5/30/2014

Italian Doll Convention in Milan Begins Saturday

I'd love to return to Milan one day. This year will not see that happen for me. However, many lucky collectors are on their way or already have arrived in Milan for the Italian Doll Convention which begins tomorrow. We're seeing many photos on Facebook of schedules and arrivals.

One photo from the Superdoll site (not there any longer) shows a new doll called Londra with a gorgeous set of gold luggage standing in Milan at an elegant and fashionable shopping area called Via Montenapoleone. 

It's a wonderful photo. Here's a close-up. I'm not a fan of the ginormous lips but I adore her fashion.

Londra on Instagram
BTW
The gorgeous OOAK Superdoll created for the IDC charity auction sold for €3,970 (Euros.) That translates to $5,414.58 US Dollars. Izzy was the winner.

Sybarite Cardice OOAK

It Begins: Repaint of Carmen Dell'Orefice Doll by Freddy Ramirez

This is the first full repaint I've seen of Tonner's new Carmen doll.


Freddy Ramirez is spot-on in this repaint. The changes to her hair, eyebrows and eyes and particularly her lips have transformed the sculpt into an excellent representation of Carmen.


She's up for auction (nude) on eBay with a starting price of $400.
Here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/OOAK-Carmen-Dell-039-Orefice-Repaint-by-Freddy-Ramirez-/251543434145?ViewItem=&item=251543434145&nma=true&si=jnsNXixyimqTJmdNGjXK8DJvt%252F8%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557




5/28/2014

Tonner - Wilde Imagination Announcements

Tonner and Wilde Imagination have announced the upcoming Wilde Convention, "All Our Wilde Holidays." The event will be held on October 3-5, 2014 at the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown Hotel in PA.

Here is the link to register:
 https://www.regonline.com/Register/Checkin.aspx?EventId=1544593

Spend the holidays with Wilde Imagination!  We’ll celebrate them all, and in spectacular fashion.  Spreading the holiday cheer, we’ll trick or treat under the mistletoe as we ring in the New Year, lead by our Enchantress of Ennui, our Mistress of Melancholy:  Miss Ellowyne Wilde, the bright and shining star of our souvenir banquet.  There will be a jolly good sales room, spook-tacular raffles, reindeer games and more at this celebration to end all celebrations.  Spend the holidays with your family:  Wilde Imagination! 

Limited to 250 Party Goers
Cost is $349

A non-refundable deposit of $100 will hold your spot

Reserve your hotel room at the special convention rate of $159 by clicking here.
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A new archive has been created for the Imperium Park line which ended shortly after it debuted.
Click on the image to go to the archive.

http://www.wildeimagination.com/content/gone-not-forgotten-2

I don't know why they don't finish the Tyler Wentworth archive. After all, she's been around the longest and is still around. 


5/23/2014

The Carmen Dell'Orefice Doll - Review


This was a highly anticipated doll which debuted at the recent Tonner convention.
A promo blurb on the Tonner Direct website says:

Carmen Dell'Orefice

Fashion icon Carmen Dell’Orefice is the longest working super model in the business, honored in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest career as a catwalk model.  Carmen has graced the cover of Vogue Magazine, walked the runway for all the greats and has been a staple in the fashion community for 70 years.  Now, Carmen again makes history as the inspiration for the FIRST EVER fashion doll representing mature beauty.


 I am quite the fan of Carmen and I had a proxy get the doll for me. I also received a personalized, signed photo.

The doll's fashion is sophisticated and stylish. The dress is a knit sleeveless sheath with a bat winged, cropped bolero trimmed in faux fur.  Very pretty necklace and plain rhinestone studs.

There is only a faint resemblance to Carmen. The nose is not narrow enough and looks too natural whereas Carmen's nose looks like a nose job. (It is.) The eyebrows come down too far in the middle.  And I think the head is too wide. It's a combination of small things that add up to a doll who doesn't look like the model.  I would like to have seen a more intense makeup palette on the doll as Carmen wears plenty of makeup.

Nice satin platform heels. Platinum hair tied back with a satin bow. 
The quality of the doll is very good. The only issue is that the size of the bust on the dress is too small thereby causing the snap area at the back to pull and gap. Happily I do not pose my dolls backwards.

I believe the fashion was inspired by this runway ensemble.





The line will continue and I'm anticipating more glamour. Perhaps we'll see fashions like these:




I want to see some wild hair framing that gorgeous face.

