The Fashion Doll Chronicles: October 2013

Monday, October 28, 2013

Take The Picture! - Jo Stockton in Funny Face doll by Integrity Toys

The Funny Face collection is one of the best doll ensembles that Integrity Toys (or any doll company for that matter) has ever released. Each and every doll in it stands out, portraying one of the characters of the film with one ore more ensembles to evoke certain film moment. Arguably, the most iconic scene in the film is the one where Audrey Hepburn is being photographed as Jo Stockton by Fred Astaire as Dick Avery (Dick Avedon of course) as she descends the Louvre stairs beneath the statue of the Nike (Winged Victory) of Samothrace. While she does that, she's shouting to him, "Take the picture!" as she's on the move, stepping down, waving her muslin shawl above her, in an effort to mimic the statue's pose. This is the moment that the "Take The Picture!" doll represents. And it does so perfectly.

I tried to re-create the scene by printing a retouched photograph of it (the retouching involved removing Audrey from it). Then strings, lighting and a feeble wind machine (a small heater actually with the temperature set to zero) came to the rescue. Wish I had a proper fan to blow that shawl properly.

The doll is amazing. As mentioned at the presentation, she uses the Poppy Parker body, but it is the one used for the Breakfast At Tiffany's dolls: this means no ankle joint. The foot is made for kitten heels, which absolutely fits the film and Audrey's outfits. It also offers a better looking result. I know this is not to everyone's liking but for this doll, in my opinion, works best.

The dress is a faithful recreation of the costume from the film, with the small neat bows on the top and bottom, the slit at the back and the two panels that form trains behind. The shawl is here of course, as are the gloves (elbow length), which are slightly better than the usual mitten-type ones (and get even better with some water sculpting) and kitten heel red fabric shoes. The quality of craftsmanship is very high.

The doll has the original iconic Vanessa Perrin sculpt, used here to perfection. She also reminds me a lot of Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary from Downton Abbey, much like the Let's Kiss And Make Up doll does (with the Vanessa 2.0 sculpt). Not a bad thing at all. She also has an extra pair of hands. Her face paint is gorgeous, in two shades of brown and full red lips. Her hair is neatly gathered into a chignon at the back, with a side part at the front and her long bangs swept to the side over her forehead.

The most impressive of her accessories is of course her necklace. It is intricately made, with lots of different colour and size stones set in it. It proves that when Integrity wants to, it can make marvels. A pair of earrings with two stones each (white and red) finishes off the set. Below is a photograph of the necklace with the top of the dress pulled down to show it off in its entire length.

Monday, October 21, 2013

Emiliacouture - creativity in new heights

Emiliacouture is run by the extraordinary talented Emilia Nieminen. She began with creating fashions for dolls but she kept on trying to create her own doll, one to match her own aesthetic. She has the Inamorata dolls, who have a ball-jointed body (BJD) and are 16" tall, made of polyurethane resin and have 21 points of articulation. They have two sculpts up to now, Miao and Nnaji, who share six different skin tones. She releases limited editions of dolls and fashions every now and then, which all sell out almost immediately. She also does one-of-a-kind commissions.

The Vertebrata fashion is extraordinary and is a dress that Tierry Mygler would kill to have in one of his collections - even though it is somewhere between Mygler and something Alexander McQueen would make. There were two colour variants: Dust in a Limited Edition of 20 and Nude (already sold out) in a limited edition of 10, each at US $199.

Dust is a 2-tone cross weave silk of powder pink and black making the fabric an elegant dusty grey with a mauve hue. The Dust silk is coarse dupioni with a raw feel to it and the trail of the gown is a matching colour soft netting. The Nude is a luxurious silk satin in toned down shade of pale powder beige. The trail of the gown is a matching colour soft netting with golden hue.

The colour variation share accessories in beige leatherette: three strap pumps with golden edgy spine heels and a clutch with metal corners. Amazing detail and design.

The focal points of the Vertebrata gowns are the metal ornaments on the shoulders and a pale gold spine snaking down the naked back. The detail is incredible and looks extremely well made and thought. The Vertebrata also fits Numina Devon and Ajuma.

The Cherub is a new doll from Emiliacouture. She has the Inamorata Nnaji sculpt in Chocolate skin tone and comes with flocked hair and basic lingerie. She wears a strapless under-wire bra in intricate white lace and matching panties. Her shoes are white leatherette between toe sandals featuring the Art Nouveau serpent heels in glossy black.

