W Club 2015 Exclusive "J'Adore La Fete"

The final W Club 2015 doll has been announced and fortunately or unfortunately I have to order one.
It's an Elise Jolie gift set in a trunk, reminiscent of Fashion Royalty Kyori Ginza who also came in a trunk like this. I still have Kyori's trunk stuffed with story cards and COAs. 

The edition size will be enormous, I'm sure, as it's based upon how many the members order and there are a lot of members. Unfortunately it won't be ready until late spring or early summer of next year.
The price is $175. which isn't bad for a doll with three outfits: a gown, a suit and lingerie.

The gown looks black but it's dark wine with black trim. I love the suit.
I hope the quality exceeds our expectations.

 (I'm spelling her name with an 'i' no matter how many times it's changed.)

A Special Opportunity to (possibly, if you're lucky,) Spend Money

This is an opportunity for members of the W Club to enter a lottery to buy a (really adorable) gift set featuring Poppy Parker in airline attire. Airline stewardesses have been a very popular theme for dolls for a long time and Buttry has created a super collectible duo of fashions for his Poppy.

IT Airways
Poppy Parker™ Dressed Doll Gift Set

The Model Scene Collection

LE 800  Price: $150 

The contents of the set are one doll, two outfits, boots, shoes, earrings, wings pin, hat box.

 Who remembers the Monsieur Z dolls of 2005? I thought about them the minute I saw the gift set. I still have Fly Girl's serving tray with the carafe and cups.

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Wanna see lots of airline clad dolls and humans? Here's a link to loads of Pinterest posts all in one place. Try it; you'll like it.

https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=AIRLINES%20STEWARDESS%20dolls&term_meta[]=AIRLINES|typed&term_meta[]=STEWARDESS|typed&term_meta[]=dolls|typed

This link will take you to stewardesses from Braniff Airlines. See if you can find the inspiration for Buttry's designs.

https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=Braniff%20AIRLINE%20STEWARDESS&term_meta[]=Braniff|typed&term_meta[]=AIRLINE|typed&term_meta[]=STEWARDESS|typed

In-between a Rock and a Hard Place

"The polka dots are completely mismatched around top, middle and bottom of the dress. The dots are misaligned, droop far too low on the left side and it's only accentuated by the black trim."

Browsing a doll forum today I came across the above comment by a very disappointed collector who had received doll dress in a giftset for which he paid $225.
He rightly believes that the dress should have been "impeccably" made for that price. I get the feeling he hasn't been around that long because of this expectation but he is, nevertheless, correct.

The dress in question is seen above.

Royal Treatment Véronique Perrin™ Dressed Doll Gift Set The Fashion Royalty® Collection 2015 Online Event Exclusive Limited Edition Size: TBA (Edition Size Based on Orders Received) Estimated Ship Date: Approximately Fall 2015

The set came with this dress as well:

Apparently the belt was made too small because many collectors are having difficulty fitting it onto the doll.


All of it:

 Wouldn't it be better to have one high quality item rather than two poor quality items?

Blogger "Desperately Seeking Dolls" states:

"I believe IT missed an opportunity here.  It wouldn't have been a major cost to include another pair of shoes, some hose, better jewelry (including a pin for the coat), and a hat.  That would've tipped the scale.  I believe the Royal Treatment is a lovely doll, but they overcharged for a gift set that wasn't executed well.  It's left a bad taste in the mouths of their loyal collectors."

But that's not the point of this post.

My question is what is a proper return policy? If the manufacturer cannot provide a properly made item, should you get your money back? Can they tell you that all the polka dot dresses are made that way and there are no replacements and no refunds? Should they give you a token credit to use towards a future product?

This was a direct-from-Integrity-Toys-item-not available-through-dealers,  although some dealers have some for sale. The issue a collector could face if this were a dealer product would be that the dealer could get annoyed. We don't want to mess with our dealers, do we? Ahem.

So are we between a rock and a hard place or is there another way to demand appropriate quality for money spent?

First 2015 W Club Exclusive Multi-Headed Poppy

The first 2015 W Club exclusive doll has been announced. She is called "Mood Changers" and is a Popppy Parker Gift Set.

