better fitting clothing in the future.
TG