Three New Fashions from Randall Craig's RTW Line

First up is "Style Icon" It's an adorable and updated classic shirtwaist with satin trim at the hemline and a satin bowed belt. Included are a delightful little tulle embellished straw cap, a turquoise clutch bag, pearl drops, black pumps and a petticoat.

The fit of the dress is perfection. It's made very well. I love the hat with it's sequins and tulle. The black pumps and the pearl drops are not as stylish so I didn't use them. The clutch had issues. I removed the velcro closure because it created too much bulk and the purse didn't close well. Last season's purses had the same issues.

Heat Seeker Natalia above is wearing jewelry by Joy. The shoes are from Integrity Toys.

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Next is Curacao. This is a stunning satin turquoise sheath with gathered pleats on one side. It's made extremely well and has a loose fit. The scarf is the perfect touch for the fashion. The black espadrille wedges are OK but I choose not to use them. We have the pearl drops again. The straw hat shown is not how the hat actually appears. It's very tall in the crown and sticks up so high that it looks like a Mexican sombrero. In his photo, Craig has pushed the hat in at the top to deal with this issue.

Aerodynamic Vanessa is seen here carrying a replica Louis Vuitton handbag and matching shoes from La Boutique POM. She has on IT sunglasses.

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My third outfit is Chica Chica. Again the construction is flawless. The pretty and feminine white blouse has a very loose fit which causes a problem. The high waist of the pants is slim-fitting as it should be and there is too much fabric from the blouse to make it easy to put on and have the pants fit properly. It keeps the pants from being pulled up as high as they could be. The wedges appear again as do the ubiquitous pearl earrings. The straw hat has the same issues at described above. I don't like that the photos don't show the hats as they really are.

My version is wearing Integrity sunglasses and earrings. Her handbag is a replica Hermes Birken from La Boutique POM.

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All fashions shown are $58. at most dealers with free shipping included. Each is limited to 100 pieces.
You can find more pictures of Randall's excellent doll clothing lines, past and present, at his website:
http://www.randallcraigrtw.com/fashions.html
The photos that have the rtw logo in the background are property of Randall Craig.

Picture of the Week Award ~ April 20, 2009

The spotlight this week goes to Michelle in Michigan (her board name). This photograph features the 2008 Gene convention doll, Distant Venus, whose hair has been restyled. She is wearing Zita Charles' fashion, Azalea Ice.

Michelle is the talented photographer, stylist and Gene collector behind the amazing website A Star is Born. Be prepared to spend a great deal of time going over every single page of gorgeous photographs of the characters in the Gene Marshall line.

First Photoshoot with Aphrodisiac AvantGuard

The second wave of AvantGuard dolls is beginning to arrive. First to show up on my deck was Aphrodisiac. The packaging of the AGs is pristine in their black and white boxes, inner boxes and inner, inner boxes. Yes, there are several layers.

This gal has the same gorgeous sculpt as Goldmine. The wig appears to be exactly the same as well except this one has been combed out to explosive proportions.
Aphro's well tailored and constructed shadow striped jacket came with one side (accidentally) folded back which needs to be addressed with a steam iron.

The boots came in a cellophane bag. I don't know who decided to make the ties so short. It was definitely an exercise in patience and dexterity to get them on, get the laces tied and keep the tongue inside the boot at the same time.
The semi sheer and metallic silver sleeveless blouse is very pretty with it's jabot. I would have liked a mini skirt instead of the same black shorts which appear to be leftovers from Eclectic's ensemble. I don't know why IT uses the same clothing items and wigs for successive dolls. It doesn't make sense for the collector to have duplicates.

What could possibly be inside the heads of the AG dolls which keeps normal length earring posts from being inserted? I have added a wire cutter to my doll work table! One must cut at least 1/2 of the post off in order for them to go all the way in. It's not a big deal but if you don't know, you might spend a good deal of time trying to insert an earring and wind up with an enlarged earring hole, a broken earring or both. Aphrodisiac is not a doll for the tame of heart. Her facial screening is right off the runway. She is very beautiful and fabulous for a while, but for long-term dolly fun, she needs to be toned down.

