Nuts and Bolts and Photos of AvantGuard Goldmine

I'm having a great time redressing Goldmine. She is really a beauty and can carry off many varied looks. It's been a long time since I felt this way about a doll.
I've had just one problem with this gal - inserting earrings is particularly difficult. I use a push pin as I do with all my dolls to make the ear hole the right size for earrings. There seems to be something inside Goldmine's head that stops the earring from going all the way in. I really had to work the opening more than should have been necessary.
The only complaint I've heard is about the light weight of this doll line. Someone called it a "quality issue." When I questioned her she said that she wants her dolls to weigh more. Since I don't have anything to compare her to besides Gene and Tonner dolls, I can't make a statement about her weight.

I certainly hope that nuts don't suddenly appear inside their bodies.

This photo was taken by a collector named, Em'lia. Her Model Behavior (12"/Integrity Toys/Jason Wu) doll broke apart in a fall and she was horrified to discover the nut glued inside. Obviously there is no intrinsic need for a nut inside these doll bodies. It must have been placed there to make the doll weigh more. Many have come to the conclusion that the nut is the cause of the floppy hip joints which keep the majority of Fashion Royalty and these dolls from holding an upright pose. This discovery has been the source of a great deal of indignant foot stamping and the source of several conspiracy theories. I have discovered that many people do not know the difference between a nut and a bolt and that several people think that a nut like this weighs a great deal and is causing their postage to sky rocket.

However, some pretty good comedy has resulted. A remark from one collector went like this: "...now if anyone takes apart a Homme and discovers they have matching bolt...I will die laughing."

Another collector made the following suggestions:

"I suggest they make the nutsack, I mean the nutcase, I mean the body cavity, accessible. Certain edition numbers could contain a valuable prize instead of a plain nut, which would give us a logical reason to look at the COA. Or you could take the nut out and put stuff in the doll, like her jewelry, or a baby tarantula, or one of those little voiceboxes from Build-a-Bear*, something fun."

The entire thread made perfect sense to me. ;-)
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Back on the topic of AvantGuards.
There is something about the body that inhibits complete posability. I don't know what is causing it yet. In any event, she is way more posable than Tonner's 16" dolls.

Here are some of my recent images using Goldmine as my model.

This is the fashion from Film Fatale Gene by Ashton Drake. The pants looked too short when she was wearing shoes. Therefore - no shoes.

Wearing Integrity Toys/Mel Odom/Jason Wu silver trench coat from "Star Entrance Gene."

Wearing Ashton Drake's "Tango."

Wearing Ashton Drake's "Lucky Stripe."



I am looking forward to the release of Androgyny and Aphrodisiac.

Will the Gene Convention become one of the ghosts and memories of the past?

Will the Gene Convention become one of the ghosts and memories of the past, only to appear on websites and in the memories of her many dedicated and loving collectors?

A message went out recently to all Gene Club members that the Integrity Toys' Gene convention team would be joining in the Hollywood Ahoy event run by Sandra Stillwell this coming August 13—16, 2009.

According to the message:
"Gene will be starring in her own dedicated day of events at this convention, complete with a souvenir doll, centerpiece dolls, workshops and more. And of course, no Gene event would be complete without the presence of Gene's creator, Mr. Mel Odom!"

The event is going to take place on the historic Queen Mary ship which is now a hotel docked in Long Beach, California.

There are numerous tales of ghost sightings at the now closed (for the past 30 years) Queen Mary swimming pool. There's a daily show with special effects "that dramatizes actual paranormal and historic events that have been reported over the years. Wet footprints mysteriously appear — and there is not a drop of water in the pool. Women in vintage bathing suits visit for a leisurely swim. ...Testimonials from passengers and crew members continue to be reported and documented, all of them wanting answers to what they've experienced. Do ghosts really exist aboard the Queen Mary?"

I'll bet there are plenty of bars aboard the Queen Mary, if you know what I mean.

