W Club Lottery Announced

Looks like there will be plenty of lotteries this year in the W Club. That means that all the cheer leaders will definitely get the dolls they want. And that's the way it goes.
The 'discontinued' tall Fashion Royalty body isn't exactly discontinued. It's being used for the ITBE (Integrity Toys Basic Edition) dolls. When these dolls first came out a few years ago they called them "entry level collectibles." We all laughed at that expression. ITBE have grown up to be basic FR dolls without accessories or fancy fashions. This year their price is $75. each.
It's a good business move to keep these editions at only 300 and do lotteries. This way the dealers don't get their cut and the desire to have them rises because it's a lottery.
The last lottery dolls were so popular, possibly because Isha, Adele and Natalia were the offerings and they don't show up often. In addition, many collectors aren't into the high prices of the FR2 dolls so these bodies are just dandy.

 The IT designers are playing mix and match with the vinyl colors of the characters. Isha was ghost-white while Adele faded and Natalia went darker.

The newly offered ITBE - or Wave 2 as they call it - is another four dolls. Vanessa, Kyori, Janay, and Monogram.

Vanessa is now a black woman with Caucasian features. They're calling her vinyl color A-tone.  Kyori is being called black but I'm not quite sure what it really is.  Janay, a play line doll sculpt, is making an appearance. She is one of Jason Wu's oldest character sculpts and I don't believe she has appeared as a Fashion Royalty doll - ever. She is on the Monogram body and her skin tone is called Miami. Her hair reminds me of the first Natalia doll, Cosmetic Takeover.  
The original Natalia's sculpt was perfection. It did not need updating IMO.
Last is a standard Monogram doll with white skin and silver hair. I like her.

There is something here for most but not everyone will get what he or she wants. I want the Vanessa a lot because she has the Vanessa 1.0 (original) sculpt and where that is concerned, I'm a completist.

In keeping with the fact that these are "basic" dolls, the fashions are not "new" or embellished. They are being repeated in various colors as are the shoes. But it's a fun line. The only problem I see is that if you like all your dolls on the same height body such as FR2, you probably won't be able to find matches for these girls.

***If you are a member of the W Club and are not entering for Vanessa, please contact me. If you win the right to buy her and change your mind, please contact me.***

The Lammily Doll

A new fashion doll has been created by Nickolay Lamm which is being touted as the "world's first normal sized doll."

Lammily, created by Nickolay Lamm

It is believed by many that the unrealistic proportions of today's Barbie dolls feeds the negative body image young girls have of themselves.  In my opinion, the media (Hollywood, television, fashion designers) is way more responsible for promoting stick-thinness as the standard to achieve.

In my early years of doll collecting I happened to purchase some of Tonner's Emme dolls and her fashions. However, I liked Tyler's proportions much better and soon sold the Emme items.

I'm not an overweight person but I grew up with the "you can't be too thin" mentality. Diets were a way of life along with diet pills in college and afterwards. I learned it from my mother. She didn't have Barbie dolls. Her generation of dolls were 'chubby-looking' things.

Madame Alexander (Composition) "McGuffey Anna" 1935

In the high fashion industry designers such as Jason Wu, for example, use half-dead, emaciated models to display their clothing.

Gianfranco Ferre model:

Hollow-eyed and gaunt, the skeletal model stalked down the runway at the Gianfranco Ferré fashion show in Milan last night wearing a dress cut in a deep V that revealed her protruding clavicle and flat chest.
A flurry of flashbulbs popped as photographers vied to get the best shot and the line of fashion editors sitting front row scribbled furiously on their notepads.
If ever there were a case of Emperor's New Clothes at fashion week, it was here.
Did any one of the assembled crowd really think this model - bony cleavage, dark circled eyes - looked good? Could they genuinely say that this image was aspirational? And ultimately, would the model do what must be her main purpose here: sell these clothes to other women?

