Sunday, August 31, 2014

The Man Of The Orchestra by The Corréa Sisters - and some Tonner dolls

Enjoli and Sophia Corréa, twin sisters from New Jersey, are making their dream film come true, through Kickstarter: Enjoli will be the director and Sophia the star of The Man Of The Orchestra, a glamorous story about the human nature of greed and how it can change you. The premise of the film is as follows:

A young woman, Olesya is blackmailed into framing Rick, a mysterious man for her own theft at a charity event for the American Troops at War. She falls for him but what unfolds along the way just may have him killed.

Here is Enjoli in her video, talking about the film:



So why is the film mentioned in a fashion doll blog? The sisters had a great idea: make dolls to accompany the film, portraying the film characters, to give away to Kickstarter benefactors. They contacted Tonner Doll about the dolls and the company accepted to make lifelike collectibles of the leading man and woman wearing replicas of the costumes chosen. With the long list of famous films the company has produced dolls for, the sisters have an ace up their sleeve already.


Story board by Enjoli Corréa

Stats of the dolls:
Hand painted To the likeness of the leading woman and man
2 lbs, 16" tall each
custom packaging
Replica costumes
Comes as one doll of choice or as a set
Made to increase in value as production grows

The dolls are available in the following pledge levels:

a) at $240 for one character doll (plus $10 if shipping outside the US)
b) at $250 for one character doll plus digital movie pre-order (with a handwritten thank you letter)
c) at $550 for both dolls or one doll plus another exclusive non-doll premium gift (shooting script or premium coin set).
d) all higher pledge levels feature a doll in the list of gifts accompanying it.
If you want to support without getting a doll, you can and receive a Handwritten Thank You Letter for $10.








Story board by Enjoli Corréa

The dolls will be designed after casting is done (backers will have a say in the casting too). Shipping is estimated for March 2015. The Kickstarter campaign ends on September 16th so, if you want one of the dolls, you'd better hurry. More details on the campaign page here. Every supporter will weigh in on casting decisions, costume design (the official costume designer is Lena Mossum, who has dressed Penelope Cruz, Antonio Banderas, Harvey Keitel, and Demi Moore. She will design all costumes from scratch and backers will vote to help select the costumes for the movie), and be thanked in a live stream Thank-A-Thon after the campaign. Backers will be charged at the end of the campaign on September 16th, 2014 only if the fundraiser reaches or passes its goal. There's no charge if the sisters do not reach their goal.

Friday, August 15, 2014

Summer in the tropics: Sous les Tropiques Victoire Roux IT-Direct exclusive

W Club members were alerted a couple of weeks ago with a sneak peek preview email, where one could see snippets of parts of a doll that would be unveiled soon. Today is the day and the doll is another Victoire Roux available via two lotteries: one for the W Club and one for the general public. The club members are entering for part of the edition specially reserved for them and the lottery is at the end of the month. For everyone else, all you need to do is email Integrity Toys with your name and address for details on how to enter - lottery will be on the 15th of September.



Item # 76014
Sous Les Tropiques
Victoire Roux™ Dressed Doll 
IT Direct Exclusive
Limited Edition of 600 Dolls
Estimated Ship Date: Directly after payments are received from lottery winners.
Suggest Retail Price: US $80.00 + Shipping and Handling* *(+ applicable sales tax for Maryland residents only).


Doll Tech Specs:
Body Type: IT/Victoire 
Head Sculpt: Victoire Roux™
Quick Switch Feature: No 
Skin Tone: FR White 
Hair Color: Sun Kissed Red 
Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied 


"Sous Les Tropiques" Victoire Roux™ is a fully articulated 12-inch vinyl doll with a rooted hairstyle. This basic Victoire Roux doll is sporting a turquoise and brown floral bikini with a coordinated sleeveless robe. Her accessories include a beach bag, earrings, bracelets, headband and sandals! A doll stand is also included. For adult collectors ages 15 and up.