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I have one nude Aphrodisiac for sale for $200 plus shipping. You get the extra hands and extra feet, stand, paperwork and box in shipper.

Picture of the Week Award ~ April 13, 2009

The lengths a die hard collector will go to are endless. Witness this organizer filled with Barbie sized shoes classified by color. Can your doll ever have enough shoes? Apparently this collector thinks not.

Photographer: Jenn in Florida

In Your Easter Bonnet

 

 

2009 Silkstones (So Far) & Marilyn Monroe Dolls

Debut™ Barbie® Doll 2009 Gold Label™ Collection

This is a big, big year for Mattel and it's Barbie line. Barbie's 50th birthday was celebrated in a huge way at Fashion Week, in Bloomingdales and on-line with a great deal of promotional advertising. I don't consider myself a Barbie doll collector but I've been known to buy Silkstones on a fairly regular basis usually as a result of impulse in response to pretty pictures. (I know I'm not alone.)
I pre-ordered the Caucasian Debut Barbie without hesitation. She looked great. My one word bottom line review for her is 'meh.' She's too Caucasian in person. The entire area above her eyes is too broad and empty looking. The AA one is prettier. And the brunette from the Paris Doll Festival is very lovely. The things that look like sequins on her bathing suit are actually tiny pieces of glittery stuff that comes off on your hands and everything else.
She's not awful but on a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (perfect), she ranks a 5.5.
But I couldn't NOT buy her because of the repro-look. She won't be voted off the island immediately.

The best of both worlds — vintage and modern — come together to celebrate Barbie® doll’s 50th anniversary! Robert Best has created an amazing interpretation of the original Barbie® doll from 1959, with a Silkstone® twist, of course! From the chic upswept ponytail to the sparkly black and white bathing suit to all the sensational accessories, this glamour girl will set tongues wagging. Gorg-eous! Designed by Robert Best.

AA Photo from BC Site
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Gal On The Go™ Barbie® Doll 2009 Gold Label™ Collection Barbie Fan Club Exclusive

Gal on The Go is the first of a series of Club Dolls being offered this year. She has a very pretty face and I like her short curly hair style. The quality is very good on this gal and the colors of the outfit and her screening are excellent with eachother. I give her an 8.

All work and no style play is not an option for today's woman as the office meets the runway. Gal On The Go™ Barbie® Doll wears an inspired take on 1960's fabulous Busy Gal™ ensemble. Recreated by Robert Best, this exquisite doll and fashion perfectly celebrate Barbie® doll's 50th anniversary.

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Southern Belle Barbie® Doll 2009

This lovely doll is called Southern Belle and is now my second all time favorite Silkstone after Provencale. I am thrilled with her delicate facial screening and beautiful hair. Her dress is nicely constructed and the heels on the shoes are not bent and curved like so many. Happily she does not come with a bent elbow left arm as shown in the promotional photos. This doll has my highest recommendation of the three. I'm giving her a rating of 10!

The “Since 1959” Collection commemorates famed vintage Barbie® fashions, re-invented for a new era! Gentle, ladylike, and oh-so-romantic, Barbie® doll looks lovely in a chic modern take on vintage fashion Plantation Belle™. A pale pink dress accented with delicate lace compliments the doll’s auburn bob and sophisticated face paint.

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The club rebate this quarter is $30. instead of $20. That's a nice surprise perk for club members. I was going to dive right in and get the new Marilyn Monroe doll who looks fantastic. But I decided to wait instead for the next club doll.