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2042345/Gaunt-model-shocks-Gianfranco-Ferr-Milan-fashion-show.html#ixzz2vgtPriWs

These designers have been known to claim that the clothes 'hang better' on stick figures. Seriously? I'm not saying that the clothes aren't gorgeous but when I see Mrs. Obama wearing a Jason Wu that was shown on a runway by a stick figure woman, Mrs. Obama and the fashion don't look as good.  Of course she's had the dress custom altered to suit her because FLOTUS has a normal body. She would look ridiculous (and inappropriate) in the dress on the right.  So why do I want to look like the model on the right? Sigh.

We are exposed to these bodies as the height of beauty and fashion when they are nothing but starving reflections of women.

I'm always amazed at how most models and movie stars looked in the 1940's through the 1960's. They had thighs and waists and arms.

Women Cast Members from the TV series Mad Men

We're not talking Botticelli babes here, just normal healthy women.

The Three Graces by Sandro Botticelli

Would I buy a Lammily Doll? Maybe, for a little cousin of mine, but not for my collection. It wouldn't fit in. Would you?

Read more: http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/03/normal-barbie-doll-with-average-female-body-is-coming-to-life/284212/

Montaigne Market Doll: The Sky's The Limit

Two eBay auctions offering the new Montaigne Market Elise ended at more than $1000.

This is the fastest and most extreme price inflation I've ever seen in all my years of doll collecting. 

Both sellers are Paris based so they have the doll already. Another one of these is listed on the Show and Sell pages right now with a starting price of $1000.

If you didn't catch my prior post, the doll retailed for $206. Shipping to the US is strangely expensive at 50 Euros or $69.12. I suppose there was tax in Paris for those that purchased her directly. At any rate, it would have almost been worth it to fly to Paris, buy a few dolls and resell them.
Looks like I will have to make a decision.

Jason Wu Montaigne Market Exclusive Doll

Several weeks ago it was announced that there would be an exclusive Jason Wu doll carried by a store in Paris, France, Montaigne Market.
She is a very sophisticated Elise Jolie with mahogany hair pulled back into a long and low pony tail. Her makeup palette is browns and beiges with gold glittery eyeshadow The beautiful fashion is one of Jason's runway looks with the addition of a large handbag and two Montaigne Market shopping bags.
No exact date was given as to availability other than end of February.

Here are excerpts from WWD's January 9, 2014 article by Joelle Diderich.

DOLL PARTS: Jason Wu is showing at Paris Fashion Week next month — though the only outfit he will be parading is a miniature version of a look from his spring collection, as worn by a doll he has designed for retailer Montaigne Market.
Priced at 150 euros, or $200 at current exchange, the limited edition of 250 will go on sale exclusively at Montaigne Market and on its Web site at the end of February, to coincide with the next round of catwalk shows. Wu has previously produced dolls for Colette in Paris, and Bergdorf Goodman and Jeffrey in New York.
His latest creation wears a sporty, belted jacket in cream with deep front pockets over a gold sequined skirt, and touts tiny Montaigne Market shopping bags...
“We did everything, from translating the little buckles that we had to make, to the shoes — we replicated the runway shoes exactly. We also replicated the Daphne clutch, our signature bag, into the doll scale, so everything from hardware and everything has to be shrunken down,” he added.

 The doll is a very close replica except for the fabric of the full sized which looks floatier and not as densely sequined. I do like the look of the doll a lot. She's prettier than the model.

Today the doll went up for sale on the MM website and there is the usual angst and jubilation over at the W Club depending on who scored and who didn't.

As of right now, there are two on eBay. Looking forward to seeing how much they bring in.

What A Difference A Body Makes!

My all time favorite Graphic Language Adele, who originally came on a straight arm body, now has a new life. Paparazzi Darling Adele was the FR2 body donor. 
In the first two photos, Adele is modeling a perfect satin-trimmed black shirtwaist Randall Craig dress. The top is slightly large for her but it looks beautiful IMO. Her handbag is FDA.

I went looking through my photo archives for prior shots of GA Adele. She was gorgeous on every body. I've had more than one GA Adele. You know how it is, don't you? You buy, you sell, you buy again. The doll in the purple and green dress is a different one from the one I have now. The one is red is the same gal on her original body.

