Review: Air Apparent and FR2 Vanessa

Air Apparent uses the new Veronique sculpt (aka Fauxnique.)

The gown is gorgeous and very well constructed. You really have to see it in person to see the details. The bodice is embroidered and incorporates tiny pearls. The skirt swings out in the back from a sharply pleated front with a slightly ruffled peplum type extension.  It's wonderful. The shoes are embarrassing compared to the dress. They are squishy plastic with a crappy piece of folded ribbon in a crappy faux buckle. This was a mistake - possibly intentional judging from the other shoes on the other FR convention dolls. One of mine broke already and I didn't even care. This fashion needs killer shoes because you're going to be able to see them all the time. When I think of the scores of gorgeous shoes my gowned dolls are wearing under long dresses....I think I'm going to steal something for this doll.
Personally, I'm not a fan of this sculpt and I would rather it were the original Veronique. I'm planning to replace her head.

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Evermore Vanessa FR2 was a surprise to all of us.  The real Vanessa sculpt was used for this "Official FR 10th Anniversary Celebration Doll.  At first I was sure it was the Fauxnessa sculpt painted to look like Vanessa. There really isn't that much difference between them.  She has collectors asking if we will continue to see the real Vanessa used on FR2 dolls in the future. The answer has not been revealed.

 I was too lazy to use an appropriate backdrop for this raven-haired doll and the other black-clad doll. I do not recommend using black in back of black in most cases.
I love the FR2 body and she's got killer shoes which, of course, can't be seen under the gown. The necklace is nice. She's got a cool ring. The earrings are ridiculous. Can you imagine a person wearing something like that?
I'm on the fence about the dress. The pattern-maker did not fit the bust properly and there's something off with the gown. The cups are empty because they do not 'hug' her body.  The overall picture is of a beautiful doll that is missing a WOW factor. It could be the hair. Imagine if she had hair styled like that of Fine Jewel Eugenia or styled in some other, more feminine, softer style.

I hope the ginormous eyebrows go away soon. They are getting so huge and close together the dolls are liable to have a unibrow soon.

This is Night Warrior Vanessa whom some say Evermore resembles.

Picture of the Week by Jenn Held

I am so grateful that there are collectors like Jenn. They redress the new dolls and provide the rest of us with ideas and inspiration. Here is Night Warrior Vanessa wearing The Contessa's gown. The miniature book she is reading is entitled "Dracula by Bram Stoker." So cute!
See more of Jenn's beautiful doll photography here: Flickr

Fashion Royalty: Night Warrior Vanessa arrives from Japan

Number 20 Vanessa joins the tribe. While worthy of the name, she is quite different from her 19 sisters in that she represents a fictional character who wields a sword and might very well have jumped off the pages of a comic book. [Correction: I have been reminded that this doll was created to resemble the character who was played by Kate Beckinsale in the Van Helsing movie.]
Speaking of series, here is the series of Vanessa dolls From the first one in 2004, Shock Bonbon. through the latest, Night Warrior, they have all been ultra-feminine with the exception, perhaps, of Aerodynamic. She carries a chair instead of a sword. Could she be the pre-cursor of a line of weapon-carrying Fashion Royalty dolls? I would prefer the use of different sculpts for warrior dolls. But that's just me. All of the images below are the property of Integrity Toys unless otherwise noted.

Shock Bonbon


Fashionable Life Platinum


Fashionable Life Raven


Poésie Sans Couleur


Runway Right Away


Intoxicating Mix

(Unknown Photographer)

True Royalty


Obsidian Society


Miami Glow


In Bloom

(Photo by Natasha Powers)

Pale Fire


Going Places

(Photo by Natasha Powers)

High Tide


Color Therapy


Metal Maven


Shirred Not Shaken


Cruise Control


Aerodynamic


Luxe Life


Night Warrior

Be very careful when zipping up her boots! They are rather tight and the pants might get caught in the teeth of the zipper. I taped the lower leg right down to her ankle to create a smooth surface and it was still difficult to move the slider.