Barbie® Doll as Marilyn Monroe™ 2009 Pink Label™ Collection

This doll begins a new collection called The Blonde Ambition Collection which also includes an adorable Goldie Hawn doll. It is not the first time Mattel is reproducing the actress. In 1997 three Barbie dolls were released which portrayed Marilyn wearing some of her most famous fashions in "Barbie as Marilyn." The series consisted of two dolls from the movie "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" and one from "The Seven Year Itch."
In 2002, Mattel released two dolls whose features are intended to portray Marilyn Monroe herself, in "Timeless Treasures Marilyn" One was a sad replica of the Happy Birthday gown and the other was a fashion from "How to Marry A Millionaire." It came with a second fashion.
There are other companies who have put out Marilyn Monroe dolls and if you are interested you might want to search them out on the web. I have made the names into links to websites that either feature, sell or discuss Marilyn Monroe dolls.
They are Tristar, World Doll, DSI, Franklin Mint and Madame Alexander. And then there is always eBay on which a search for Marilyn Monroe doll returned 189 results.

Two new Marilyn dolls due to arrive in July of this year are from Madame Alexander. One uses the 10" Cissettte body and is called Marilyn Monroe Collection Seven Year Itch. LE 350. I have a fondness for the general high quality of MA dolls. These little Cissette dolls are delightful and this one will find her way into my collection. I don't know if she has sleep eyes or if they are painted. But she's a cutie in the iconic white dress whose hem is wired so it looks like the wind is blowing it upwards. She's got her trademark beauty spot on her cheek. Adorable! We're looking at a Pre Order price in the $110 range.

The second Marilyn from Madame Alexander uses the 16" Alex body. This doll oozes glamour and is absolutely gorgeous dripping in 'diamonds.' She is called Marilyn Monroe Collection Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. LE 350. Pre Order price is about $145.
I want her!

Picture of the Week Award ~ April 5, 2009

Magda

This week's award goes to Dan Lee. Dan is a multi-talented doll artist who re-roots, re-paints and sews! Yes, he does it all and he does it good! This image attracted me immediately for it's composition, color and the soft focus.

You can see more of Dan's fabulous work at his website "Wide Eyed Girls" http://www.wideeyedgirls.com/

When "HandSpeak" Systems Go Wrong (Just for fun)

The Rudette wishes to be petted and is not sure what to do.
Couldn't resist.
Goldmine is wearing a Sybarite wig and a rhinestone bra and bikini bottom from Facets.

Picture of the Week Award (March 29, 2009)

A new weekly feature on my blog is to showcase a photo from another doll collector which I think is special. Browsing on Prego, I found the following photo taken by Vicky in Hawaii. I've never seen dolls pictured taking their own photo. It's clever and so well done. The composition and lighting are excellent! The dolls are Tonner's Jac and Sean.

Congratulations, Vicky!

Poem: A Doll Pays Her Own Way

Written by Canadian author and miniaturist, Diana Wieler. Diana is 1/2 of the talented La Boutique and Purse of the Month team along with sister, Janet Ellis.

I take back everything I said about this doll and her lips.

 

The transformation is complete.

New Paper Doll Book from Mel Odom

Mel has been a busy guy. Members of the Integrity Gene Club got "Mel Mail" today and one of his announcements was about his new paper doll book coming out in August.

Here's the description from the manufacturer's site:

Lavishly illustrated in Jim Howard's beautifully artistic style, "Gene and her Friends" features 5 dolls and 8 pages of stylish outfits based on the popular fashion dolls created by Mel Odom. The beautiful Gene doll is joined by chic villainess Madra Lord, Gene's leading man Trent Osborn, her fashionable best friend Ivy (Vee J.) Jordan, and the sultry Violet Waters.This fabulous authorized edition will be available in August 2009. Advance orders are welcome.

There is another paper doll book by Mel on that same site.

This one was illustrated by Marilyn Henry with actual outfits belonging to Gene. Manufacturer: B. Shackman.

http://www.paperdollreview.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=457
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Mel also told us about a teddy bear makeover design contest he has entered.
You can find his entry here: http://www.tedde.com/store/index.php?main_page=wordpress
The name of his bear is "Lovey-Glovey." The winner will have his entry manufactured.