According to her angelic origins Cherub wears a gold leatherette harness with a pair of metal wings. Cherub has brown eyes with with a gentle expression with subtle amusement. Her make up has a black cat's eye eye-liner, warm brown hues on her top lid and smoky hue eye shadow below the eyes, and coffee coloured lips parted to reveal upper teeth. Her applied lashes are medium length and nail polish is coffee black.

The flock hair is great with traditional wigs as it gives a good grip to hold the wig firmly in place. However, this means she cannot share Inamorata size hard cap wigs. If you want to wash the flock off email Emilia for a safe tutorial. She also had 2 Cherubs bald.

The doll is a limited edition of 20 and costs US $475. She is sold out. And how could she not be? Emilia's dolls and fashions are of exquisite quality and a particular aesthetic that makes certain of their popularity. Just like my favourite fashion of hers, on the Mirrorball OOAK doll below, who received a DOLLS Industry Award of Excellence at IDEX 2013 - well done Emilia!

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Marshalka's Dolls blog interviewed me!

It is always a pleasure to be interviewed about my doll and doll blog, an even greater one when the request comes from another doll blogger/collector. Magdalena has the Marshalka's Dolls blog, we have a great friendship on-line so I was really happy to oblige to her request and talk about my collection on her blog. Read the post here. Thank you Magdalena!

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Beauty and The Beast with a twist - as Nu Fantasy characters by Integrity Toys

Today a new pair of Nu Fantasy dolls are available at all Integrity Toys dealers. As before, with the Hansel & Gretel pair, the company releases a famous fairy-tale duo, re-done to match the modern fashion aesthetics of the Nu Face line. This amalgamation of characteristics is always the strong element of the Nu Fantasy line. This time around it is Beauty and The Beast that gets the treatment, but with a catch: Beauty is the male character here, with Beast being a sizzling-hot lady.

Item # 75009
Beauty
The Nu.Fantasy™ Collection
Limited Edition of 800 Dolls
Suggested Retail Price: $125.00 USD
Estimated Ship Date: Approximately the Week of November 20th, 2013

Doll Tech Specs:
Body Type: FR: Homme (12.5 inch)
Quick Switch Feature: No
Skin Tone: Japan
Hair Color: Dark Brown
Eyelashes: No
Package Dimensions: 9" X 15" X 3"

Beauty is male and who better to embody this than the ever popular Lukas Maverick sculpt. The doll wears a multi-layered look that consists of a tailored, long evening coat over a matching fashionable shirt and vest combination. His hair is coiffed in the latest hip style popular with fashionistas and his face reminds me a bit of Ringmaster Lukas - it must be the blue eyes. If you hurry, you might be able to pick the last one, he's THAT popular.

Item # 75010
Beast
The Nu.Fantasy™ Collection
Limited Edition of 800 Dolls
Suggested Retail Price: $125.00 USD
Estimated Ship Date: Approximately the Week of November 20th, 2013

Doll Tech Specs:
Body Type: FR2 2.0 (12 inch)
Quick Switch Feature: No
Skin Tone: FR White (Caucasian)
Hair Color: Light Brown with Golden Highlights
Eyelashes: Yes, Hand Applied
Package Dimensions: 9" X 15" X 3"

In a great twist, Beast is a woman! A fashion beast that roams the forest of haute couture, LOL. This doll features the sculpt of the Pizzazz character from the Jem & The Holograms line of dolls, making its début in the Nu.Fantasy collection. It was not mentioned officially in the Integrity W Club newsletter (probably for copyright issues) but was later confirmed. She is dressed in black "leather" pants, a red bustier with a long layered skirt and knee high boots.

The dolls are sold separately but many dealers chose to sell them as a pair, to avoid having left-over Beast dolls, as Lukas is the sure-fire hit of this lot. Beast looks great though and I suspect once she changes into a tailored suit, she will break many hearts. And she has the new FR2 body which will be the norm for the former FR and FR2 characters from now on. Is this the first time a Nu Fantasy doll does not have the Nu Face body?

**Please note that the photos are of prototype dolls and subject to changes and modifications. Dolls are sold separately. All photos and information contained herein is copyrighted Integrity Toys, Inc. and Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC 2013 and may not be reprinted or disseminated without express written permission.**

Friday, October 4, 2013

The glamour of Dollchic

DollChic is the new project of the Moscow fashion-photographers art duo LePer and Dolls author Peter Tishkov. The DollChic doll is a BJD polyurethane Fashion Doll at ¼ scale, with a height of 16,5”. The dolls have 19 points of articulation, including double joints at the elbows and knees.