I really like this one - finally a different hairstyle that is more versatile. It can be worn with either day or evening outfits. The fashion is fun and playful but I'd rather have a more glamorous swimsuit style (a one piece maybe?). She's missing a hat and sunglasses, essential accessories for every sun-bathing lady since time immemorial (or at least the 30s). She will probably snatch them from my other dolls, provided she gets to come here to stay.


Please note that the photos are of prototype dolls and subject to changes and modifications.All photos and information is copyrighted Integrity Toys, Inc. and Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC 2014 and may not be reprinted or disseminated without express written permission

Monday, August 11, 2014

Tom Tierney: the paper doll legend

Anyone who has ever played with dolls, has come across paper dolls: figures cut out of paper or thin card, with separate clothes, also made of paper, that are usually held onto the dolls by folding tabs. They have been around as long as paper has: the Japanese folded origami into kimono shapes as far back as 600 AD. I first came across them as a young boy around 10 or 11 years old, in the teen-girl magazines my cousins used to buy. Soon I was buying them too: not only to collect any Olivia Newton-John photo I could lay my hands on, but also to cut out and play with my first fashion models. In no time, I had started to design clothes for them, then made my own dolls too. It wasn't until my late teens that I discovered the king of paper dolls: Tom Tierney.


Tierney was born at Beaumont, Texas, on October 8th, 1928 and his formal art instruction began at the age of six with a private instructor, Juanita Brown. He began studying life drawing and landscape painting at the age of twelve under Coleman Cohen and still-life painting under Mrs. Joe Price. On graduating from high school in l945, he received the Nancy Beeman Strong Art Scholarship award and the Veesy Rainwater Painting Scholarship award. He attended Lamar Junior College from 1945 to 1946 and in 1947 entered the University of Texas College of Fine Arts, graduating in 1949, magna cum laude, with a B.F.A., majoring in painting and minoring in sculpture. 


While attending the University of Texas he worked as a student assistant in the art history, sculpture, and graphic arts departments. In 1948, while still attending the University of Texas, he won the Texas Fellowship Painting Award and spent a semester studying in Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center (University of Colorado). He also worked on stage sets with the Hanya Holm modern dance group. He was an accomplished artist and professional illustrator long before he started making his paper dolls.


Tom began freelance fashion illustration while in high school for local department stores in his home town and continued doing freelance fashion illustration in Austin, while attending the University of Texas. Upon graduation he became a fashion illustrator for Scarborough's Department Store specializing in women's wear. Tierney then moved to Houston, and became a layout artist for Foley's department store. From Foley's he was then hired from The Fashion woman's specialty store as a fashion illustrator: while he was working there, it was purchased by Nieman Marcus, becoming Nieman's of Houston. In 1954, he moved to New York and attended Pratt Institute (1954-55); while being there, Tom began free-lancing for J. C. Penney. His association with the firm lasted for over fourteen years. At the same time he did freelance art for Harper's Bazaar, Sports Illustrated Magazine, and many other brands and stores.


In 1975 Tom was looking for a unique Christmas present for his mother. Remembering that she had saved her paper doll collection from when she was a girl in the early 20th century, he decided to make her some paper dolls of the 30s movie stars who had been her favourites. Pleased with the dolls (Garbo, Harlow and Gable), his mother showed them to a number of friends, one of whom was a literary agent. The agent in turn convinced Tom that it was possible to get them published, and as a result, his first book, "Thirty from the `30s", came out by Prentice-Hall in 1976.


Tom Tierney's first paper doll book, cover image from The Judy Garland Database



In 1978, Dover Publications Inc. contacted Tom and proposed that he do some paper doll books for them. During the '80s Tom and Joyce McClelland published a series of paper doll folios under the imprimatur of "Fine Arts Limited Editions". These folios included a series of famous stage and screen personalities as well a several folios on famous women authors. In 1994 he began an association with B. Shackman Inc. Publications in addition to his affiliation with Dover.



