CDDC Challenge Six

The entries for the final couture design challenge are posted. This is going to be an interesting bunch of evaluations as the challenge was to design an avant garde fashion that Lady GaGa might wear. Well as we all know, she's liable to wear anything so I'm guessing that the judging will be about the thought process behind the couture and the construction.
I have a few favorites.
In the Beginner Category, my favorite is Contestant 3. I don't know how couture it is but it's cute and suits the doll well. I love the shoes! I could see GaGa wearing this.

In the Intermediate division the entry by Contestant 6 is above and beyond any other entry for the creative thought process and the explanation of how the designer came up with the fashion. By this time it's obvious whose work it is and CBS, NBC and CNN predict he will win the contest.

Another Intermediate entry deserves notice. Contestant 9 created this fashion mostly from paper. At first I thought they were miniature dollar bills. I think the artificial flowers and big satin bow do not work as avant garde items. Perhaps using some other unusual material would have worked. But the paper dress is adorable and it's definitely something GaGa would wear.

The Advanced category had only two contestants remaining. Both created interesting fashions for this challenge but Contestant 13 made me laugh out loud.  She called it "avant-garde ecodesign" clothes and used bubble wrap, tea bags, packaging paper and other recycled items. Perhaps it's a member of the Tea Party? If there were a humor category, this would definitely win. I'm not sure how much sewing was actually done but I liked it.

Contestant 14 crafted a beautiful gown but it's not avant garde.

The contestants write little descriptions for each entry and I thought Contestant 4's statement was funny: " I googled Lady Ga Ga for photos of her and her fashions. It was all mind boggling to me. She hardly wears anything most of the time." 
Contestant 8 said,  " I have to say that this competition has encouraged me to explore my abilities, I've been doing things that I never thought I could do and for that I'm glad I entered."  I thought that was really great.

All the contestants who stuck it out whether they won or lost are to be congratulated for their efforts. We got to enjoy some stunning work! Bravo!

http://www.couturedoll.com/ch6.html

New Sybarite: Quantra

Quantra, the latest Sybarite doll, was posted for sale a few minutes ago by Superdoll. She is the second doll in the line entitled "Fashion Police."  

The description from the website says:
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Forensic Entomologist - Quantra

Holographic brown vinyl platform slip on stiletto boots, military cap, browning belts and silhouette shaper with kick me in the teeth pink legging in bias satin, holographic pink lame and milky latte lace blouse. Pink blushed lips, emerald eyes and tons of liquid eyeliner. Long wig side parted in multi tone coffee with blunt front detail. Boots and browning belt bearing SD "fashion police" logo's buckle. Hat bears custom laser cut insignia. Just for added detail, she wears a jaded mint enamel bracelet.

Includes dollstand and applied eyelashes.
Please allow 40 days and 40 nights for shipping

Production may vary from prototype shown

Price: £349.70 (Excluding VAT at 20%)
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Currency Converter:  £349.70  = Approximately $568.

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Her image as posted on their site:

Another picture posted on Facebook by her designers:

These images are the property of Superdoll and I have posted them here in order to direct you to the site at which  you may purchase this doll.  http://www.superdollonline.co.uk/acatalog/DOLLS.html

Still Gorgeous After All These Years: Tyler Wentworth

Cherished Friends recently had a clearance sale and Fire Opal Tyler was offered at a fair price. I've wanted her since I saw her and now she's mine. (Insert evil laugh.)

I deboxed Baubles, Bangles and Blues Ellowyne. Her outfit is delightful! The ruffles are actually a sleeveless cape that ties with a satin bow. The dress has a train. I like everything about this fashion.

Her booties have elastic ties which are the best. They're easy to tie and tighten and they're without excess bulk. She is really cute. I am looking forward to trying the fashion on another 16" doll.

The next image was part of a crazy photo shoot in which I was trying to make Sybil channel the wolf in Red Riding Hood. In this scene, the wolf is pretending to be RRH's grandmother. Sybil did not want to bend as much as I would have liked and I broke off her head thereby ending the photo session. It was pretty funny.