Many of you know that I do not collect Poppy dolls. I do, however, try to be neutral in my approach to reviewing them.  My first impression was that this was a very cool set for Poppy collectors. The three looks are very different from each other with no connection or theme. My second and third look changed my opinion.
The pink and silver is a Barbie-disco look. I would dress Barbie in it for sure. The 70's pantsuit is not something I'd put on a doll. It's too much of a costume—all kitsch and no class. The dress and bolero jacket are more classic and sophisticated.

This set comes with three interchangeable heads and three outfits. For $160. plus shipping, that's not  bad. Is it? Not if you love her. I don't know if the extra heads can be put onto other bodies but that would be really cool.

Here's the description from the ad:

"Poppy's first look is an elegant party dress in black satin with silver and black organza overlay. Glittering jewelry, a matching bolero jacket and black hose and shoes complete this "Jazzy" ensemble. Her hair is in a side swept low bun in a lovely shade of auburn and her makeup is in smoky shades of gray."

"The second look is a delicate lace pantsuit in a vision of sea foam. Satin trim details finish off this lovely look on Poppy. Her side parted raven wavy hair accentuates her stunning makeup in complementary shades of sea foam."

"The last look is a stunning pale pink mini dress with silver sequin trim. It's out there and it's fun! Completing the look is a smashing hairstyle in a subtle shade of lilac and pink makeup making for over the top goodness!"

 The accessories are minimal:

 They could have thrown in another pair of shoes and an evening bag for the black ensemble—a scarf for the pantsuit (instead of the stand collar) or a little hat or maybe disco booties. But that's the way things are now.

I'm pretty much done with companies that take deposits and don't produce a doll for months. I want to see the finished product before I lay down the funds. Read the following:

"Each gift set is made especially for you and the number of gift sets manufactured is based directly on the number of pre-orders we receive. So, for that reason, there are no cancellations and pre-order deposits cannot be refunded.
Please note that by pre-ordering this exclusive W Club item, you are agreeing to abide by these conditions."

So, give them your money and no matter what, you are paying. It's rare that IT dolls vary greatly from the promos. There are often slight variations but my preference is to pay for a doll and get her soon after.

There are so many members of the W Club at this point that no doll is truly exclusive anymore. IMO an edition of 50 or more is not exclusive. 
 

What do you think?

Integrity Toys' "Mommie Dearest" Gift Set Debuts

Well, I wasn't going to do a review of this item for a variety of reasons but reading the interesting comments on the doll boards and reproducing them here was just irresistible. Heads may roll.

"Mommie Dearest" Gift Set is being produced in a surprisingly large edition of 800.  The price is $150.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Mommie Dearest is a memoir and exposé written by Christina Crawford, the adopted daughter of actress Joan Crawford. The book, which depicts Christina's childhood and her relationship with her mother, was published in 1978.
In the book, Christina Crawford claims that she was a victim of child abuse during her mother's battle with alcoholism and that her mother was more concerned about her motion picture career than the well-being of her four children, suggesting she may have adopted them for publicity purposes. She also suggests that Joan had a long list of affairs with men whom Christina was required to call "Uncle" and rarely "Daddy", and claims Joan also had many affairs with women.
Christina recounts several evenings where Joan's behavior was unbalanced, and at least one encounter with her mother where Crawford attempted to strangle her. In another, Joan reportedly discovered Christina's clothes hanging in a closet on wire hangers, instead of higher-quality padded hangers, and launched into a violent tirade on the subject.

In  Mommie Dearest, Faye Dunaway plays a chilling role as Joan Crawford. I can barely watch the hanger scene without cringing. It's terrifying.  The outfits are the outfits that are reproduced in the gift set. 

The woman portrayed in the movie was a raging, obsessive-compulsive, alcoholic, abusive, egocentric person. The doll is a sweet, pleasant faced thing. 

With this doll, IT introduces their "Quick Switch" system:

...a new, ultra-convenient neck post that will allow collectors to switch between head sculpts without the need to pre-heat the vinyl first! Simply pull, switch and click on a new head for a dramatic new look!

 They note, however: 

The QUICK SWITCH system will work best at room temperature or slightly higher. If you live in a colder climate, please wait until your doll has reached room temperature or slightly higher before attempting to switch heads.

How do you make something higher than room temperature without heating it?

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Here are a bunch of positive and negative comments made by collectors. The negative outweighs the positive by far but some of the remarks are hilarious. (I highlighted my favorites in purple.) 