The dolls are cast in the Russian workshop Stardolls, in Moscow. The concept of the project is the embodiment of true femininity in all its forms. All the joints were thought out in terms of the idealization of a woman's shape and body aesthetics. Also the dolls are meant to achieve a perfectly fixed posture.

The production of DollChic has three categories: Basic, Prêt-a-porte, Haute Couture. At the moment the project consists of 3 molds: Leya, Uma and Teya, and 3 skin tones: Vanilla, Caramel and Chocolate. The premiere of the DollChic brand was in October 3rd of 2013 at the IX International Doll Salon on Tishinka, Russia.

Currently available to order from the DollChic website are three basic dolls (without stand, they come nude with a wig), six dressed dolls (Sweets collection, complete with double-faced outfits, stand and accessories) and also stands and shipper cases to buy separately. No solo outfits or accessories are yet for sale.

These are gorgeous dolls, basic or dressed ones. The prices are really way high ($880 for a basic nude doll with only wig, no stand, $1230 for a dressed doll) and the quantities of the dressed dolls are ten each. That means they are going to be hard to find really soon. If the quality of production is as good as the look of the dolls, they are going to be way on top on collector's lists. The only thing that bugs me: the ugly elbow joint and the weird knee joint. Those needed a bit more thinking and re-working. I'm never going to be able to afford one so it does not matter.

You can contact them at info@dollchic.com for inquiries about availability. All photos and information are courtesy and copyright of Dollchic.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Tonner Doll Fall/Holiday 2013 release - part 2: Tyler Wentworth, Precarious and Théâtre de la Mode

The Tyler Wentworth collection gets two additions, both with the same sculpt: Chase model #5, here called Shauna. There is a basic doll and a dressed one.

Warm-up Basic Shauna
T13TWBD03
LE 500
$119.99
Shipping TBA - Pre-Order Now!
Basic doll

The Chase Model#5 head sculpt is on a 16" Tyler bending wrist body with the cameo skin tone. She has brown painted eyes and flame and chestnut blended rooted saran hair. She comes in a pale pink Lycra bodysuit with a coordinating chiffon belt, nude pantyhose and matching faux leather shoes. Again a basic doll without a stand. Meh. She looks a lot like a Greek singer, Helena Paparizou (photo below).

City Tweed
T13TWDD03
LE 300
$219.99
Shipping TBA - Pre-Order Now!
Dressed doll

Look what a different face make up and wig can do! This is again the Chase Model#5 head sculpt on a 16" Tyler bending wrist body, with the Tyler skin tone. She has blue painted eyes and mink non-removable saran wigged hair. Her outfit consists of a grey/black and white tweed coat dress, with a black cotton net petticoat, black faux leather gloves, black faux leather tights, rhinestone and beads necklace and black faux leather shoes. She has a stand. This one looks like a tame Siouxsie Sioux (photo below).

Precarious Bright White Basic
T13PRBD02
LE 500
$119.99
Shipping TBA - Pre-Order Now!
Basic doll

This is the sole addition to the line. Another basic doll without a stand. The Precarious™ head sculpt is on a 16" Antoinette™ body with the cameo skin tone. She has blue painted eyes with applied eyelashes and a black removable wig of saran hair. She is wearing a white cotton knit dress, white stretch knit panties, white sunglasses and white elastic platform shoes. She looks interesting but add $10 for a stand.

Théâtre de la Mode
Elegance #93
T13RTDD04
LE 300
$249.99
Shipping TBA Pre-Order Now!
Dressed doll

Two dolls were added to the Théâtre de la Mode collection. The first one has the Gina head sculpt on a 16" Antoinette™ body with the Tyler skin tone. She has green painted eyes and chestnut rooted saran hair with faux flower decoration. She is wearing a dusty rose satin dress with faux flowers (which to me look huge for this scale, but have not seen any photos of the corresponding outfit in the original collection) which has a petticoat. She comes with white Lycra opera length gloves, a rhinestone necklace, rhinestone earrings, a rhinestone bracelet and matching satin shoes. She has nude pantyhose with attached panties and comes with a stand. Très jolie!