Vote for him!

"Aerodynamic Vanessa" and "Heat Seeker Natalia"

"Aerodynamic" and "Heat Seeker" are two of the four new basic Fashion Royalty dolls for this season. They arrived yesterday and had their photo shoot. I have not liked the new Natalia dolls until this one. Perhaps it's the simple styling of her hair. She's a keeper.

As for Vanessa, if she's going to sport black lips, she needs the rest of the look to go along with it.

According to Kamola Navo www.thefashiontime.com (August, 2008)
"Black lips, reminiscent of the dark 90s, emerged at the YSL, Giles, and Luella Fall/Winter ‘09 fashion shows. Black lipstick showcases the magic power of decadent Goth aesthetics, along with the potential to be elegant and sophisticated, when applied correctly.

The general opinion of bloggers is that black lipstick is for Halloween or the runway. Maybe Vanessa will keep her black lips, for now, and get a suitably fashionable hairstyle to go along with the look.

_____________

There are two quality control issues with the dolls. I have brought this up previously and apparently it is not being addressed. The heels of the boots are too high and the doll cannot stand straight when the heel and sole are placed on a horizontal surface. What is so difficult about making heels the correct height? People do not walk around with their knees bent. The boots could have been the coolest part of the basic fashions on these dolls.
Be careful not to pull too tightly as the laces will tear their way right through the boots as there are no grommets. You can see the holes beginning to tear and this was the first time I put them on. They will not last long at this rate.

The hairline rooting pattern is uneven at the forehead. Each of the four dolls has the problem to a greater or lesser degree.

Retail price $79. Available at all Integrity dealers who carry Fashion Royalty.

"The Jazz Age" Josephine Baker Gift Set by Jason Wu

The Thrill is Gone

On March 17, the new Josephine Baker gift set went on sale at FAO Schwarz. Ordering was a breeze and my doll arrived two days later via UPS. The outer box went through the required box kicker-compressor at the UPS warehouse but the inner box containing the gift set was in perfect condition.

I love the window boxes of this line of dolls. This one was so well protected it had a separate sheet of vinyl outside and inside adhering to the window! Impressive.

Deboxing went well. There were no problems caused by packaging. The fashions were in great condition except for a few creases in the tuxedo which I improved with the careful use of my trusty Rowenta. I was not able to completely remove the creases in the lapels of the jacket.

Josephine comes dressed in her robe with nothing underneath. That was a little odd. Several people received dolls whose bare chest greeted them through the box window. I don't suppose FAO will be displaying one of those.

Using my wigged Via Venetto to model the gown and The Muse to model the tuxedo, I was able to have a photo session with all the fashions at one time. The gown and wrap are made well and fit well and that's it. Nothing outstanding or new there.

Dressing The Muse was an event in itself. The shirt goes on easily and has a crotch elastic to hold it down.

The vest fits oddly. On both of those items the hooks show and look bad. I taped the wrists and fingers of the doll prior to putting on the jacket. It is a tight, skimpy fit and the dolls arm movements are somewhat inhibited. The pants and shoes fit great and the hat just sits on her head. Strangely enough there are socks included. I didn't even bother. The bow tie has to be pulled over the doll's head. That was a mistake. The elastic is tight enough to ruin the hairstyle and/or eyelashes while being put on. I chose earrings from my stash to complete the look.

There are two pairs of shoes, earrings and a choker and no other accessories besides the black socks and panty hose. I would have liked a dancing stick for the tuxedo.

And now for the bad news.

This is Josephine right out of the box and no, she does not have a hair net on. She doesn't come with a hair net at all. Apparently it has become part of her hair. There are dried clumps of something, residue on her face and short strands of hair sticking out all over the place. In general this is disgusting. This was not supposed to happen any more.