She never made it onto the first articulated body apparently.


Do you have any dolls that have been transformed by a body switch?

"Midnight Star" Elise Jolie

Definitely worthy of being a convention souvenir doll, Elise arrived last week and I set her up in my entry hall so I can gaze at her often. She is gorgeous perfection and my new Vanessa in that I like her above all other FR sculpts.

Very pretty shoes.

What do you think?

The Last of the Monogram Dolls?

This doll is called "Interlude." Her fashion (not the bodysuit) is called "Completist." Both were souvenirs from the recent IT convention.

Prior to that, it was announced that the Monogram line is retired. It's too bad because they were some of my favorite dolls. Their faces are beautiful. The line started to falter a bit when the so-called 'basic' dolls were released. Bemused, Envied and Passionate were pretty bad, all dressed the same except for the color, in a too short shirtwaist dress. Those followed shortly after a horrendous MFD exclusive called Exquisite. Her fashion was anything but.
But, when one looks back over the entire line, there are gorgeous suits and gowns and cocktail dresses. Perhaps the dolls were getting over-priced at $160. or did the company focus on the failure of that one season and decide that was it?

Another announcement coming out of the convention is that the designers will now use only 8 sculpts in the Fashion Royalty line: Veronique, Vanessa, Adele, Agnes, Kyori, Eugenia. Elise and Natalia. I think that was a fine decision as I didn't even know who most of the new characters were anyway. Also good, for me, is that I don't care much for the new sculpts of four of the eight (Vero, Van, Adele and Nat.) Their old sculpts were beautiful. But does this mean that Agnes will no longer be considered a special event doll? Who knows?

According to what I'm reading, NuFace will continue but will be on hiatus for a while. No Hommes?
What about Poppy Parker? Victoire Roux? Tulabelle and the giant Poppys?

Looks like IT is cutting the fat. The W Club has also eliminated a liaison, namely Luanne. I'm not so sure she "retired" on her own accord. I'm going to guess that Carol's sister is going to do the liason job now.

At every convention there are announcements of plans going forward. Most of them don't last more than one season in actual practice. Putting Jason's touch back in play did wonders for the convention line. Hopefully they won't forget that.

Fashion Royalty 2013 Convention Wrap-Up

The Saturday afternoon W Club Luncheon dolls were all about Victoire Roux.
The give-away doll's fashion looks a bit too large for her but the doll is pretty. Night at Ciro's

The centerpiece:

She is called Story Of My Life Victoire Roux and I love her fashion. It is just gorgeous.

The centerpiece on Saturday night was Vanessa, Black Orchid, (version 3) in a short leatherette dress created from one of Jason's designs. Looks like Jason stepped up to the plate with this convention — he was badly needed. IMO the dress doesn't cut it on this doll. From this angle, it looks like an apron. It is one Vanessa I will not miss having.

The convention souvenir is a stunning Elise, Midnight Star, who is also dressed in a miniature version of a Jason Wu runway fashion. This time the doll and the gown are absolutely, drop dead fantastic. Yes, I'd love to have this doll, but it's not going to happen.

Since they tossed the best sculpt away (the original Vanessa,) Elise has become my favorite. However, I am not going to do what I did with Vanessa which was to have all of them and then some multiples on top of that. I will never do that again.

The only doll I purchased from this convention was the welcome doll. She's a Monogram called Interlude. She was offered at a low price and then, last night, I was offered the accessory pack as well.
This is what I'm getting:

I'm very pleased.

2012 - It was a very good year.

In this final 2012 post, I look back over the last 12 months to find what I've actually kept out of the hordes of dolls and doll items that I purchased.

My doll collecting has changed dramatically over the course of the last two years. I started adding Sybarites and other 16" resin BJDs to my collection and continued thinning my 12" doll army. I've focused more on adding more clothing for all my dolls and filled in a few Tonner dolls, outfits and props that I've wanted. I scored 7 Cholo Ayuyao gowns and dresses. I've switched many of my favorite 'older' dolls to new FR2 bodies.