Théâtre de la Mode
Glamorous #75
T13RTDD05
LE 300
$229.99
Buy Now! Ships 10/25
Dressed doll

The second doll also uses the Gina head sculpt on a 16" Antoinette™ body with the Tyler skin tone. This one has also green painted eyes but sports darkest brown rooted saran hair. She is wearing a black chiffon dress with rhinestone decoration on the bodice, a black velvet hat with rhinestone decoration and veil, rhinestone earrings, nude pantyhose and black faux leather shoes. She comes with a stand.

Tonner Doll Fall/Holiday 2013 release - part 1: Cami & Jon

If the Fall preview collection from Tonner Doll Company was not very enticing regarding fashion dolls, the Fall/Holiday release is full of them. Not all the lines get new releases, and the ones that do get them have some unexpected additions. As some of the dolls were not ready even in prototype stage, the company shows a rough sketch in place of a photo - you have to be very trusting to pre-order a doll like that. In this first post of the Tonner presentation we will check out the Cami & Jon line.

Spring Frost
$209.99
Availability: Reserve yours now!
T13CJDD03
Dressed doll LE 300

The only dressed doll is of course with the Cami head sculpt, on the 16" Antoinette™ body in the Tyler skin tone. She has painted brown eyes and a platinum blonde removable saran wig. She is wearing a green/silver brocade dress with fringe trim under a green lurex twill coat with fringe sleeve cuffs and a rhinestone decoration. Her outfit comes with nude pantyhose, a multi-colour intricate beaded, rhinestone and flower hand made necklace, rhinestone earrings and matching green faux leather shoes. She comes with a stand.

I love the outfit on this one, it has a definite late 60's vibe, the colour is great and the dress looks a lot like one my mother was wearing in the very early 70's (she had one in copper and one in blue brocade). If this had a bag (one of the major Tonner cons in their fashion doll releases) it would have been a perfect outfit.

Resort Stripe Basic Cami (Blonde or Mink) / Jon / Liu Liu
$119.99
Availability: Reserve yours now!
T13CJBD06
Basic doll LE 500

Four basic dolls, two of them with Cami head sculpt, one with the Jon sculpt and one with a new Asian 1 (sic) sculpt. All have the 16" Antoinette™ body. The two Cami and the Liu Liu dolls have the bisque skin tone while Jon has the honey skin tone. The Cami dolls have painted blue eyes, Jon has light blue eyes while Liu Liu has brown eyes. As for hair colour, one Cami comes with a pale blonde removable saran wig while all the other three dolls sport mink (i.e darkest brown) wigs. They all wear versions of the same stripe stretch knit dress: the Camis in pink and white, Jon in blue and white and Liu Liu in green and white. All have white cotton knit panties, white sunglasses and white elastic platform shoes.

The dolls come without a stand, which one can buy separately from Tonner. Honestly, this sucks big time. How can a company sell dolls without their stand and at $120? And on top of that, everyone who has had some experience with the available Tonner stand, knows it sucks big time. I'd never buy it separately, it's not even worth the plastic it's made of. Let's hope they remedy this.

Of course you cannot see the mink haired Cami, she was not ready as a prototype and there's a rough sketch instead of a photo on the site. It is not even a good one. There was a dressed Cami doll included with the Fall preview so I will show here here, as I did not think it fit into my Tiny Kitty post about that release.

Soft Elegance Cami
$199.99
Availability: In Stock - Now Shipping
T13CJDD02
Dressed doll
LE 300

She has the Cami head sculpt on a 16" Antoinette™ body with the bisque skin tone. She has painted green eyes and summer blonde rooted saran hair. Her outfit is a cream chiffon dress with lace bodice overlay and ribbon belt. It has a cotton net underskirt with lace trim and a white petticoat. She comes with gold tights with attached panties and gold faux leather shoes. She has a stand.

Chelsea Chill - Outfit
T13CJOF05
LE 300
$99.99
Shipping TBA Pre-Order Now

The first outfit for Cami & Jon on the Fall/Holiday release, it also fits Antoinette™ dolls. It consists of a black stretch knit bodysuit, under a black and white stretch knit skirt, a fuchsia coat with black buttons and black faux leather shoes. In the photo the doll is the Resort Stripe Basic Cami (does not come with the outfit).

Summer Lace - Outfit
T13CJOF07
LE 300
$99.99
Buy Now - Ships 10/25

This is an off-white embroidered chiffon lace dress with a matching off-white taffeta hat with sequinned trim and feathers. It comes with a pair of faux pearl beaded earrings and matching faux leather shoes. Easily the best of the bunch except for the hat, which is a mess. Again, a clutch would have made this so much better.