After my first experience with banana dance Josephine (pictured below), I hesitated to purchase the others because I was so turned off.

As you can see from the photos, there is an indent on both sides of her mouth extending back to the jawline. In addition, so much hair glue was used that it is visible on the skin of the forehead and around the curls. It is on the eyelashes. What appears as dust on her eyelashes and in the eye area in general is actually production debris which apparently got stuck to the glue used on the hair.

I was asked by Mark Tewfik, the "Patient Care" rep at IT to return the doll because it had multiple problems and they wanted to show it to the factory.

The problems have not been solved. I wonder if they've been addressed. My 2008 convention Tatyana had the embedded hairnet syndrome. Paris J'Adore Tatyana had her side curls glued to her cheeks with a visible residue and the similarly styled hair on the Mood Veroniques was horrible.

We have had many Fashion Royalty dolls over the past few years who had forehead curls and fancy updos. This problem did not exist. Going backwards in time and to name just a few:
Agnes Von Weiss - The Royal Weiss; Vanessa Perrin - True Royalty; Véronique Perrin - Gliteratti; Vanessa Perrin- Intoxicating Mix; Véronique Perrin - Foreign Affair; Véronique Perrin - Rare Creature; Adèle Makeda - Lustrous Silhouette.
...............
My recommendation:
If you like Josephine Baker and you manage to get a doll without the hair problems, then the gift set is a decent buy. The price is much better than any gift set sold in the last few years. I was able to get 20% off as a result of the Barbie celebration. Right now there is free shipping being offered.
Here is the blurb from the FAO site:
"For the second installment in their Hollywood Royalty line, Integrity Toys is proud to present Jason Wu's vision of true renaissance woman, human rights pioneer and stage artist extraordinaire, Josephine Baker. Ready to delight her adoring fans, Josephine Baker comes to you with everything she needs to make a lasting impression. This FAO Schwarz exclusive doll gift set includes a robe, gala gown, tuxedo, shoes and accessories. Limited edition of 300 sets."
Retail price $160.
http://www.fao.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=14993

Follow Up:
I have been told that I will get a free replacement head. It will be ordered from the factory in China and will take time to get here.

There can be humor in patriotism.

This photograph appears in this week's New Yorker Magazine side by side with a brief article about Michelle Obama's preference to go sleeveless. The two gentlemen in the image are Thakoon Panichgul, left, and Jason Wu on the right. The First Lady has chosen fashions designed by both of these men. If you don't know, Jason Wu is also the designer/creator of the Fashion Royalty doll, AvantGuard, Valia and several other Integrity Toy doll lines. He created dolls in the likeness of the First Lady of Drag, RuPaul and transsexual Amanda Lepore. Mrs. Obama wore a gown designed by Jason in which to attend the inaugural balls.

I saw the image prior to getting the print article as another collector posted it on one of the doll boards. I liked it immediately. I see the symbolism of being protected by the flag and holding it dear. Jason is holding the flag to his heart. This photograph is tame by Jason's standards.

Two other collectors were completely offended by the use of the flag. They felt it was disrespectful in every way. I don't see a speck of disrespect at all. I see two great-looking young men posed with a big beautiful, if somewhat old, flag. There's humor in patriotism here. I suppose that the nuanced emotions are too hard for many to understand. No attack against the USA was intended at all.

If you want to be offended, here's your chance:

How about this "Casey Anthony Barbie" being offered for sale on Craig's list?

I don't know the story behind this but there appears to be a great deal of controversy surrounding the entire thing. Since the dress closes with velcro, it's just as crappy as most Mattel items. ;-). Too bad someone ruined a perfectly good flag.

I just spent the last 30 minutes searching images of flag wearing or abusive behavior. Three offensive images were of non-Americans burning the flag with glee. One was a group of American protestors holding the flag upsidedown. I also found these adorable photos among many more beautiful others.