The biggest mistake purchases were impulse buys consisting of mostly Mattel products, not including Silkstones, although I was disappointed with many of the 2012 Silkies. The Monster Highs and several dressed vinyl Barbies were momentary goodies which added nothing of substance to my collection. I wasted a little money on outfits made by other collectors which did not live up to my expectations.  Ultimately, I was surprised at how many dolls I purchased and didn't keep or traded for something else.

Moving was time consuming and very disorienting and I'm just now starting to see a tiny crack of light at the end of a long tunnel.

Instead of posting 'normal' photos of my favorites, I have made Instagram pictures of some of them. Why? Because they're cool, it's fun and I'm bored with normal pictures. 

Sybarites and their fashions played a large part in my collection this year.
Vapore:

Domina:

Neurotica: (Redressed/Rewigged) Actually, she's not dressed at all. She is holding the shrug from a gorgeous SybMonde exclusive fashion, Rosa Gloriosa. Wig by Cheryl Wood. I added several of her wigs this year.

Domina modeling Rosa Gloriosa

Fidele's Fashion. No doll :-( just the outfit-for now.

Venetian modeled by Toxica.

Speed modeled by Talc. It's an older fashion but new for me.

JamieShow
JamieShow Alejandro and the Jamieshow outfit from the Prohibition Event in Canandaigua. He is my first and only male resin BJD and definitely a keeper.

Image by George Gonzalez

Tonner
Tonner's new Precarious sculpt and fashions designed for her were big hits IMO. I purchased two of the dolls and several of the outfits.

Swing Time Fashion (This is not Precarious modeling. It is a TDLM doll)

 

Precarious "Party Girl"

Neo Tokyo from the Freedom For Fashion line

Simplicity Antoinette

Ghost of Christmas Past an older Tonner Re-Imagination doll.

Ficon

"Leonie" (Redressed)

That's it for the big dolls. It feels like there should be more because all of my Tonner's were the first dolls to be packed along with my Gene Marshall dolls. They were packed for almost one year by the time I was able to get them back out of their boxes and into showcases. Many seem new to me all over again. I can stare at the dolls and love each and every one of them. Unloved dolls find new homes.

Integrity Toys' Fashion Royalty, FR2
This is a little more complicated to show as I added very few complete dolls this year from IT's lineups. I kept more fashions than dolls. I even purchased an older Vanessa NRFB so I could have an unaltered version.

Pale Fire Vanessa

I may have mentioned previously that there seems to be a disconnect in the design team. By that I mean that someone in there is a really bad designer and that would be the person that designed most of the recent convention's outfits. That was the worst collection I've ever seen.  However, during the year there were some gorgeous fashions worthy of the name Fashion Royalty. 

I liked both of the convention's FR2 dolls but Dasha's outfit was less than stellar. Elise was totally gorgeous.

Escapism Elise

Infallible Dasha redressed in VJohn

Of the other three FR2 dolls released in 2012, it was mainly the fashions that interested me.
Tatyana's red dress.

Nouveau Regime Tatyana

I finally broke down (like that's difficult) and purchased Opium Ayumi. Her outfit looks better in person than in pictures.

Opium Ayumi

My favorite fashions all year were Main Attitude Adele Makeda's suit

Integrity Toys' Photo

Your Kind of Model Kesenia's outfit

Modeled by re-rooted True  Royalty

Monogram Admiration's suit

Integrity Toys' Photo

 My favorite dressed Monogram was Allure

Integrity Toys' Photo

From the Victoire Roux line, I kept only the outfit from Place Vendome. Vanesssa looks stunning in it.

These outfits are keepers. Now if I could find the perfect male doll to wear them. These four photos are all Integrity Toys' images.

Silkstone "Walking Suit" was my favorite new Silkie.

Favorite new prop is Byers' Choice Caroler Display Accessory.

There is more but you are probably snoring already.

Companies have to stop going backwards with the quality and appearance of their products. When this happens, the perceived value drops and collectors will search out other items.