The New York Times reviewed Tom Tierney's work thrice: he is the only paper doll artist to have a review in their Literary Section. He appeared on several TV programs and featured in a number of major newspaper's articles, all about paper dolls.



In an interview published on the website of Dover Publications, he said about them: " I don't mean to boast, but I'm rather proud of having made them into something more than just kids' stuff. My books can be a way to discover things that you weren't taught in school. And I like to think that they bring their subjects to life for readers, just the way they do for me when I work on them. Sometimes I receive very touching letters, especially from students. Recently, I heard from a young man who said that he wanted to thank me for his career. It seems his sister had given him one of my books when he was a child, and he was so taken with my art that he studied and imitated my style. He ended up going to art school, getting a degree, and finding a job as a corporate artist—and he gave me credit for guiding him toward what turned out to be a very rewarding choice of professions. I must say, it's been a satisfying career for me, so if I can help influence young artists, then my work is all the more worthwhile. They started out as a lark, but when the jobs for fashion illustrators began to decline, the paper dolls stepped in and gave me a full-time living. As in any profession, you have to keep ahead of the crowd and learn how to adapt to changing times. I produce one Dover book every month, on the average. It's a lot of work—but I enjoy it, so my work is my pleasure."



Tierney published around 400 paper doll books, most of them with Dover Publications, and sold more than four million copies. Adults, even more than children, became his fans and started collecting the perfectly drawn and fastidiously detailed creations. He's the one credited with resuscitating the art of the paper doll: breathing new life into it, he pushed it into the modern era and inspired many younger designers who keep on the flame. He was not afraid to push the boundaries of his metier, publishing in the late 70s a book with gay paper dolls called Attitude; years later he did one with cross dressers and drag queens like Ru Paul. He died on July 12th, 2014, 85 years old. He will be sorely missed.


Biography data from Tom Tierney Paper Dolls

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Sybarites hit Los Angeles: Superdoll exhibition at FIDM Museum

It is no wonder that the amazing Sybarite dolls of multi-talented eccentric duo Desmond Lingard and Charles Fegen would find their way in a museum. Don't let your mind think of dusty old relics or sacred remains. Instead, the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising Museum launched an exhibition of their much revered "White Chalk" Sybarites: the Spellbound collection.


The launch reception was on the 31st of July, and the designers were present to welcome everyone to admire their outstanding work. Admission is free throughout the exhibition, so if anyone is in Los Angeles, do not miss this. The Gothic setting and the amazing hand-made detailed outfits of the dolls shown is so enticing.


Some details about the show: the dates are July 31, 2014 till August 16, 2014, from 10am to5pm at the FIDM Museum, 919 S. Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90015.(Ground Floor, Park Side) tel. 213.623.5821.


For those of you who have never heard of Superfrock and Sybarite dolls, some words from the website:
The Sybarite is a 16 inch resin artist-doll created by London artists Desmond Lingard and Charles Fegen in 2005. Sybarite dolls are fully articulated mannequin-like dolls and have appeared in several fashion trades (French Revue des Modes, Style.com, Women's Wear Daily). HauteDoll features Sybarites on the Covers of their magazines. The designers work under the "Superdoll" moniker and produce the dolls for a collector market. Previous to artist dolls, Fegen worked in the fashion industry as a clothing designer. Early dolls were handmade in London by Lingard and Fegen in their workshop. As the dolls went into the mainstream market, manufacturing moved to China. The dolls have 17 points of articulation, and have strung bodies similar to the Super Dollfie dolls from Japan. The Sybarite doll was introduced shortly after Asian ball-jointed dolls were gaining popularity, but differ in that they are high fashion mannequins versus the Asian ball-jointed dolls' anime inspired childlike quality.


Desmond Lingard giving an interview during the opening reception.

All photos courtesy of Superdoll London