The Gloss Convention Collection

My convention collection has arrived after a nearly 3 week wait. If I ever do this again, I will pay the extra $ to have it picked up at the event and shipped from there. I wonder why, when these collections were ordered and paid for way in advance, they weren't ready to ship immediately upon the end of the event. We are the collectors who bought these dolls blindly trusting that we'd like them. Why should we have to wait so long to get them? Don't give me the overused excuse that Integrity is a small company. They hosted a convention for 500 people and that excuse is still being thrown out to pacify collectors?

There is only one doll from the entire 7-doll convention collection that I'm keeping and that is Natalia. My decision was based on the fact that she is very beautiful, I like the skin tone and I have only one other Natalia at this time.
I don't care for her fashion - it's cheap-looking like most of the other fashions from the event. The fabric is chintzy and the style is just not something that suits me. The cape is attached at the shoulders. In order to get the gown off it has to go over her head.

I had a hard time deciding whether or not I should keep Eugenia. But I already have several other gorgeous Eugenias and if she sells, all the better.  She, too, is a beauty but in less than stellar gown.

The minute I saw the Vanessa, I knew she was not going to join my tribe. I really dislike Vanessa 2.0 and this one's makeup is very harsh. She has a wild look in her eyes.

If I loved Poppy Parker, Dark Moon would stay. She has a very pretty face. Again, I'm not a fan of the outfit but it is Poppy-Era appropriate.

I don't know why this doll is not selling well. My theory is that there are just too many dolls altogether and collectors' funds are being spread thin. The more dolls offered at a convention,  the more money the manufacturer takes in.  The less dolls there are, the higher the value goes on the secondary market. It seems the market has reached it's saturation point.

However, in the case of the Agnes convention souvenir and the Elise centerpiece, the secondary market went way up. No surprise there. So many collectors are crazy about Agnes and she will always be an event exclusive...until they change their minds.

My least favorite of all 7 dolls was Veronique "Nocturnal Glow." There is no glow in this sculpt at all. Poor Vero. They took away the face that launched a line. She looks sad and wistful now. Again, the fabric used for the gown was a cheap-looking black with a metallic gold thread and no discernible style. That humongous bow has to go.

If I weren't keeping Ayumi, I'd consider adding Kyori "Nightshade" to my collection.

I've noticed something strange about these new bodies - besides the fact that they are like pop-it beads,

some of the elbow joints make noise when moved. The elbows are stiff even when warmed.

Simonetta Bertorelli "La Ville Lumiere" is a new addition to the Victoire Roux line. She's OK but is not for me.

My own picture was not available at the time of posting.

The theme, "Gloss," was partly interpreted by the designers by using sparkly and or filmy fabrics in most cases. The fabrics chosen were not good quality and it showed. However, Agnes' gown was stunning and obviously showed a design flair and quality that would have been nice on all the dolls. The hairstyles were long and glamorous and that worked very well.

Kingdom Doll Brunel

Kingdom Doll's newest 16" resin fashion doll, Brunel, was named for Isambard Kingdom Brunel who lived from 1806-1859 in Great Britain. He was an accomplished mechanical and civil engineer involved in the building of dockyards, railways, steamships, bridges and tunnels.

Luckily the doll looks nothing like the man.

Brunel wears a long silk coat dress with a ruffled peplum in the back. Under her coat are black sequined leggings and black short boots trimmed in metallic gold. 

Her choker is woven of black and gold beads with a magnetic closure by Mike Austin.

The crowning glory is a most dramatic tall wig of mahogany over blended silver and black by Ilaria Mazzoni.

This is the last doll who will be made using the Novantae sculpt and I am thrilled to add her to my collection.

Ayumi's New Look and Adele's Incarnations

Ayumi Nakamura is a character who was introduced to the NuFace (originally called Model Behavior) collection in 2007. That doll was called Miracle Child. If I remember correctly, the Model Behavior dolls were quite popular. Ayumi wasn't as popular as Erin, Colette and Giselle.

The next Ayumi incarnations were London by Night in 2008 and Sunset Rave in 2011. By that time, the Model Behavior line was called NuFace and many new characters had been added. Ayumi seemed to have faded away along with Nadja and Colette.

Surprisingly, Ayumi popped up in the FR2 line as Luminous in 2011 (below, left)  and Opium in 2012. Luminous was not a popular doll and although her dress was quite pretty, her face was not.  I'm not sure what sculpt Opium uses. She has grown on me and in a close-up is very beautiful. Of all the aforementioned Ayumis, she has remained in my collection. She was a change from the first Ayumi sculpt. At that time, the IT designers were mixing up the sculpts like crazy. I don't have a clue as to whether or not Opium's sculpt is a mix from other dolls or a new sculpt entirely. 

The third sculpt is totally new. She looks beautiful. The screening is lovely. Her youthful and glamorous hairstyle and the sequined qi pao made her a keeper in my collection!

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"Le Smoking" Adele received rave reviews by collectors. She's been compared to The Muse Adele, (2008), widely held to be the most beautiful Adele ever produced. For this version of Adele, they went back to the Adele 2.0 sculpt. Hopefully, they will keep it there as 3.0 is dour. 

Via Venetto Adele (2004) from the amazing Voyages Collection was my first ever Fashion Royalty doll. I have a fondness for that sculpt but I do like 2.0 more. In the photo below, she is not wearing her original fashion. 

Graphic Language Adele (Graphic Flirtation, 2004) used a new sculpt. This doll is still very popular albeit not on her original body. 

The Muse (2008) It doesn't get better.

In 2011, Adele 3.0 was introduced at a convention as part of a two doll gift set called Style Counsel along with Veronique. What a hot mess these two turned out to be. Veronique needed a different hairstyle and Adele needed her old face back. 

In 2013, Adele was released as an ITBE doll. She appears to be using the 2.0 sculpt. This image is by Julia Leroy who restyled the hair and designed the jewelry.

I call this 2014 FR2 version What Were They Thinking? It is really named Vivid Encounter.

Chris Stoeckel's Trip to the Jersey Shore

As you may know, Chris Stoeckel is responsible for the wonderful period looks worn by Victoire  Roux and, most recently, Simonetta Bertorelli.

Like most doll lovers, he doesn't leave home without at least one doll. I asked Chris to send me a few pictures. He did and told me that he always tries to take a travel doll on trips as he'd rather look at pics of a doll than photos of himself when it's over.

These photos feature the glamorous Victoire.

One of the features that makes these photos so much fun to look at are the angles from which the photos were shot. Chris gets down to the level of the doll in most shots. The doll looks as if she could be life-sized as a result.

You can follow Chris on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/chris.stoeckel.31?fref=ts

Official Photos from the Gloss Fashion Royalty Convention

The Convention Collection:
From left to right: Adorned Vanessa, Grandiose Natalia, Nocturnal Glow Veronique, Cold Shoulder Eugenia, Dark Moon Poppy, La Ville Lumiere Simonetta and Nightshade Kyori Sato.

Store Exclusives
From left to right: After Hours Hanne, Dial V for Victoire and Wild Thing Poppy.

ITBE : Oomph, Zing and Jolt

Workshop: Time Served

I am still awaiting delivery of my pre-ordered convention collection. The jury is out on those dolls until I see them in person.
The ITBE dolls look cute until you see their dresses and shoes. They are $9.99 Barbie type clothes.
Time served is one of the worst-looking male dolls ever and the photo doesn't make it better.
Click on the photos to enlarge.

What do you think of the dolls?