9/13/2010

Has Gaga lost her sausages?

It was Fashion Week after all but I don't think we'll ever encounter this on the runway or on a doll although it would be pretty funny. A little minute steak, some heavy white thread, lots of rhinestone jewelry and voila! You have made a fashion statement and stinky doll. It would be a great doll for the Fashion Royalty travel doll competition. Dark Romance? Vampire meat lover?

One of Lady Gaga's costumes for last nights MTV awards was a dress made from raw meat. It was accessorized by a hat, purse and shoes made from meat as well. It looked quite fresh, too.

Writer Sharon Clott posted this comparison between Lady Gaga and a painting by Mark Ryden called Incarnation.
Has Gaga lost her sausages?

For more of Clott's article and pictures of other MTV fashion, click here.

9/12/2010

Picture of the Week ~ Wilco Vreeburg

Our featured photo today was created by Wilco Vreeburg also known as Wilco in Holland or Wilco in the Netherlands on the doll boards. Wilco posts mainly on Prego, The Studio Commissary, ICOG and the Yahoo Avantguard groups.

His picture is of the Avantguard "No Exaggeration." No changes have been made to the doll - as they say on Prego, "she is factory."


She has a very 80's look with the short flippy style Monique wig and the saturated make-up palette. Her coat is Tonner's 2004 "Ashleigh" and the sweater is also a Tonner product from the 2003 Tyler "Suitably Pink" doll.

I asked Wilco to describe his set-up and camera. Here is his response in excellent English.

"I used a big board and a white fabric to make a set-up directed into [facing] the natural light of the windows."  Only natural light was used.  "I use an Olympus C-8080 Wide Zoom."

His suggestions regarding doll photography is to let one's own taste and creativity reflect in your pictures. "If you don't have a studio or lighting like me...make sure you  use natural daylight."

In my opinion, Wilco nailed the 80's look superbly. This image is one that might have been on the pages of a fashion magazine of that era. She also reminds me of the character from the series Dallas, Sue Ellen Ewing, played by American actress, Linda Gray. That show ran from 1978 through 1991.
Linda Ann Gray

Thanks to Wilco for allowing me to feature his photo! Great work.

9/10/2010

Temporary Problems at Tonner and Effanbee Web Sites

There has been an attack virus (malware) installed on both the Tonner Doll Company and Effanbee websites.
Tonner has sent out a message informing collectors that they are working on this problem. Some joker blamed Mattel. Of course that was just a joke but this kind of activity is very frightening and happening more and more.
This is the warning I got when I went to the main Tonner website:

If that's not enough to scare the doll out of me, I don't know what would!
When arriving at the Effanbee site I don't get the same warning but the site is blocked with another warning:

Warning - visiting this web site may harm your computer!

A very interesting and informative page about this warning is posted by Google. If you are interested in learning more about malicious software, safe browsing and the warning, click here.

Tonner has informed us that Tonner Direct is NOT affected by the malware.

Not Doll Related BUT It's Jason Wu!

On the Bergdorf Goodman website there is a short video in which Jason answers five questions.


Did you get your Jason Wu Poppy?