It's a strange feeling tonight being really happy after a truly wonderful conventionand a little sad that it is all over and we've already waved so many friends goodbye.
The Glamour Ghoul week started with lots of people enjoying salon appointments: beautiful couture Made in London outfits, special headskin wigs, studio painted Gen_X dolls and previews of some upcoming production items.....including TU, the next in the current AW collection and the one Val queried below.
The first "official unofficial happening" was the Thursday night get together held in a hotel near the salon. This had the theme "Witch's Heart" after a Halloween cocktail which is the same colours as the gorgeous first prize in the draw at the end of the evening: a specially enhanced and wigged version of Oxide wearing a OOAK salon gown. Conventioneers also received goody bags with miniatures, customized candy and postcards together with a "paper doll" of Oxide - we received three more to cover the Kinky collection during the event.
Most people spent Friday either shopping or visiting one of the many available exhibitions - The Vulgar at the Barbican Arts Centre was the most popular! This included some fabulous fashions by designers like John Galliano, Christian Dior and Pam Hogg: the Jazz Age at the Fashion and Textile Museum also had some beautiful dresses.
On Friday evening we all assembled for The Howling: cocktails and a Chalk White exhibit at The Hospital Club in Covent Garden. Don't ask me about the drinks, the venue, the music, the canapes......I only had eyes for the dolls! (The company was pretty good too though!).
The collection was called Screaming Dervish and was totally incredible - but far too exciting to discuss properly in an event report!
Once we had our breath back, Charles and Desmond presented the first of our event dolls, a Gen_X Beauty called Magic with raven hair and a red and neutral dress - and stunning two tone red and dark brows!
She was accompanied by a set of glittering headphones and cell phone and the next "paper doll".
Then came the exciting news that Magic had a sister who was an edition of just 30 and available as a companion optional purchase the next day at the salon!
Trillion is a really pretty colour variation with a blonde and pink palette...just lovely
After Saturday's additional salon shopping excursion it was time to start>>
preparing for the Ice Morgue Ball held at St Ermins Hotel in Westminster. The staff did a fabulous job welcoming us and not batting an eyelid at some of the rather....ahem...unusual and extreme costumes that were sported at this costume ball (though they did request quite a few photographs!). After enjoying cocktails in the beautiful Balcony Bar...all white stucco friezes and beautiful curved rails....whilst we watched the new arrivals negotiating the staircase in towering heels or mummy wrappings or masses of white tulle....we made our way to The Cloisters, a beautiful spacious room with high cornices and amazing details.
Through a fog of dry ice clouds the staff assisted us with finding our places at a huge dining table adorned with myriad candelabras....and five gorgeous dolls dressed in gowns resembling the mummy's wrappings slowly revolving in front of our astonished eyes.
Each place setting had a gold box containing a set of five pairs of shoes, a sybarite luggage tag shaped like a miniature doll, a set of postcards and the final "paper doll" together with chocolates and badges.
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| Saturday Centerpiece Doll |
After a delicious dinner of smoked salmon, tender beef and a champagne and strawberry dessert, we all savoured our coffee whilst Charles and Desmond collected our prize draw tickets and awarded the stunning centerpieces to five lucky winners. I'm thrilled to say my husband was one of them!!!!! The excitement continued with the best costume competition, loudly voted upon by all the attendees!
Then came the high point: the unveiling of the convention doll - or should I say defrosting? For the first of the new generation 4.5 resin sybarites, Venus clone 800, was presented encased in a shimmering ice sculpture....maybe to stop us overheating as we stared at her beautiful face! Anunnaq is absolutely perfect - the most amazing make up and outfit!!!! There are pictures on superdoll's Facebook page for those who haven't seen her and I know there will be lots more as soon as collectors arrive home and get chance to play!
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| Anunnaq, Resin Gen 4.5, Venus Clone 800 |
We celebrated her arrival with dancing, partying,talking, planning.......before finally leaving with words of see you in Paris or see you in New Orleans....already looking forward to our next sybarite events!
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All the dolls except Anunnaq were the vinyl Gen X type. Izzy reported that between 40-50 were in attendance. I asked her about Salon Appointments.
The exclusive salon items are sold most frequently via salon appointments - some items made in the London studio may be sold online but then would normally be described as studio pieces rather than salon exclusives.
There are salon items produced throughout the year and it is possible to make an appointment at any time of year (subject of course to Charles or Desmond being available) but there is a greater selection of items specifically made for the convention collections.
As well as the chance to purchase these exclusive fashions there may often be the chance to see a preview of a forthcoming production item or something unique from Superdoll's private collection - you never really know what you will find to see!
The last two USA Superdoll conventions have included a "trunk sale" - effectively a traveling salon.