What do you think of this doll?

5/21/2014

Maleficent Doll Transformed by Noel Cruz

Noel Cruz, master doll re-painter, has created a doll that looks just like actress Angelina Jolie who stars in the Disney movie Maleficent. He used a Jakks Pacific Maleficent doll to work his magic.

When I first saw this picture, I thought it was a still from the movie.

The doll is on eBay and the bids are up to $1,525. already. Perhaps Angelina herself is bidding on it.



Link to auction:

OOAK Angelina Jolie as Disney's Maleficent - custom doll repaint by Noel Cruz

5/19/2014

New Fashion Royalty, Poppy Parker and Tulabelle Dolls

Integrity Toys revealed its new dolls to the members of the W Club last Saturday. The categories were Fashion Royalty, Poppy Parker, Tulabelle and Jem.

The Fashion Royalty theme is Urban Safari.
From left to right they are:


On The Rise Elise Jolie, 
Vivid Encounter Adele Makeda, 
Elusive Creature Natalia Fatale, 
Faded Desert Kyori Sato,  
City Prowl Eugenia Perrin Frost and
Full Spectrum Veronique Perrin

All the dolls are editions of 700 or 800 each except Adele which is an edition of only 400. Each doll's retail price is $135., a bit of a hike from last year's FR dolls. These have the FR2 version 2 body. 

Overall, this group of dolls is nice. There's nothing spectacular or new to write home about. The designer stayed close to the chosen theme in most cases and the clothes are pretty tame. My own favorites are Elise and Adele. I love anything Elise as I used to love Vanessa. However, the fashion looks very familiar to ones IT has done in the past. My other favorite is Adele but only for the outfit. I don't know why they think that Adele looks good in washed out lipstick. She doesn't. I love the outfit and the jewelry and I hope that the color of the actual lining isn't too off in real life. Also, they never should have changed her sculpt. She was beautiful.



The last doll is the event doll available to any W Club member who wishes to pre-order. The edition size in this circumstance will be determined by those who sign up to buy her. She is  High Visibility Agnes Von Weiss. It is a mini gift set as she comes with two fashions. She, too, retails for $135. but will not be available to the public.
Agnes' fashion leaves me cold. The cropped vest over the bustier is fussy and awkward and probably too bulky for the doll to wear. The long skirt is just like another early FR outfit. But Agnes is a very popular sculpt so many will order her.
I like Veronique's outfit a lot but it's not worth $135. I would not keep the doll as this is not Veronique to me.
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The Poppy Parker line gains four new characters, not all with new sculpts. The theme is the Girl From I.N.T.E.G.R.I.T.Y. Apparently they are crime fighters (or murderers) as all come with color coordinated weapons. Seriously?

Sebina Havoc: Mistress of Disguise aka Loni Lawrence joins the line. She is pictured on the right, above. This doll comes with an extra head with the Poppy Parker sculpt.



The new guy is Sebastien Havoc: Brother in Arms aka Lex Lawrence. He's a bad guy and Sebina's brother.

The third new character is Agent Kimiko Gunn aka Tina Tanaka. This doll uses the original Ayumi sculpt.

Colette returns as Agent Penelope Chase aka Jolie James. All these 'forgotten' sculpts are making comebacks.





Four others, above are from left to right: Agent Lotta Danger,  Spy-A-Go-Go,  Arm Candy Chip Farnsworth III and Mayhem in Monte Carlo Poppy Parker.


The dolls and their outfits are cutesy. The entire Poppy Parker line is on the comical side of tongue in cheek. They need to be careful not to turn them into action figures as opposed to fashion dolls. The price of each doll in this line is $120. That's a huge increase over last year's prices. Perhaps it's the tiny guns.

I like Arm Candy's suit a lot. It's a very gay James Bond look. I just don't care for Chip's sculpt. I'm wondering if Lex Lawrence is a combination of features seen previously. He's got very strange eyes.

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There are four new Tulabelle dolls. Each is an edition of 300 and costs $140. Tula's clothes will fit the Avantguard doll. I don't have any FR16 dolls but the clothes are very similar in size.



Click on any of the photos to see larger size versions.

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Jem and the Holograms
The Jem line dolls are action figures to me. They wear costumes, not fashion.
To each his own. 
Each doll is $125.


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What is your opinion of the offerings?

Did you pre-order anything?

Please include your name in your posts...if you dare. :-)