It is part of being a doll collector to read and deal with the opinions of others on topics other than doll collecting. Do you know what an A.F.G.O. is?

If you see this doll for sale, please let me know.

I'm searching for this Vogue Vintage Reproduction Ginny Beryl doll. Manufactured in 2007. Edition of 350. Shouldn't be too hard to find but all I can find are the AA ones. I have been searching everywhere!!!!
Maybe someone out there has one. You can email me by clicking on the little envelope under each post.

Update on August 5, 2009: Found her and she's mine! It was worth the wait.

Is it really the economy?

 All the images from this post have been temporarily removed - in truth, they have disappeared and left nothing but black boxes.

So I was trolling the doll sellers web sites yesterday and checking to see what, if anything from this season's Integrity 12" doll lines, is sold out. That would be NOTHING. I have never seen this before. There have been a couple of the basic Fashion Royalty dolls in the past few years that weren't very popular and more than a few separate outfits but to have dressed dolls still available at every single retailer? Never. I'm not talking about the play line dolls here.

On the other hand, the 16" AvantGuards are completely sold out everywhere. Several of the Gene dressed dolls are also sold out, although if one looks hard enough, there are still some of each around. Last season's Gene dolls went on sale weeks ago at Marlbe and Mary T has been listing her leftovers on eBay for even less than Marlbe!

I find myself looking at the upcoming Fashion Royalty dolls to see if I missed something! I am not excited about anything I have ordered except for the AvantGuards. I did order two of the basic FR dolls, the Daria in red and Reluctant Debutante Poppy.

If it's not the economy, could it be the doll choices themselves? The Fashion Royalty, Nu.Face and Poppy Parker lines seem uninspired. They are just average in fashion and styling. The Nu.Face fashions are downright sloppy-looking. (I've been corrected. It's trendy, not sloppy. LOL)

There is a lot of black, white and red. Hmmm.

........................

And, what about Valia?

Do my eyes deceive me or is she wearing black, white and red, too?

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If this isn't enough for you, why not get this creature? She is called the Traveler Innoquii. The weirder you spell the name of a doll, the more haute...? Trendy? If you like dolls that have tattoos consisting of a compass, passport stamps and an "erogenous flight path" and one huge black eye, then this gal is for you. Run right over to the Haute Doll site as this is an exclusive from Superfrock. There are only 300 of them at $380. each for subscribers or $400. for non-subscribers. Lucky for you, she is still in stock.

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Not to be outdone, Robert Tonner also has used black and white this season. Happily it's not his theme. The following are from the Joan Crawford line:

Above is a dresssed doll called Classic Portrait. LE 500 Retail Price $179.99 No, I'm not kidding.

This is a dressed doll called Hollywood Starlet. LE 1000 Her retail price is $189.99. Both Crawford dolls are available for less at the major doll dealers such as Cherished Friends who has them in stock for $153. and $152. respectively.

Finally, in this strange blog post which has become all about black, white and red doll fashions, we have another new Tonner fashion. This one is from the Bette Davis line and is called "Spotted By The Press." This is just an outfit which is LE 300 and retails for $89.99. It's cute but it's way to close in styling to the Joan Crawford outfit, "Publicity Shoot." It is not yet available but if you want to be the first on your block to have one, you can pre-order it at Cherished Friends for $76.00.

Today's lesson: never pay retail. That was yesterday's lesson, too; I just wanted to see if you were paying attention.

Marg Matsui of MFD ~ My Favorite Barbie Collector

On the occasion of Barbie's 50th Anniversary, Marg Matsui of My Favourite Doll in Mississauga, Ontario, was interviewed by Canadian media outlets and here are the filmed results.

http://www.topvsbottom.com/barbie/mfd4.wmv

I Don't Care If It Is Her Birthday

Happy Birthday, Barbie. I want my cake now!

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. ;-)
-------
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.