-the doll doesn't really look like Joan Crawford, either with blond hair or darker hair. She doesn't look like Faye Dunaway playing her either.

-the doll just doesn't seem right, its a bit off and I cant put my finger on it, perhaps its the face

-the extra head and the hanger is a riot.

-Not one single thing about her thrilled me - can't believe I'm saying it - but I'm going to pass as well. I didn't like her clothes, her shoes, her hair, the additional crazy head...nothing.

-I will pass on her too. Not buying any old movie thingies any more. I don't relate at all and worse, don't want to.  

-love the new neck system

-wish it came with the can of Ajax and a Brillo pad

-I have no interest in the extra head, (the whole "Mommie Dearest" thing does nothing for me)

-LOVE Joan Crawford! Both the real actress and the character Faye Dunaway played.

-the whited faced face is actually the prettiest of the two

-Recently we got footspeak, we now have Headspeak!

-I guess as great as this series is I also want to recognize the characters. I want to see Joan with her iconic lips, why are they not there?

-I  like the headless swap idea

-I am amused by the two heads, and actually prefer the head with the beauty mask, but still not buying her. I was surprised at the edition size of 800 dolls.

-if only her second face wasn't this white.  

-I think I like her...but then the dolls don't capture the drama of the character.

-Interesting doll, but not my taste. Don't think she looks anything like Joan or Faye.  

-it was Bon Ami powder...I will only clean my bathroom with it!! 

-I will have to be with the "this doll is not for me at this time" camp. I was so excited about Sunset Boulevard and was completely let down. Although I can't wait to get my hands on the new "neck knob" mechanism in a body, the BOD/Victoire body is my least favorite and I have enough black suits already. The one thing about IT is that something else is "right around the corner".  

-I am THRILLED with this set!  It's a dream come true!  I'm hoping the production doll doesn't disappoint me like the Sunset Blvd doll did... I ordered 2 sets so I can fully display both outfits and heads...

-I LOVE this doll! I love the movie Mommy Dearest -- unfortunately, I was raised by a woman just like this character. 

-All I really want are the nude doll and yes, the white face head! Maybe she's recreating an Al Jolson movie -- Mammy Dearest?  

-I'm waiting for a 'Mrs. Bates' gift set (dead and alive heads, a butcher knife, a little blood stained shower curtain and a gray wig) with a skinny Homme as 'NORMANNNN'...

-Love the Quick Switch head - yabadabadoo!!

-this doll should have been older OR in a scene from a younger years.

-I like the idea of interchangeable heads, though I have to say, the promo pic with the two of them looks creepy.LOL
-Went to You tube and watched some clips from the film... Gosh! It's awful, these wire hangers... Sorry, but this doll is a definite pass for me. 

-NO MORE HEATING PADS!!!

-... So long as the new neck fits the previous/current heads. Plus I'd like to know what's up inside the new heads that can clip on. Will there be a new obstruction that will make rerooting a problem?
As to the doll. I love this head sculpt, but there are better choices this year for her. Plus I'm not into black outfits anymore. I have too many already, and I no longer display them. They look like shadows in my doll collection.
I'd prefer that IT committed to the Joan Crawford makeup on this face.
I'll be passing on her too.   

- While I enjoy the movie as a camp classic, I don't have any interest in this doll not even for the head swap feature (Yes I'm going against the grain). I don't rebody my dolls unless it's a necessity...

-I´m a big fan of Faye, and believe me this doll is neither Joan nor Faye. If she would be I would buy her twice!
-She is pretty and I have to thank Integrity to realize a doll with character and a story which is not the typically "Doris Day" -Mr clean Image!
-I´m a big fan of Faye, and belive me this doll is neither Joan nor Faye. If she would be I would buy her twice!
She is pretty and I have to thank integrity to realize a doll with character and a story which is not the typically "Doris Day" - Mr. Clean Image! I think some dolls are, like eating to much sugary cake. Too much of Barbie-ish smile can cause sickness...I think this Joan doll will be like half bitter chocolate! 

-What will we see next? I'm hoping for "boobswap." I can't keep track of all the bodies and I'd love an adjustable bust so ALL fashions fit. Something inflatable/deflatable. Come to think about it, I'd like that for me, too! 

- Great to have on display as a conversation piece, but that's not really what my doll collecting is about. 

-It might be a little funny but it is uber-tacky in my opinion.