The Hollywood Ahoy event is described as follows:
"Top stars of the doll world will pay tribute to legendary ladies of the silver screen… and the equally legendary costume designer and couturier who dressed them.
Illustrious keynote speakers and insiders will dish on the careers and private lives of Hollywood icons.
Joan Crawford, as produced in diminutive form by Robert Tonner, will star in the role of your exclusive souvenir doll on Saturday night.
Starring in their very own feature presentations will be Gene Marshall & Friends, Kish & Company, Bella! Productions, Paul Pham of Dollcis, and Wilde Imagination, with other attractions to be announced."

From what I've seen on websites and heard from long time Gene collectors, Gene events of the past were amazing and I can understand the feeling of loss some of them are experiencing at this time. I can relate because I felt the same way when I saw only three Fashion Royalty dolls at the W Event last week. Three! I'm concerned in advance about what we will be given at the Fashion Royalty convention this coming October. Our baggie doll last year was a Janay - a cheap playline doll. At least the Gene convention goers got a Suited-To-A-T towel-wrapped Gene doll. I can just picture the luncheon doll being one of those "entry level" dolls. I'd better leave that discussion now because I can really go off on a tear about that and pasta.

The reviews about the Gene news are mixed. Many are excited and looking forward to meeting new people and attending an event in a new location. Many are non-plussed and/or downright unhappy and will not attend because they don't believe a one day Gene event is enough to warrant spending the money it will cost. Actually the cost has not even been announced. Many are saying that this combining of events makes sense with the current state of the economy. Many are hoping for absentee packages.

I have the feeling that this event will be fabulous. I have heard nothing but positive remarks about Sandra Stillwell's events and that she is a great party planner. If she is as good as Marg Matsui was at planning Canadian Fashion Royalty events, people are going to have an amazing time. An event like this event provides various options and opportunities - kind of a mini IDEX. It is not known if the separate events are break-out type events. A break-out event is usually a meal or a tea party sponsored by a manufacturer which carries a separate charge. A souvenir doll or other item is included. I guess others are on their own for meals during those events.

My Opinion:
The Gene line this year is the best one Integrity has put forth. I'm guessing that some of those dolls would have made an appearance at a Gene convention but instead were put into the Gene line when the decision was made to join Hollywood Ahoy instead of having a dedicated convention. The 2009 Gene line is called "Return to Hollywood." Was this a clue?

Some Photos of Goldmine AvantGuard

I adore this doll.

Fashion Royalty Future.Perfect Collection

The Close-up Doll Collection is neither more or nor less than expected. Two dolls are wearing the same black fashion and two are wearing white. The boots are in different colors and are very cool.

The images in this post with the exception of Ginza Kyori are courtesy of Integrity Toys.

One of the new characters makes her appearance as Bionica Jordan. Could she be related to Michael? He's pretty bionic himself.

Heat Seeker Natalia is also in white:

Future Bound Luchia is dressed in black:

Vanessa is also in black....including her lips. Actually her lips have a blackish blue appearance. I think she might have fallen in spite of the fact that she is called Aerodynamic. Must have been an experiment gone awry.

The close-up dolls come with three sets of removable hands, one of which is painted to resemble the wearing of fingerless gloves. They are a limited edition of 1200 each and retail for $79.00.
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The Premium Dressed Doll Collection is tiny. There are only three dolls, two of which are the same new character who uses the second Lana Turner sculpt Her name is Dania Zarr.
In this IT image she looks more like Kyori and reminds me of Ginza.

Retail Price $135.00 LE 1000

Picture above is not part of this line. It is a picture of Ginza Kyori.

The other Dania is called Exclusive Interview Dania Zarr:

Retail Price $99.00 LE 1000

The third doll is called Flight Pattern Kyori Sato:

Price $99.00 LE 1000

Apparently the Fashion Royalty collection has taken a big hit in favor of less sophisticated "concept" dolls. Perhaps the sad state of the worldwide economy is partly to blame. People are buying less expensive items and budgeting their money more carefully.

Collectors are saying that they don't see Jason Wu in this collection. I don't really know what the answer is but what's missing from these concept dolls is made up, for me, by the fabulous AvantGuard and the Gene Collection Dolls.

I have many beloved Fashion Royalty dolls to play with. It's time to savor these dolls instead of crowding them out with more just because there are more to be had.

