2017 W Club Second Doll is Announced

METAMORPHOSIS

The second W Club doll this season is Nu Face Erin. Erin has come a long way from her early looks. I was a big fan.

The modern Erin appears older and more sophisticated. One wouldn't know it was the same character as the sculpt has changed to an open mouth and the nose was narrowed. She looks stunning, below with her dark hair pulled back. Her rich vinyl "Hungarian" tone is perfect for this incarnation.

The gown is lovely but not something we haven't seen over and over again in different colors. The white top and shorts are admittedly edgy but I must admit that I don't get the train thing with the jeans shorts. It looks pretty in the photo; however, if I were to purchase this doll, I'd be looking for something other than shorts or maybe not. Hmmmm.... 

She could run out to the grocery store and sweep the aisles looking edgy as hell.  She could go clubbing and trip everyone on the dance floor—a good way to meet people. What gala event could she attend in this fashion? How about the Met Gala? Maybe if the shorts were sheer...


I want the shoes.

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Here is the promo text from the W Club announcement:

Item # 82088 Metamorphosis Erin Salston™ Dressed Doll Gift Set The Heirloom Collection 2017 W Club Exclusive Pricing: $175.00 US + S & H Doll Tech Specs: Head Sculpt: ERIN 2.0 Body: NU. FACE 2.5 Foot Sculpt: HIGH-HEELED Skin Tone: HUNGARIAN Hair Color: MIDNIGHT BROWN Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied Quickswitch: No Erin Salston makes a noted cameo on the runway of designer Jessy Ayala as she models two fresh looks from the 2017 Heirloom collection! Light and breezy, everyone's favorite heiress looks absolutely stunning in these couture creations, designed just for her. By incorporating one of her most cherished family heirlooms, the Salston butterfly crown (handed down amongst the women of her family since Victorian times), our bad girl completely transformed these picturesque works of art and made them truly her own! With her new, delightful, ultra-feminine looks, Erin emerges from her cocoon and soars high like the most beautiful creations of nature! Erin Salston is a 12.5-inch fully articulated fashion doll with simple, yet ultra-sophisticated fully rooted, long braided hair that can be transformed into many hot looks! This sensational gift set includes an intricately layered custom printed chiffon gown and a second outfit composed of a one-sleeved white satin top that features an extravagant floor-length train, coupled with unexpected, ultra-edgy denim micro-shorts. The set also includes Erin's precious golden butterfly crown, jewelry and two pairs of shoes. For adult collectors ages 15 and up only. This doll cannot stand alone; a doll stand is included. A W Club members-only exclusive. Note: Please note that the doll, clothes and accessories pictured in the photo are prototypes and as always, final production colors and textures may vary slightly. __________________ Update on source of hi-lo fashion. It looks better on the doll than on Kendall Jenner. Comments? As always, anonymous and or unsigned comments may not be posted.

Introducing the Second 2015 W Club Exclusive Doll

Yesterday W Club members received a preview and opportunity to order the second W Club doll.
Her sculpt is that of Vanessa 1.0 which was verified today as yesterday they told us she was 3.0.
Her price is $130 plus s&h. Members can use their $20. coupon only towards the final payment, not the deposit.

She's called "Black-Tie Ball" and the edition number will be equal to the amount of club members ordering her which means it will probably be somewhere over 1,000. There are 1,978 memberships. Not particularly exclusive, but I get it.

Here is the text describing her:

Vanessa Perrin has been invited to be the official Master of Ceremonies of one of Europe's most talked about events and she's absolutely thrilled about it! Ready to be the perfect stage host, Vanessa will surely steal the spotlight from the firmament of stars in attendance!
Vanessa is a 12.5-inch fully articulated vinyl fashion doll with beautiful platinum hair that is gorgeously styled, yet perfect if you wish to create your own looks! Her gown is intricately detailed with elaborate corset detailing and shows just enough leg to drive Vanessa's admirers wild! Complete with shoes, a lovely jewelry set and a doll stand. For adult collectors ages 15 and up.

While I'm a lover of the original Vanessa sculpt, this gal does nothing for me. I do not like her makeup and the dress looks pedestrian and ill-fitting in the bodice and bust area. I do not see "elaborate corset detailing" as they say exists. The horizontal seam looks like it goes right across the fullest part of the bust. Something is off.

These earlier Fashion Royalty items do have elaborate corset detail:

This new dress does not have it.
I detest phony hype from any company. Collectors are not blind. However, many are driven by the collective crowd mentality and the belief that a W Club exclusive is special.

She's pretty and there is nothing special about her which is sad because club members should be offered the best of the best.


I must add that these Integrity Toys photographs are of the prototype and "final production colors and textures may vary slightly."

Announcing the Third 2014 W Club Exclusive Doll

When I saw the name of the character, Mademoiselle Jolie, I was happy for a brief moment. Then I read further to discover that it is not Elise Jolie, whose sculpt I adore, but Isha, whose sculpt I do not care for in this incarnation. Her lips are parted and her teeth are showing.
This is what Isha used to look like before they rehabbed her to look like everyone else. Pretty gorgeous, right?

Note: You can click on any picture to bring up a larger version.

Here is the new Isha. I think the teeth will be easy to cover.