The National Doll & Toy Collectors Club of NYC: 75th Anniversary Gala

The 75th Anniversary Gala of the National Doll and Toy Collectors Club of NYC was held at the Terrace on the Park in Queens, NY on Saturday, April 28 2012.  Although I have driven past the unusual building hundreds of times, I had never been inside. When I was a teacher, I took classes to the area's science museum. I've been to the US Open several times. And when Shea Stadium was there, I attended a couple of baseball games, too. But this was a first and I was very happy to have the experience. The restaurant is on the site of two past World Fairs and from it's high perch and huge windows one can see symbols of the last one, the Unisphere, and one of the remaining buildings. You can also see CitiField and the Tennis Center (but not in the picture below.)

Terrace on the Park is a very impressive location. The food was good, too! Delicious hot hors d'ouvres were served during the cocktail hour. At that time we got to see the centerpiece Evangeline. She is called Star Dust. She's all silvery with a flowing gown and lots of jewelry. She has glitter on her eyelids and incredibly long platinum hair. The centerpiece base was used previously for a display at a Tonner convention. That one was sparkly gold. This one is silver.

I have not removed my doll from the box completely but I've been told that she is wigged and that her hands and feet are removable! This Evangeline has the newly engineered, more poseable body.
She is quite a beautiful doll.

The image above shows she with her hair still encased in plastic and without her headpiece.

There were two vendors there in addition to Tonner -Wilde Imagination. One was Facets by Marcia, a wonderful institution by now. I love looking at her items and no matter how many times I find myself at one of her sales tables, there's always something else to see. One of her new products are wine glasses actually made from glass. The are so pretty and delicate.

 Tonner had a small but delightful display of Wilde Imagination dolls.

The club itself had an interesting display of artifacts from their 75 year history. They also had a great display of Worlds Fair memorabilia.

Many people took time during the cocktail hour to buy raffle tickets and shop and chat with friends and the Tonner staff.

 Joe was caught enjoying the food and Jack shows off his new iPhone gadget which reads credit cards. It was really cool. After a payment is purchased, the buyer signs her name by finger! No more machines. They make it so easy to spend, spend, spend. Michelle got a lot of practice with my credit card.

AnneMarie Beigner, the moderator of the Evangeline Ghastly Yahoo group, put together an amazingly gorgeous OOAK Evangeline and hand made fashions from members of her group. Some of the contributions were from overseas.  The auction for this wonderful collection took place near the end of the festivities. I think the winning bid was $725. All of that will go to the charity.

At first I was surprised that it wasn't more but in reality, the attendees were not solely Wilde Imagination collectors.  At my table only two other people besides myself had Wilde Imagination dolls. 

Speaking of people at my table, this punk Ellowyne accompanied it's creator, Jane Bielak.

The highlight of the program was Robert Tonner's talk on the history of the fashion doll. It was really interesting and I couldn't help but think that it would make a great piece in FDQ. I could hear him well but the table at which I was seated was quite far from the podium and I could barely see the projection screen behind him.

The event souvenir doll was a stunning raven-haired Ellowyne with inset eyes. She is wearing a white lace dress with lacey tights and silver shoes. She is adorned with lots of baubles. She even comes with a rhinestone embellished crown!

Her name - Baubles, Bangles and Blues. What else?

I wonder if her right eyebrow is raised in a quizzical fashion intentionally. I love it. It gives her more personality and character.
Attendees also received a silver wrapped box which contained an Ellowyne fashion item.
Also in the souvenir bags were catalogs and an assortment of little goodies.
The club did a fabulous job putting on this event! Congratulations.

William and Catherine Royal Wedding Dolls: Behind the Scenes

Mattel released this video for the April 29th anniversary of the royal wedding. It's very interesting to watch the props and the backdrops being designed and crafted. Mattel puts a lot of effort into their photo sets. If only the same attention to detail were spent on each doll!

http://youtu.be/Xg4PK2Lni-0?hd=1

William And Catherine Royal Wedding® Giftset
(No Longer Available From Mattel)

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.