In these reviews of the new dolls, I've made many critical remarks but I recognize the fact that Integrity Toys is providing dolls to a very broad range of tastes and pocketbooks. For the last two years, Fashion Royalty collectors have been complaining about too many dolls coming at us too quickly. We got exactly what we asked for.

Time for Some Comic Relief

Bow Invasion.

Jonquil Madra image courtesy Integrity Toys.


Image of Fresh courtesy of Integrity Toys

New Nu.Face Dolls

This collection of five dolls consists of, from left to right, Takeo Mizutani, Eden, Erin S., Lukas M., and Giselle Diefendorf.

I have a big shoebox in my studio filled with assorted Fashion Fever pieces....

And why does Erin look like Colette?

Retail is $99. each. LE 1000.

Poppy Parker

Integrity Toys introduced a surprise doll on Saturday, February 21, 2009 at the W Event. Her name is Poppy Parker. The back story takes place in the 1960's in the life of a teenager from the midwest who moves to the Big Apple to pursue a career as a fashion model.

Poppy has a new sculpt and uses the Nippon Misaki body.

The photos that follow are courtesy Integrity Toys. The first four are dressed dolls. The last two are fashions.

Portrait in Black Poppy Parker $85.00 LE 700

The Reluctant Debutant Poppy Parker $89.00 LE 700

Summer Magic Poppy Parker $70.00 LE 700

Pillow Talk Poppy Parker $70.00 LE 700

Three Hour Tour Fashion $55.00 LE 500

Poetry in Motion Fashion $55.00 LE 500

I think this line of dolls has broad appeal for several reasons. The price is right, the doll is completely articulated and the facial screening is conservative. So conservative, in fact, that if I were told that this was a new Robert Tonner line, I would have believed it.

Here is a photo I took of one of my Tonner Tiny Kitty dolls wearing a fashion from Tonner's 2008 line. Doesn't it look familiar?

When I commented on the similarity to one of the designers I was met with a blank stare.

As an aside, the furniture and accessories for IT's Poppy Parker photographs were created by Maryann Roy.

Gene Marshall 'Silhouette' & 'Return to Hollywood' Collections

"Our [Gene Marshall] Basics collection this season is about the phenomenon of a single silhouette representing a decade's ten years of fashion. It is an overview, a valentine to each period's most memorable and ultimately democratic statement of style."

When Mel Odom said that these five were the basic or close-up dolls, I couldn't believe it. I have the feeling that Mel was given carte blanche for the first time since he is with Integrity. This collection and the deluxe dressed dolls in the Gene line show planning, creative talent, great design and a feel for period costuming. If one compares the previous three years of Gene to this collection it is apparent that there's something (or someone) else at play. Gene collectors are so excited by this turn of events. They are saying things like, "Gene is back." I know there is a lot of chatter and happiness on the doll boards about the collection. It's all good.

The basic dolls retail for $99. and are limited to 300 of each doll.


Congratulations to Mel Odom on a winning and cohesive collection.

The following photographs are courtesy Integrity Toys.

Silhouette of the 1920s:
Essentially Madra Lord® Doll

Silhouette of the 1930s:
Essentially Zita Charles™

Silhouette of the 1940s:
Essentially Gene Marshall®

Silhouette of the 1950s:
Essentially Ivy "Vee J." Jordan® Doll

Silhouette of the 1960s:
Essentially Violet Waters® Doll

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"'Return to Hollywood' is not just a travel direction, but also the source of inspiration for this year's dolls. Join Gene and her lady friends as they leave their various getaway spots and head back to Hollywood and the glamorous business of being movie stars. This season's collection features a series of Star looks guaranteed to steal the spotlight and remind us mere mortals why we love the movies so much."


Evening Encore:
Gene Marshall® Dressed Doll

Willow:
Madra Lord® Dressed Doll

Tornado:
Gene Marshall® Dressed Doll

Blue Parasol:
Gene Marshall® Dressed Doll

Liquorice Crush:
Madra Lord® Dressed Doll

Wrap Party:
Zita Charles™ Dressed Doll

Sunset Serenade
Violet Waters® Dressed Doll

Glammed Up:
Ivy "Vee J." Jordan® Dressed Doll

The deluxe dressed dolls range in price from $119. to $160. and are limited editions of 200 or 250 depending on the doll.