-I think it is inappropriate and done in poor taste.

-She doesn't look anything like Crawford; more like Vera Miles... Tonner's Joan was spot on.

-Sorry to be negative, but she looks just like any other Integrity doll.

-So campy! I don't think it is meant to be taken seriously, it's fabulous!    

-The movie was bad enough...the doll is even worse. The fact that they chose...where she beats the heck out of Christina is just plain wrong. 

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The 'hardcore" Integrity Toy's fans usually praise every product that is introduced.  They went beserk over the Jem doll and now pretty much every single other doll in that line is languishing in the dealers' stock.  Who is going to buy 800 of these unusual gift sets now that it appears that the reception is rather cool?  If you are among the fans of this gift set and wish to order one, click here here for the list of IT dealers who may be selling it.

 

Funny Face "Let's Kiss and Make Up Gift Set"

I was very happy to be able to purchase this gift set which features the second version of the Vanessa sculpt on a Poppy Parker body. The doll is the prettiest of all the Funny Face dolls in my opinion. Sadly, she was given the awkward Poppy body with the awkward Poppy ankles.

Because I basically cut the lower legs out of the picture, all you see is a beautiful doll in the next two pictures.

Compare this one which shows both ankles and feet.  She will be getting a different body.

Anyway, this outfit is a lovely, well fitting dress. It's so cute that the hat has flowers inside. I did not spend any time trying to get the leatherette pot holder gloves on. Such a shame, really, as a nicely made stretchy glove would have enhanced the fashion.

In the promotional photos, the dress/coat ensemble is pretty well hidden by the mini-wookie dog and the coat the doll is holding. Sadly, without any cover-up, the outfit is ill-fitting. The sheath isn't too bad on it's own.

But the coat is pretty horrendous. I know how to dress my dolls and I could not get this coat to lay properly.

Speaking of the "dog,"

I think it was run over. Poor thing. It has no depth! How strange.

I may be using the third outfit in a photo shoot elsewhere so I'm not going to show it in it's entirety here. It looks pretty much as it appears in the promotional photos. The hat is different but it's cute.

 

The faux mink can be seen in the prior post. The Think Pink doll is wearing it. I like the coat. It fits well.

I'm disappointed that all the gloves and Poppy shoes will go unused by me.

The Emilia Couture Contest

A contest was held earlier this year by Emilia Niemen. It ended on March 16th.
The rules were:
"Take a doll box, tie in your favourite doll and fashion to build your dream giftset. Just pile in everything you ever wanted and feel free to use Photoshop or other means to enhance the looks and colours of your dream doll set. The doll, box and fashions can be any size or brand....The doll must be photographed in the box wearing one of the outfits..."

 The grand prize was this fabulous "Ants" outfit.

All entries were posted to a special group Emilia created on Flickr.

The winner of the contest was Micheal Jarvis aka monkeyhaircutter with this amazing gift set consisting of two men dressed for their wedding. The accessories included a three-tier wedding cake, a bottle of champagne and two fluted glasses, a bottle of liquor and luggage. Their clothes included lounge and pool wear in addition to their formal wear. The case is from an earlier Fashion Royalty gift set. Everything is arranged in a appealing way. If Integrity produced a set like this it would fly off the shelves faster than a New York minute!

First runner-up was Laura/LA with this wonderful gift set consisting of a dressed Agnes, two additional fashions and a furnished wall! WOW! I love the way Laura color coordinated the fashions by using red and black throughout. The fireplace, framed paintings and crystal chandelier could make a backdrop for photography. What a great idea for a gift set.

Second runner-up was Dollster for a stunningly arranged grouping of HJ Couture fashions and dressed doll in lacy lingerie. She is presented in one of the "Atelier" gift set boxes that we don't see anymore. Wonderful!

A special "Out-of-the-box-thinking" award was presented to OddMod for her very clever and amusing Glinda-The Jeti Hunter gift set. This really cracked me up. It was adorable and so very creative.

I felt joy and pleasure looking at the entries because they show how people are playing with and loving their dolls. This was very special!

I was planning to post only the winning entries but I feel like they are all winners. The dolls and fashions are gorgeous. I don't know how Emilia was able to whittle down her choices. I would love to have each and every one of these sets for my own as I bet other collectors would, too.

You can click on each picture to enlarge it.