She is called Ombres Poétique and will cost W Club members $150. plus postage.
I like platinum hair but hair bumps are so over. I think the first thing I saw after the teeth was the sweeping eye makeup. The jury is still out on that.

I like the lingerie.

She certainly looks dramatic but the more I look at the gown, the more the black lace trim looks over-scaled. It's not working. I hope the production doll uses a better trim.

We've seen this gown shape several times on FR dolls. Reinterpretations don't bother me. Three of the gowns pictured below are more or less successful designs. I will have to see the new one in person to be sure.

The only other Mme. Jolie that was produced was a OOAK auction doll at the HiFi convention several years ago. This is a picture by Rob Thompson found on his robsdolls.com website. I would have loved that hairstyle and gown! But then it would not be a OOAK for the person who bought it.

Maybe I can dye the gown.... it could be a quinceanera dress.


What do you think of this new Mme. Jolie?

First 2012 FR Club Exclusive Doll

W Club members are offered the opportunity to purchase "High End Envy" Erin for $115. This doll is a very pretty redhead with dark streaks wearing a youthful black mini-dress.

 The ordering period ends on April 30th at 10AM CST.  The doll won't be available until this summer - approximately. You know how it goes with club dolls. The edition size depends upon the pre-order quantity.
 
I am waiting for a truly unique and exclusive club doll that is not lottery bound...something that I have to have, not something I've seen before. 

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The slight tweaking of Erin's sculpt sparked a heated debate over sculpt changes.  The biggest argument was between people feeling that their feelings were being either dismissed or put down. It always starts out about a doll and disintegrates into a he said, she said, you said type of thread. It's the same argument over and over touched off by different incidents.

Some people just can't let others' opinions alone. They have to tell the "opposition" that they are wrong - either for their point of view or for how they are expressing it or for expressing it at all. Then comes the fight about being told how to express ones self. It's just endless.

One statement I find amusing is the belief that those who create the dolls have feelings that will be hurt if you express negativity about the product. Of course the designers have feelings (and egos) but ultimately it's their paychecks that hang in the balance, not their feelings if the dolls are not popular.  If one visits a doll dealer's site that is trying to move dolls by bundling or by selling nudes and outfits separately you get the notion that the products are just not selling and that the dealer will do practically anything to get rid of them. Do you think the designers are going around hurt over this? Personally, I hope it does affect them so that they see what isn't working.

Soon we may be able to buy arms, legs and heads separately.

Monaco Royale Fauxnessa

My W Club dolls arrived yesterday and looked exactly like their promotional photos. I never liked her face or hair but I wanted the outfit so I ordered her.

The gown is very well constructed and the fit is perfect. I did remove it to press the train. The shoes are fiddly and don't stay on well during the course of posing and handling. I tried to get the necklace on using jewelers pliers and I just ran out of patience so I took off her head to make it easier, though it was not necessary.

The 3 bracelets are ordinary and will need the hand removed to go on. Sadly, my doll's hands kept falling out. There is a way to fix that by putting a small piece of plumbers white tape on the threads of the hand prong. That is much better than gluing them on.

After working with this doll, I decided not to keep the outfit. The train just doesn't work for me. I would have loved a gown made totally from the beaded fabric. A long slim gown with a slit up the back or an inverted pleat using the charmeuse as an insert. I think the wrapped fabric's placement is awkward. It's lovely fabric and I'd like to see it used elsewhere.

Every Monaco Royale head I've seen has a different-looking hairstyle. The two dolls I got were different from each other. I sincerely hope they NEVER use this hairstyle ever again. Anyone with such a high hairline would absolutely wear some type of bang or have their hair covering part of the forehead.

When I redressed her a different doll emerged.

 

Black is definitely her color. She is wearing the blouse and pants from the Bergdorf Goodman Fashion Night Out doll. They fit wonderfully well. Actually, I like the fit of the blouse on her full-busted body better than on the FR2 doll's body. I love the double collar and keeping the top hook open allows the collar to be turned up to frame her face nicely. It's a great outfit without the puffy sweatshirt.

Couture Sleuthing

I searched couture images everywhere this afternoon looking for a style that could have been the inspiration for Anja's gown. There are plenty of hem lines that are shorter in the front. The photo below shows last season's Avantguard "Hot to Trot" in profile compared to "Regal Solstice."

Hot to Trot and Regal Solstice

 

Another collector sent me this image of a Balenciaga design which certainly inspired "Hot to Trot."

The Dior below has many design similarities and may be the closest couture item that could be identified as inspiration for Regal.

I could not find the shape of the bodice which resembles opened petals that stand away from the body. I'm starting to think that the factory may not have interpreted the look properly. I believe the images we were presented with are prototypes.
The Valentino dresses below show a wrapped style that could be related to Anja's gown as far as the gathered, ruffly upper part. But these dresses have a closer fitted bodice that is very flattering to the female body and works with the rest of the fashion. Hopefully, there will be an adjustment in the bodice on the finished product for Anja.

If I could sew really well, I'd fit the bodice to the body more closely. Then I would add many more layers of tulle under the chartreuse as can be seen in the black/yellow Dior above. I'd get rid of the black straps that look like a bra and pick up one of the brighter colors.

I give the designer/s an A for effort. Now if only the factory could interpret the designers' wishes to provide us with an edgy as opposed to messy fashion.

Some Armani and Dior eye candy for your enjoyment follows: