Tuesday, February 21, 2017

The Fashion Doll Chronicles won Best Fashion Doll Blog award at Doll Observers Fashion Doll Awards 2017! Also announcing a major move

The Doll Observers Fashion Doll Awards 2017 were awarded last Sunday and guess what: my blog has the honour of being awarded Best Fashion Doll Blog! I am honoured and thrilled by this. My thanks go out to Simon Farnsworth for organising the awards and his Doll Observers website as well as to all who nominated me and of course all who voted for me. But my most heartfelt thank yous go to you, my readers! I hope I can keep up making you interested in coming to my blog again and again.


I am constantly thinking about ways to improve the blog, make it more modern but keep it accessible and interesting to readers, while enriching its content and enhancing your experience going through it. I can finally announce that the blog will be moving to a new address beginning March 1st! it will be a completely new website, with updated design (see the new logo below). The blog will be a major part of it but it will also contain lots of doll photography in various categories that you can enjoy in a larger format, something I could not easily do here at blogger. I hope you will like it and will keep on coming for more. I will make the move in such a way that clicking the old link will instantly send you to the new site so that you will not have to update it immediately. The blog will move there in its entirety and you will be able to read all the posts from the start up until now. See you soon!


Tuesday, February 14, 2017

New Wonder Woman dolls from Mattel look amazing!

With Toy Fair coming this weekend, companies keep on releasing previews of the goods that will debut in New York. Mattel of course is a major player and nabbed the opportunity to present their Wonder Woman movie dolls. Entertainment Weekly had the photos and so we can show you what is coming this spring, ahead of the film release June 2. The prices are good, this is no upscale release like the Superman Vs Batman one, so I bet they will be very popular.


Deluxe, sword-wielding Wonder Woman figure ($19.99). Gal Gadot plays her in the film.


Wonder Woman in gold training outfit with bow and arrow ($19.99)


Wonder Woman in classic uniform ($14.99)


Wonder Woman doll in a blue evening gown and a concealed sword ($14.99) - I so want this!


12-inch Diana figurine ($29.99), outfitted for battle and accompanied by her armored black horse


Wonder Woman's mother, Queen Hippolyta, ready-for-battle figurine and horse ($29.99). Connie Nielsen plays the big-screen version of the Amazonian queen. Wonder why they did not make Robin Wright's Antiope as a doll. I'd get that in a heartbeat. I might give this one a try anyway.


Steve Trevor appears in this figurine two-pack ($26.99), which includes Diana. Chris Pine plays the part in real life. Unfortunately the doll has molded legs. I want to get him and will probably change him into another Mattel body.

Sunday, February 12, 2017

Tonner Doll introduces Jazz Jennings doll at 2017 International Toy Fair

Since last year's news that Tonner Doll was changing in a big way, there was nothing more - not even an inkling towards the new direction the company, actually the two companies now, Tonner and Phyn and Aero, will take. Until now. Next weekend, during Toy Fair 2017, Tonner will present a new doll, Jazz Jennings. But it is not just a doll. It is one based on a real person. A transgender person.


Tonner unfortunately did not even bother to email their client list about the doll, posting instead on their Facebook account the article about their press release from another website. The doll photo is from Jennings' own Facebook page. All we know is that it was approved by Jazz and her parents and it will be an 18" vinyl doll sculpted by Robert Tonner, available in specialty stores and on www.tonnerdoll.com in July, 2017.  So who is Jazz Jennings?


16 year old Jazz Jennings, transgender star of TLC's docuseries "I Am Jazz", is an honorary co-founder of the Transkids Purple Rainbow Foundation.  Jazz speaks at universities, medical schools, conferences, conventions and symposiums all over the country. She's also a You Tube Vlogger, a youth ambassador for the Human Rights Campaign and an advocate for GLAAD. Jazz is the youngest person ever to be recognised in The Advocate Magazine's, "Top Forty Under 40" annual list. She was named as one of TIME Magazine's Most Influential Teens for 2014 and 2015. She is also listed on Huffington Post's 14 Most Fearless Teens of 2014.

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Gigi Hadid gets her own Barbie doll - and we want her too!

The latest celebrity - and a top model nonetheless - to get her likeness made as a Barbie doll is none other than the beautiful Gigi Hadid. Both the official Barbie Instagram account as well as the model herself posted a photo of the new doll, to advertise the second collection Gigi is presenting for Tommy Hilfiger. 


There was a selfie of course:


The doll looks a lot like the real thing and I'd love it if she became available to buy. Please Mattel, make it happen! I am sure Gigi would love it too! More images from the Barbie Instagram below:




Thursday, February 2, 2017

This blog is again nominated for a Doll Observers Fashion Doll Blog award!

Once again, my blog is nominated for a Doll Observers Fashion Doll blog award. I am really honoured by this and my thanks go to the amazing Simon Farnsworth, who organised the Doll Observers community, as well as to all members who voted for my being nominated. Now the voting is open to the public so you, my readers, can go vote if you'd like to, at Doll Observers. Thank you.


From the website:

#DOFDAs: Proudly Nominated and Voted for by Fashion Doll Collectors DollObservers.com is proud to announce that after a year-long hiatus our Fashion Doll Awards will be returning for 2017. Marking our 5th Awards and celebrating all that is great and good in the Fashion Doll Community. Previous winners have included Superdoll Collectables, Tonner Dolls, Integrity Toys and more. As always nominees have been chosen by registered members of the site. The process is now open to the public vote! The winners will be announced on 19th February 2017.

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

The registration period for Integrity Toys W Club is open!

It's the time of the year again when W Club opens up its doors (12th year!) for the annual registration process. The official announcement was emailed to last year's members a few days ago and so now is the time for everyone who wants to part of this exclusive group to register. Let's see what perks are available for this year's members and the available packages:



The 2017 W Club Registration 

You can review the PDF brochure that outlines all of the deals and offers that becoming a member of the W Club in 2017 will bring you at the following link or watch the 2017 Video brochure via the following links:

CLICK TO VIEW PDF BROCHURE:

VIDEO:

You may register now through 9:00 PM ET (New York Time) on February 21st, 2017.

The deadline is concrete, so please make sure that you register well in advance of the deadline. Every year, things come up at the last minute, so please register as soon as possible since once they shut down the links, that is it for the year. As in years past, there are no limits on memberships- you can register for as many memberships as you'd like at any time prior to the 2/21/17 at 9PM ET deadline.

Perks and privileges

Aside from gaining access to the members-only W Club forum and exclusive newsletters, here's a peek at some of the great perks W Club members will get in 2017:

Club Exclusive Dolls
For 2017, every member will have an opportunity (in addition to the upgrade options) to pre-order at least 5 exclusive Club-only dolls, including 2 Fashion Royalty dolls (which may include NU. Face), 2 exclusive Poppy Parker dolls, and 1 additional exclusive doll, plus additional surprise items.

Member Coupon
Each W Club membership that you purchase will automatically add a special $25 coupon to your IT Direct Coupon Wallet that can be used towards ANY IT Direct shopping cart purchase of $99 or more online only during the 2017 W Club year. No more restrictions to W Club exclusive items-- as long as your order is above $99 before shipping and tax, you can apply your coupon towards any order of your choice!*

*Details and instructions for this coupon will be sent to 2017 W Club Members at a later date, including that a one coupon limit will be allowed per order.

Important exclusion: Coupons cannot be used to purchase W Club memberships. Any memberships bought with coupons will be voided, as the 2017 Club year does not officially begin until after registration ends.

JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS™ 

If you are a fan of the JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS™ Collection, W Club members will again receive a priority 24-hour first-order window for all four of the final JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS™ collectibles sold through IT Direct during the year. Becoming a W Club member ensures that you will not miss out on another hot offering of this Truly Outrageous collection! 

Advance doll presentations
You'll get access to MEMBERS-ONLY exclusive online events where the IT design team unveils their latest creations. 

Of course, there will also be more "right to buy" lotteries, more exclusives, the chance to purchase your convention passes before members of the general public and many more surprises during the year.

Upgrade dolls

Here are the 2017 upgrade options, an opportunity to pre-order three brand new members-only dolls and, new this year, the upgrade POPUP! Diorama Playset immediately when you purchase your 2017 membership. Plus, for the first time ever, the Fashion Royalty upgrade was selected by our 2016 W Club members!

Also, as a special new 2017 perk, if you upgrade a membership with all three upgrade dolls, you will automatically get the upgrade the POPUP! Diorama Playset for FREE- this virtually covers the price of your base membership.

In addition to the *5* W Club exclusive dolls that will be made available later in the year, you get the opportunity to pre-order these new upgrade dolls/diorama today when you purchase your W Club memberships. Each membership that you purchase today gives you the right to pre-order up to one of each of the following: 

Item #TBA
Riviera Drama
Agnes Von Weiss™ Dressed Doll
The Fashion Royalty® Collection
2017 W Club Upgrade Doll
Approximate Ship Date: Summer 2017
Edition Size: TBA (Determined by the total amount of orders received)


Doll Tech Specs:
Head Sculpt: Agnes Von Weiss
Hair Color: Raven (Black)
Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-Applied
Body Type: FR 6.0
Foot Sculpt: High-heeled / Traditional
Quick Switch Feature: No
Skin Tone: Cream

Your first W Club upgrade doll of 2017 is an exciting creation, based on the results of the "Your Voice, Your Choice" opportunity that we held amongst the 2016 W Club Members. This new Agnes doll will be designed based on the specs that were chosen by club members voting on a variety of options set by Integrity Toys,

The winning Agnes Von Weiss doll will come dressed in the "Riviera Drama" outfit (which will be based on the sketch you can see above) and sport a side-parted, controlled curl raven hairstyle. Agnes will be done in the cream skin tone and should be delivered sometime in Summer 2017.

Since the vote just occurred last week, Integrity is unable to show an actual prototype of the doll, however, as soon as the designers have completed the task of bringing the doll to life, the company will share pictures with everyone in the Club. All pre-orders will take place based on the sketch above.

Agnes Von Weiss is a 12.5-inch fully articulated doll with full rooted hair and hand-applied lashes. Her raven hair is styled in a controlled curl hairstyle. Agnes comes dressed in a one-piece outfit. Doll includes purse, jewelry, high-heeled shoes and accessories. For adult collectors ages 15 and up only. A doll stand and a certificate of authenticity are included.

I voted for exactly this set of options as a member so I'm getting this one and hope the doll turns out as great as it looks in the sketch.

*You can upgrade your membership immediately to include this doll. An additional $25 non-refundable deposit is due immediately at registration time and a balance of $110, (for a total of $135.00) + shipping, handling and taxes (if applicable) per each Agnes doll you add to your membership will be due closer to the actual ship date of the doll, which will happen approximately during Summer 2017 once the dolls have been produced.

Note: The image above outlines the winning specs of the 2017 FR Upgrade doll, as chosen by 2016 W Club members. Final prototype doll to be unveiled later, approximately in the Spring of 2017.

Item #PP112 
Popster! 
Poppy Parker Dressed Doll
2017 Club Upgrade Doll
The Swinging London Collection 
Approximate Ship Date: Summer 2017 
Edition Size: TBA (Determined by the total amount of orders received)


Doll Tech Specs:
Head Sculpt: Poppy Parker 
Hair Color: Warm Brown 
Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-Applied
Body Type: PP 1.5 
Foot Sculpt: Traditional / Original Poppy Parker Feet
Quick Switch Feature: No 
Skin Tone: FR White


Poppy Parker is a fully articulated 12.5 inch doll with fully rooted hair and hand applied eyelashes. Poppy wears a green and white mini dress with faux leather details, green and white matching shoes, a purse and faux white leather outback hat complete this look. For adult collectors ages 15 and up only. This doll cannot stand alone; a doll stand is included.


This Poppy looks lovely, and she is also very versatile for redress. I might be getting her too. This year's theme is swinging London so be prepared for lots of mod stuff. Seems logical after last year's elegant early 60s style.


*You can upgrade your membership immediately to include this doll. An additional $25 non-refundable deposit is due immediately at registration time and a balance of $95, (for a total of $120.00) + shipping, handling and taxes (if applicable) per each Poppy Parker doll you add to your membership will be due closer to the actual ship date of the doll, which will happen approximately during Summer 2017, once the dolls have been produced.


Item #82069 
Majesty 
Giselle Diefendorf™ Dressed Doll
The NU. Face Collection
2017 Club Upgrade Doll
Approximate Ship Date: Summer 2017 
Edition Size: TBA (Determined by the total amount of orders received)


Doll Tech Specs:
Head Sculpt: Giselle Diefendorf 
Hair Color: Soft Bronze 
Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-Applied
Body Type: NF 2.0 
Foot Sculpt: Traditional NF Feet
Quick Switch Feature: No 
Skin Tone: FR White


Giselle D. is a fully articulated 12.5 inch doll with fully rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes. Dressed in a frilly look with a faux-leather belt with golden buckles and matching footwear. This doll comes complete with a chain ring bracelet and a little filigree egg purse. For adult collectors ages 15 and up only. This doll cannot stand alone; a doll stand is included.


This is not for me. As much as I love her accessories and jewellery, I do not like the doll or the dress - which is an Alexander McQueen resort 2017 look:


*You can upgrade your membership immediately to include this doll. An additional $25 non-refundable deposit is due immediately at registration time and a balance of $95, (for a total of $120.00) + shipping, handling and taxes (if applicable) per each Giselle doll you add to your membership will be due closer to the actual ship date of the doll, which will happen approximately during Summer 2016 once the dolls have been produced.


Item #15076 
POPUP! 
Diorama Playset
2017 Club Upgrade Diorama 
Approximate Ship Date: Summer 2017 
Edition Size: TBA (Determined by the total amount of orders received)

Tech Specs:
Approximate Width: 14" Wide
Approximate Length: 13" High
Approximate Depth: 6" Deep
Material: Cardboard / Stock and Acrylic Parts


For the first time ever, the W Club is offering a 4th membership upgrade option, the incredible POPUP! Diorama Playset!, designed by Alain Tremblay.

All of the components are included to transform this diorama decor from a  dressing room complete with closet space and miniature shelving for purses and accessories, to a fun and swinging retro/MOD lounge for your favorite dolls to hang out in. The set includes the pieces to make the chair shown (chair is made of both acrylic and card stock to support the weight of a doll), the back walls, floor, 2 miniature pretend spotlights and a 60's curtain accessory for the lounge side of things. This set will ship flat, assembly will be required. Detailed instructions will be provided. For adult collectors ages 15 and up.

*You can upgrade your membership immediately to include this diorama. An additional $20 non-refundable deposit is due immediately at registration time and a balance of $29, (for a total of $49.00) + shipping, handling and taxes (if applicable) per each diorama you add to your membership will be due closer to the actual ship date of the item, which will happen approximately during Summer 2016 once the dolls have been produced.

Remember, if you order all 3 upgrade dolls with a membership, you will receive one of these dioramas ABSOLUTELY FREE! No need to do anything, it will automatically be given to you behind-the-scenes. If you upgrade with all 3 dolls on a membership and you want to purchase a second diorama, you may do that as well. More information is provided during the registration process.

*3D rendering shown, final product and dimensions may vary slightly. 


The 2017 Membership and Upgrade Options

There is one (1) membership level and new this year, four (4) upgrade options to choose from- 3 upgrade dolls and 1 diorama. Plus, there is the extra-special perk of getting a FREE diorama if you upgrade with all 3 dolls on a membership.

Again, for more information, see the brochure or begin the registration process, as there are details included there, as well.

More Details About Registration 2017

-Access to information and special offers for the W Club related to all of Integrity Toys brands are covered by the base membership.

-You can choose to add up to 1 of each different upgrade option type for each 1 base membership (each upgrade item will require an additional deposit and the remaining payment balance- ranging in price by item- will be billed to you closer to their arrival date.) 

-You can buy as many memberships as you want, and for every membership, you can upgrade each with a Fashion Royalty Agnes, Poppy Parker, NU. Face Giselle doll and/or POPUP! Diorama (up to 4 total, one of each item, for every one membership that you buy). However, as described in detail below, if you buy all 3 upgrade dolls, since you get a diorama for free, you can also choose to buy another diorama as a part of that "package".

-Special new 2017 offer! If you add 1 of each upgrade doll to a membership, you will get the POPUP! diorama for FREE! Please note that if you purchase 1 of each upgrade doll, your free diorama will not show up on your order- it will automatically be shipped to you with your upgrade dolls later in the year. If you add 1 of each upgrade doll per your 1 membership, you will also have the option to purchase an extra diorama with that membership for a total of 2, if you'd like an extra one.

IF ALL 3 UPGRADE DOLLS ARE NOT ATTACHED TO THE SAME MEMBERSHIP, YOU WILL NOT GET THE FREE DIORAMA, SO AGAIN, PLEASE DO THIS CAREFULLY AND ASK QUESTIONS PRIOR TO PLACING YOUR ORDER.

-If you want more than 1 of any particular item/doll, you will need to buy a base membership for each doll (for example, if you want 3 Upgrade Poppy Parker dolls, you will need to buy 3 base memberships and add the Upgrade Poppy Parker doll option, but if you want 1 Poppy Parker doll and 1 Giselle doll, you only need to purchase 1 base membership and add on 1 of each doll).

Base W Club Membership Only ($50.00):
Includes a variety of perks and privileges, including all described earlier in this email;
Invitation to exclusive online events previewing new collections;
Guaranteed opportunity to purchase two (2) Exclusive Fashion Royalty® dolls (which may include NU.Face™), two (2) exclusive Poppy Parker™ dolls, and one (1) additional exclusive doll that will be unveiled later and offered exclusively to 2017 W Club members at various times throughout the Club year;
Each W Club membership that you purchase will automatically add a special $25 coupon to your IT Direct Coupon Wallet that can be used towards ANY IT Direct shopping cart purchase of $99 or more online only during the 2017 W Club year! No more restrictions to W Club exclusive items-- as long as your order is above $99 before shipping and tax, you can apply your coupon towards any order of your choice!*
If you are a fan of the JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS™ Collection, W Club members will get a priority 24-hour first-order window for all four JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS™ collectibles sold through IT Direct for the year! Becoming a W Club member ensures that you will not miss out on another hot offering of this Truly Outrageous collection!
Priority access to convention registration and special IT Direct only offers before the general public;
Access to the W Club Liaisons for VIP customer service, a members-only online forum, contests, lotteries, special offers, first-to-know information and more!
*Details and instructions for the $25 coupon will be sent to 2017 W Club Members at a later date, including that a one coupon limit will be allowed per order.

Important exclusion: Coupons cannot be used to purchase additional memberships. Any memberships bought with coupons will be voided, as the 2017 Club year does not officially begin until after registration ends.

Upgrade options:

Adding the Upgrade "RIVIERA DRAMA" Agnes Von Weiss Fashion Royalty® doll (as chosen by 2016 W Club members) to your base membership will add an additional $25 non-refundable deposit due now and $110 plus shipping, handling and tax will be billed approximately in Summer 2017, with the doll scheduled approximately for a Summer 2017 delivery. 

Adding the Upgrade "Popster!" Poppy Parker™ doll to your base membership will add an additional $25 non-refundable deposit due now and $95 plus shipping, handling and tax will be billed approximately in Summer 2017, with the doll scheduled approximately for a Summer 2017 delivery. 

Adding the Upgrade "Majesty" Giselle NU. Face™ doll to your base membership will add an additional $25 non-refundable deposit due now and $95 plus shipping, handling and tax will be billed approximately in Summer 2017, with the doll scheduled approximately for a Summer 2017 delivery. 

Adding the Upgrade POPUP! Diorama Playset to your base membership will add an additional $20 non-refundable deposit due now and $29 plus shipping, handling and tax will be billed approximately in Summer 2017, with the doll scheduled approximately for a Summer 2017 delivery. 

**Please note that because these items will be produced based on the specific quantity ordered during registration, they should arrive approximately in Summer 2017 and part of the payment will not be due until they arrive at IT's warehouse.

Important! This remaining balance will NOT be automatically billed to you. For security reasons and to avoid any online fraud, Integrity Toys does not retain credit card information on file at any time.

IMPORTANT NOTICE ***PLEASE READ CAREFULLY***

1- Club memberships cannot be shared or transferred and since you can purchase as many memberships as you like, you do not need to create additional accounts for those memberships in our shopping cart. If you would like to purchase multiple memberships, you can add them all to one invoice. Multiple memberships do not have to be on separate invoices.

2- If you are purchasing memberships for other collectors as well as yourself, please make sure that you put their names and email addresses in the comments section before checking out from the shopping cart. If a name is not registered, that person will not be recognized as a W Club member.

3- If you purchase multiple memberships so that your spouse, partner or family member may attend any of the W Club exclusive events (including the members-only W Club luncheon at the annual Integrity Toys convention), this person's name must be included in the comment section of your membership(s) invoice! If you purchase multiple memberships but do not include your spouse, partner or family member's name on one of those memberships, they will not be able to attend any of the W Club exclusive events.


ACT NOW, YOU HAVE UNTIL FEBRUARY 21st, 2017 AT 9 PM EASTERN TIME TO SIGN UP! AFTER THAT TIME, IT WILL BE TOO LATE, NO EXCEPTIONS!

The W Club is Now in Transition

Until registration is over, the club is in transition, so updates will be mailed to both 2016 members and new members. You may therefore receive emails twice.

Also, the club will keep you posted on exclusive 2016 W Club dolls that will be arriving in 2017. Please note that these are exclusive 2016 W Club dolls available only to 2016 Club members who pre-ordered by the deadline. As they are pre-sold out, these dolls may not be available for 2017 W Club members when they arrive.

For the forum, the club will keep your registration active until the 2017 membership registration period ends. However, cleaning up old threads and deleting old topics, etc. will be done to freshen the forums for next year. Anyone not re-registering will be removed from the forum immediately following 2017 registration. It is possible that if the club does not recognize your user name, etc. you may be accidentally deleted during the cleanup. If this is the case, just email them and they will get you reinstated asap. TO HELP THEM RECOGNIZE YOU FASTER, THE CART WILL ASK YOU TO ENTER YOUR FORUM ID AT CHECK OUT WHEN YOU PURCHASE YOUR 2017 MEMBERSHIP(S). THIS STEP IS OBLIGATORY AND WILL HELP THEM SERVE YOU FASTER IN THE FUTURE.

Note: Prototype dolls shown, final production may vary slightly. 

All photos and information contained herein is copyrighted Integrity Toys, Inc. and Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC 2017 and may not be reprinted or disseminated without express written permission. 

**HASBRO and its logo and JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro and are used with permission. ©2017 HASBRO. All rights reserved. 

Poppy Parker, Fashion Royalty, NU. Face and all other trademarks followed by ™ or ® are registered trademarks of Integrity Toys, Inc. Chesapeake City MD USA 21915. All rights reserved.

The W Club is a trademark of Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC. All rights reserved.

Doll Photography by Jayme Thornton, Layouts, Graphics and 3D rendering by Alain Tremblay, Marketing.



Friday, January 20, 2017

Integrity Toys first 2017 news - streamlining the doll bodies

Integrity Toys through their W Club sent new information about updates to their doll bodies and finalised their naming so that everyone can understand which body they are talking about. They also announced that this year is the last one with the Jem And The Holograms line, the status of the Hommes update and that the mix-up with the skin tone of Agnes from the Sister Moguls set was a typo (so the two dolls had the same skin tone from the beginning). Let's see what's up then:

The Future of the JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS™ License 

IT officially announced that their licensing agreement for the brand will come to an end at the end of 2017. To complete the brand there will be a final wave of four collectibles, released throughout the year and the W Club has obtained the right to continue offering first dibs to its members ahead of the general public. An as-promised accessory set will be included as well.

FR2013 and NU. Face 2.0 Bodies

-The silhouette and proportions will remain the same, with the exception of the knees.
-Based on collector feedback, the knees are being refined to a more natural and realistic rounded shape.
-The waist articulation is being phased out completely (again based on feedback).
-In addition to the current lower legs which will still be used, new lower legs which feature new articulated flat feet are being created. This will now allow the FR and NU. Face girls to wear flat shoes and sandals. New dolls will come with either flat (the new style) or arched (the currently used style) feet/lower legs. You will be able to swap the lower legs with currently existing ones.

Poppy Parker 1.0 Body

-The sculpt/silhouette will remain the same. THIS IS STRICTLY AN ENGINEERING UPDATE.
-Starting with the next Poppy Parker doll that is unveiled, it will be possible to completely take the body apart down to its base components. Feet will be removable.
-In addition to the current articulated ankle and coming removable feet, Poppy will now have the possibility to wear high-heels like all of our other dolls, since she will be able to share the lower legs featured on "The Industry" branded dolls.
-Since the current foot can now be removed, a new flat foot sculpt is being developed (slightly different from the FR one, to be more in proportion with Poppy's height). Poppy will be able to wear new flat shoes at some point in the future.

Homme 1.0 Body

-The sculpt/silhouette will remain the same. THIS IS STRICTLY AN ENGINEERING UPDATE.
-Starting with the next male doll released, it will be possible to completely take the body apart down to its base components. This will make repairs and replacements (whenever needed) even easier than before, as bodies will no longer need to be returned should any issue arise with a body part.

The Industry

-No actual change to the body itself. 
-The new lower leg that features flat feet will also fit this body and will be used from time to time, if the style of clothing calls for it. As per above, this will be shared with the Poppy Parker body and will give the design team more possibilities in terms of styles and looks that can be created.

New Body Reference Names Coming in 2017

With all the new updates coming and to allow everyone to keep track of the changes, we have decided to rename all of the different bodies. This was implemented to help everyone easily keep better track of what's what.

The newly revised FR2013 body will now be known as "FR 6.0"

The newly revised NU. Face body will now be known as "NF 3.0"

The newly engineered Poppy Parker body will now be known as "PP 1.5"

The newly engineered Homme Body will now be known as "FRH 1.5"

THE INDUSTRY body will be referred as "TI 1.0" since no actual changes to the sculpt or otherwise have been made, except for the use of the optional flat feet, which will be featured from time to time depending on the style being offered.

Status of the New Homme Line

The new body is still being developed. For the time being, the current male silhouette will remain in use (with the addition of the "pop-out" feature).

Informational And Other Errors

This below is the exact, un0edited text from the W Club email, explaining the mix up with the Agnes skin tone from the Sister Moguls set.

We want to add in here a reminder explainer that the W Club is a separate entity from Integrity Toys and is run as such. As we mentioned earlier, our team acts as the collectors' voice at the table, bringing the Company information and feedback as a representative of the collector base. We also manage specifically the running of the Club and our leadership does provide some consultative services to Integrity, as well.
As part of our agreement with Integrity- and with you- is to provide you with first to know information as well as updates, we do get our information directly from Integrity. Being that many on our Club team, including our founder, are very "attention to detail oriented" (a nice way of saying "Type A"), we always ask to confirm information at least three times-- usually more. As there are a number of humans involved in each step of the process (design, production, marketing, shipping, etc.) and humans are prone to make a mistake from time to time, that information sometimes is or becomes incorrect without any of us knowing. This frustrates us, as we strive to always be helpful and accurate and because we know it is frustrating to you as a customer.
If there is a change in a product, it's typically not because Integrity decided on a whim to change something and not tell anyone. It's usually a communication error in the factory, whose employees speak a different language. It's not an excuse or excusable per se, but that's the reality. It's one that the Integrity team is aware of and is focused on fixing. While they will strive for 100% accuracy, I would expect that, with humans involved, that will not be the case.
If an informational error, such as us being told that Sister Moguls' Agnes was Cream instead of Japan skin tone (which you as collectors found out in receiving your items before anyone at the W Club staff did) creates a problematic issue for you, your first step is to contact Patient Care (patientcare@integritytoys.com). This is run directly by Integrity Toys to solve any product-related issues. Please note that while we all live online what seems like 24 hours a day, the Patient Care team, led by the lovely Veronique Lambert, can take several days to respond depending on email traffic, so please give them a few business days for a response. The team always does everything to answer as fast as they can.
If the issue is just annoying but you are still happy with your product and don't need any action taken, rest assured we all know of the annoyance and are in constant communication with Integrity to try to minimize those types of issues from happening again in the future.
If you are having problems getting a satisfactory response from Integrity after a few days or just want to tell us what's on your mind, you can reach out to the W Club Liaisons at wclub@integritytoys.com. We are just that- liaisons- to follow up and to pass on information on your behalf to the company, but we are always happy to try to make you happy.
You can also contact us if you think there may be something that shifted to get an updated piece of information.
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Wednesday, January 4, 2017

First glimpse at GlamourOZ dolls - the new fashion dolls by Jozef Szekeres

I first discovered Jozef Szekeres way back in my early days as a fashion doll collector. I was then fascinated by larger scale dolls only (Barbie was too playline for me even then) and somewhere on-line I got my first glimpse of Elisabet Bizelle and her sister Kotalin in their incredibly glamorous style and poise. They were nothing like all the other fashion dolls I was familiar with - the beautiful but rigid Gene, the just-got-articulated Tyler and so on. These were glamazons, looked like the 90s models I loved and had the body to prove it. Mind you not as articulated as I wanted, but they'd do. But they were limited editions and not easy to get a hold of... so I never managed to get one. The line ended at some point and I was left wanting. No other large scale fashion doll looked like these, even after I became familiar with more exotic beauties of the realm. I got to meet Jozef through social media and chat frequently about our common passion with him. And now I have the pleasure to feature in this blog, through the kind permission of Tommydoll (who did the interview and first published it here) and with a nod to Roger Corbeau of Dutch Fashion Doll World (who posted it here), Jozef's first interview and preview of his new line of large scale fashion dolls, GlamourOz!


Szekeres is a 2-D artist and sculptor – he has a pronounced experience in Australia as a Disney animator, primarily the Disney Princesses (so what’s there not to like?). Read the full interview with Jozef Szekeres by an Australian colleague – click here). In the late 90s/early 2000, he designed, sculpted and produced the Elizabet Bizelle fixed-pose fashion dolls of haunting and unique beauty. This was just at the dawn of the articulation movement, which made for some lovely posing – however, with every joint you add, you remove an element of beauty to the lines of the human form. His dolls were true to that, making them display perfect…and ripe for photography. They sold well, but were highly limited. For all the dolls in the 16” movement following Gene Marshall in 1996, and before the rise of Tyler Wentworth in 1999 – Szekeres’ Elizabet (and sister, Kotalin) Bizelle were the most unique looking and styled fashion doll – featuring a body sculpt that was mesmerising in its idealised beauty. The Bizelle Sisters beckoned to be re-fashioned into poseable ladies of exaggerated style and sumptuousness. Raising his own money over a decade would usher him closer to his dream – cash everything out, and make the sacrifice to make the molds.

Tommydoll (TD): I love how you draw inspiration from Indigenous Australian themes and marry that with your own family – it’s reminiscent of Robert Tonner, but also very unique. How did Australia inspire you in characters, sculpts, and those wonderful 60s-inspired (yet very up-to-date) fashions from Stephen Moor – more specifically, how did you piece it all together into the exotic, glamorous and dangerous world of the Bizelle Sisters?


Jozef Szekeres (JS): Thank you Tommy, I appreciate you taking this time to interview me, and introduce my new line of GlamourOz Dolls to the Fashion Doll Collectors around the world. Now to your first question (I hope they’re not all this complex, well then again… bring it on!), I’d like to begin by paying my respects to all the Indigenous Australians, the traditional custodians of my homeland. Launching a new line of Australian Fashion Dolls born from Oz could only be complete with its inclusion of the very first Indigenous Australian Fashion Doll character (that I know of). My father, an accomplished artist in his life with his day job as a house painter, was an avid art collector, and on occasion would do his trade literally for the trade of art. As a child, I remember one hallway of my parents’ home had the most amazing Indigenous Australian artwork hanging on both sides that my father acquired in this way, and it’s still there today. So he instilled early in me a great respect for all art, whether tribal, western, and even sculptural.


I had the opportunity in my early adult years to visit the Thankakali Broken Hill Indigenous Community, and do a comic book workshop for and with the children and adults there. The elders were excited to show their own art, and describe that beyond the visual aesthetics, all the art elements had great symbolic meaning, and showed how it can be read sequentially… A visual arts language, their own ancient “comic book” language. I’ve seen Indigenous Australian dolls before, but only as baby, child, or adult souvenir dolls from my youth. I even have an Australian Barbie Club convention souvenir doll using an African-American Shani doll as an Indigenous Australian stand in. But to my memory, I’ve not yet seen a sculpt created specifically to be an Indigenous Australian Fashion Doll, as we understand Fashion Dolls to be. So when creating the head-sculpts in preparation for my new doll line, with intention I created one to be an Indigenous Australian, looking to the Australian supermodel scene as my inspiration to respectfully capture their distinct features and beauty. Being Australian, I wanted all of my characters from my first release of my new line to be of and from Australia. From inspirations of Elle “The Body” Macpherson, to the gorgeousness of proportions and beauty of Olivia Newton John’s Sandy (from “Grease”) and that of our beloved songbird Kylie Minogue (a favourite of my father’s). However growing up in Australia, media focused primarily on Western-looking personalities. Thankfully that is changing and Asian-Australians are rightfully represented in media today too, and therefore my line would not be complete without its own Asian Australian Catwalk Model.


Three of my character head-sculpts have their names taken from my family members. My sister is Elizabet Kotalin, and our mother is Lucille. Bindi is a traditional name from the Sydney Darug Tribe, meaning “beautiful butterfly” or “beautiful girl“, depending on which tribe’s dialect is used. Also, Bindi Irwin has recently brought that name to international prominence, and as a nation, we’re all very proud of our “Dancing With The Stars” winning girl. Stephen Moor’s artwork entered my life when my sister married his son. I was in my mid teens, and I guess he saw I had some artistic aptitude and leanings, and he took me under his artistic wing. I knew of his fashion sketches rather early, but only later realised that though he was a nationally successful Who’s Who of Australian artists, he had never published or seen his fashion works from the 60s – 70s realised. When he gave me his folder of fashion sketches, he urged me to look into entering fashion, saying he hoped his fashions could help me or inspire me, and that I could use them if I wanted or needed to. At the time, I had already established my own artistic career path as a young Disney 2D animator, so though deeply touched, his fashions sketches were only shared within the family. However, I knew on an instinctive level that this 80 strong fashion sketch collection needed to be kept whole and complete, and was significant to Australian fashion history.


I’ve always visualised that I’d do my own line of dolls, even when at school and told one of the teachers, who sarcastically said “As if” and “Dream on“… and I took that backhanded advice, and did dream on. I at first thought I had fulfilled that dream wish when I did my first Elizabet Bizelle line in 2003. But my passion for dolls has only grown stronger over time, and somehow, everything in my artistic experience seemed to funnel down and compress into this singularity that has become my new GlamourOz Dolls line. It’s my own personal Big Bang!


Elizabet Bizelle Woman In Red doll, 2006

TD: It’s interesting that many of the world’s countries have their own spin on ‘era fashion’ – such as the 1960s – what is Australia’s take on the colors, clothes and textures then?

JS: Australian fashion was built on (or maybe from) the backs of Merino Sheep. Wool, and earthy colours are quintessentially Australian. Though the Mod fashions were emulated in Australia, the Aussie take focused on geometric yet deceptively simple classic shapes. That’s why I think Stephen Moor’s fashions are so iconically 60s Australian, yet also look ever so modern today.


Stephen Moor fashion

TD: Describe the relationship between the sisters – do we have Elsa and Anna, or do we have Cinderella and Drizella?

JS: Ahh, Disney either way! You can’t go wrong with either choice. However, with edition titles like “Double-Cross Cover-Up”, “Secret Garden-Path”, and “Ribbon Reveal”, you know there’s “something” going down!


TD: How do we see the characters in Moor’s clothing designs…I get the fashions are for all the dolls, but who is more likely to wear what…and why?

JS: Elizabet is my lead girl, so I see her comfortably in anything. She wears Double-Cross Cover-Up, because it’s cheeky, sexy and fun, the 60s mini skirt of the line. I created the jacket design to go with the mini dress, originally as a value add, but now they are inseparable to me. She’s a blonde that has “more fun” in the mainline of this garment set. In the limited variant, she’s a fiery redhead, not to be toyed with lest you get burned. Secret Garden-Path Elizabet – softly glamorous in a statement 60s young-green evening spiral path gown. Her copper red hairstyle revisits her signature hair design originally worn in her 2003 release, “Dangerous Discovery“!


Ribbon Reveal Kotalin – high class all the way. Sexy high in its reveal-through panel detailing, married to a classy silhouette. For some reason I get Marilyn Monroe in “Niagara” when I see her in this garment, especially from behind… for that full minute walk. Blonde for the mainline, and long and Ginger with a 60s bump for the limited variant edition. For this garment, the bridal white sketch has been transformed into a beautiful warm salmon pink.


Glittering Gala Kotalin – silvery in a gun metal sequence gown, once again emphasises her high glamour. Her brownette hair design inspired by Stephen Moors fashion sketches, with length added at the back for fun hair play (I’m thinking of you, Darko!).


Bjeran Bindi (Cool Begins) – from the Nyoongar Indigenous Australian calendar, describes the beginning of Winter. With beautiful lines, shapes and textures that embody the bush edged Australian outback, this jacket keeps her warm in the desert cool beginning nights of winter.


Yawkyawk Billabong Bindi (Mermaid Pool) – Yawkyawk is a word from the Aboriginal Kunwinjku/Kunwok language, meaning ‘young woman’ and ‘young woman spirit being’. Sometimes compared to the European notion of mermaids, Yawkyawks are usually depicted with the tails of fish. They have long hair, associated with trailing blooms of algae, typically found in Arnhem Land streams and rock pools.


Lucille wears Yum Cha Cha-Cha – which embodies her classy sophisticated lady, and “Anything Goes” toe tapping nature, ready to star in a musical opening number… Think Willie Scott, from Temple of Doom.


Executive Day to Night Lucille, is power play in the boardroom, and power player of the night.



TD: Do the Bizelle sisters actually live in Australia…or are they children of the world at large like James Bond?

JS: Australian born, but children of the world at large. For their character’s histories and behind the Catwalk Supermodel scenes, I definitely see a blend of Bond for the classy international intrigue and suspense, Indiana Jones for the arcane mystic mysteries, and Charlie’s Angels in their hair flippery fun, and for their fashion forward fraternal sisterhood, this Supermodel band of “Pussycat Dolls” call themselves GODs (GlamourOz Dolls)! So… why not bring part of Australian culture back to your home with our GODs.



TD: How many Elizabet and Kotalin dolls were originally made? How was the decision made to not continue with them…money, saturation…both?

JS: 840 dolls in total were made, spread out in 3 main editions, and 2 IDEX editions of 20 each. The rise of articulation in the 16″ fashion doll world changed them from display dolls into play dolls for adults. My initial production was created within the means I could muster at that time, and also when articulation in 16″ dolls was established as limited, going full articulation was well beyond what I could afford. Just getting to my first and only USA IDEX (with my wonderfully supportive mother in tow) was a huge cost and big deal for me, and this is where I met you for the first time. It was heartbreaking to see my doll passed over because her articulation was limited. Collectors kindly complimented the sculpt, but saying on the boards, “I’d buy her if she was articulated” further depressed the issue. I wanted to say… If only you’d support her now, then in the future, full articulation would be possible, like Gene and Tyler’s eventual and (in Tyler’s case), gradual articulation. But once articulation took hold of the collectors’ focus, anything other than full articulation was seen as less-than. As a consequence, sales dropped, and that basically ended the line there.


Original 16″ Elizabet next to 22″prototype sculpt wearing lingerie by Doug James – The prototype was Sculpted in a larger scale for 3-D scanning and printing to preserve detail.

TD: Has it been difficult compromising body beauty for articulation? How did you resolve the marriage of the two?

JS: Once I saw the new articulation movement in both Resin and Hard Plastic dolls, I could see where it worked and where it didn’t. My engineer side of my brain took over and guided the sculpt. Having 13 years of 2D Disney animation behind me focusing on the Disney Princesses, gave me an appreciation and understanding of the flow of form and pose, which I brought into my sculpting. I wanted every body part to have grace not just in and of itself, but also in how it connected to each other… to ensure this sculpt was also sinuously tall, and elegantly graceful from head to toe, so the finished articulated sculpt would look whole, rather then an assembly of parts. I returned to my own 2003 established aesthetic and in 2006 started a sculpt of a new doll at 22″ so as not to be influenced by any other dolls or trends (which I brought with me to the 2007 New York Comic Con, and while there I got to show Madame Alexander in New York, but they already had their Alex doll, so weren’t interested, then I took the sculpt to Philadelphia showing Ed Ferry of “Happily Ever After” when attending his in-store doll club gathering). I shelved the unfinished sculpt (like Edward Scissorhands, she lacked hands), till I could afford to continue. Once I was ready to self finance, I revived and completed the sculpt in 2015. The factory got involved in early 2016 and the doll was resized down to fit into the 16″ world, where I got to see her for the first time at her final height size.


Kotalin Bizelle, Dangerous Discovery, 2003

TD: Was it a decision to expand the diversity and story to add the two new characters – or was it necessary to break even on development/production costs?

JS: With the initial 22″ inch sculpt in SuperSculpy, Elizabet was the first head-sculpt in 2006, then in 2015, I retooled the Elizabet head-sculpt, and added Bindi, Lucille, with Kotalin as the last completed, thus rounding out this first line up. So I started with just the one head-sculpt, but once I started to seriously see that this could be realised, I expanded the head-sculpt range knowing that the minimum run would be 3000 units. As a collector myself, I knew 3000 of just one character would not be as interesting as four.


TD: You are using every resource in your savings and personal worth for these – isn’t it scary?

JS: Indeed it is. I know it’s a risk, but it’s not a fatuous one. As a career artist, I need to trust in what I create is to the best of my own ability and standards and the needs and standards of the paying client, and that hopefully will resonate with those people it’s targeted to reach. If I couldn’t do this, I wouldn’t have a job. This time around, my own collector self is that client. I feel if I can appeal to my own needs and wants with this new doll that I’m not currently finding in the 16″ Fashion Doll market, then I’m being true to my art, vision and voice, and hopefully that will resonate with the Fashion Doll collectors need and want, too.


TD: What are you eating now you are factory development poor?

JS: Hopefully, not my words.

TD: In all your sacrifices, is there something you miss more than others?

JS: Prior to the factory involvement, the body sculpt and additional heads took about 6-8 months to complete till I felt it was ready, for I knew it had to be as right as I understand that to be, because of the financial investment it would entail. In 2016 working with the factory has been full time on this, earning not a cent while shelling out more money that I’ve ever seen move through my hands. Spread over the year working with the factory, I’ll have spent more then 6 months working directly on premises with the factory in China, so I have missed my partner Todd, my family, and close friends… who have all been so very supportive. I’m currently in China working with the factory, and will even miss Christmas 2016 and the 2017 New Year at home. But I’ve a new baby on board right now, and I’m heavy with that pregnancy and responsibility that this new life to be born must take first priority.
I’m working to complete the production samples, which will be followed by the official photography of the line, then the official launch! Estimated production times will mean release dates will fall in the 4th quarter of 2017.


TD: Few people understand what it’s like to put your life saving on the line for something of which you have tremendous passion. How would you explain this level of commitment to one of your collectors that may take plastic/vinyl for granted.

JS: I’d only ask them, if you like what an artist does, be that patron of the arts and the artist who’s work you want to see more of, and support their releases, so they can do more and create more for you to enjoy. My commitment and passion for dolls and the creation of them drives me to want to do more. My hope with sales is that I can remove the financial burden over my home that I’m using as collateral to create these dolls, and have enough left over to live, eat and cover my bills and expenses, and hopefully earn enough to do it all again next year. I’d love this to be my job and career path from herein.


I’ve certainly not taken the creation of these dolls in plastic for granted, their expense to create them has driven that home. As a child looking at Barbie and the shameful knockoffs, I could see back then that a budget $10 plastic doll has the similar mold value as a collectable, but it’s usually the sculpt and engineering quality that separates whether one is cheap and the other is of value. I thought then… if only they had gotten a better sculptor…, and that fuelled my young mind with interest and the possibilities, to want to know more about how toys were made before they appeared magically finished at the toy store. I remember the Jem dolls of the 80’s, and never asked my mum to buy me one, because they just didn’t look as beautifully realised as their box art, even though the dolls themselves were well engineered. So Barbie remained my Fashion Doll of choice (thanks to my mother who would buy them for me, with Beauty Secrets Barbie being my favourite, as she had more mobility and poseability over her sister contemporaries). To me, for a Fashion Doll, I’ve always felt that what was of greater value was the quality of the sculptural art coupled with top quality engineering, and not the medium that should be valued.



TD: Your original Bizelle sisters were in resin, making you a pioneer of resin casting in fashion dolls of our genre. How would you communicate your desire to see your art translated in a material that many see as ‘cheap’ or inferior to the wide-spread perceived value of resin?

JS: The original 2003 Bizelle sisters were in resin, only because that’s what I could afford, with not even a thought of pioneering anything. When on occasion the doll fell down the stairs or some other similar mishap occurred, my heart would jump in my throat till I saw what damage had been sustained. If I’d see that the doll had a broken finger or some other part. I’d glue it back, but it forever felt broken, no longer whole. It literally felt like damaged goods, almost repulsive, I’d then be reticent of touching it, fearing it’s structural integrity was compromised and it would break again. I want to enjoy my dolls, with quality sculpts, engineering and durability. I want my dolls to be beautiful on display, and resilient in play, and then stuff them in my backpack if I want her as a travel doll, and know that when I take her out.. with a flip of her hair, she’ll still be beautiful and whole. Plastic for me is the perfect medium to realise all of that.


From left to right: Integrity Toys FR16, GlamourOz, Tonner Doll Tyler body

TD: Why not begin them in 12”, instead…it’s a much larger market. Was this a personal passion for the scale – or a need to fill a huge gap in the 16” plastic/vinyl fashion doll world (compared to the rise of Gene and Tyler – who thought we would ever be asking this question?)?

JS: My passion has been with the 16″ dolls since Mel Odom introduced his glorious Gene Marshall doll in 1995. My thanks always goes out to Mel, for without his brave vision, there’d be no 16″ dolls in the wake of Gene’s creation for us to enjoy. I do collect 12″ dolls, and love them, and maybe one day I’ll explore that scale as well. Though it’s a much larger market to explore and appeal to, I also think it’s saturated with product, by companies and producers with deep financial pockets to back them, and therefore a harder market to enter as a solo doll artist/producer. Moving forward beyond this first year’s mainline release focusing on Stephen Moor’s designs, and then releasing a new GODs line with these sculpts, using my own fashion designs for the next year, I’d like to explore a new sculpt variant of the female GODs body, releasing that with its own range of new character head-sculpts. Beyond that, I’d like to start the new sculpt of my own male doll companion to my female GODs, as she’s as tall or taller then most of the 17″ male dolls already in the Fashion Doll market. My goal has always been to have a companion set of female and male fully articulated body sculpts that fit into the 16″ scale Fashion Doll world, that work together stylistically and aesthetically.


TD: The clothing is amazingly detailed…how are the prototypes varying from production samples – what can the collector expect?

JS: The history of the garment factory I’m working with is… impressive, as is their internal quality control. I will also be overseeing aspects of this production, and do my own quality control. The collector can expect to see garments created at the very best of market quality. Now having established this fantastic working relationship with this garment factory, and seeing how beautifully they are realising Stephen Moor’s designs… I can see that they’ll be more then able to realise my own designs that will be the focus of the next future mainline release.


Elizabet and Kotalin wearing FR16 outfits by Integrity Toys

TD: Your price points are much higher than the perceived standard of Tonner and Integrity hard plastic (and given how widely discounted they are, even more so) – but more on range in price, quality and appearance of Superdoll. How does price factor into your collection?

JS: As a start up, all the expenses are my own: the time I devoted to the Super Sculpy original 22″ sculpt and its eventual factory scanning, the 3D work to resize to 16″ scale, the physical 3D prototyping, the mold making, the face stencil mold making, the hair fibre purchases in various c.g, the flights to and from China, the accommodation and personal travel insurance. The cost to produce the entire run… Everything, the production costs included are way higher then I thought they would be. And add to that, its eventual shipping. All these things add up, and I don’t have corporate financial backing. I think for a start up solo creator of a line of vinyl/hard plastic new Fashion Dolls, and the quality delivered, USD$300 for a complete boxed 16″ doll is a pretty good deal, especially when I currently see this similar price point for 12″ dolls by independent Fashion Doll producers. So if collectors like what they see, and want to see more, then please do show your support in buying the products I’ve made.


TD: Staining from dyes onto vinyl is a reality – how are you addressing the issue?

JS: With plastic wraps where needed, protecting the vinyl.

TD: You’re including a certificate of authenticity…really? It’s an added cost…why not just let the markings on the doll suffice? Is there more to the certificate that a critic like me is missing?

JS: I personally have never cared for certificates to identify a dolls’ authenticity, nor taken much notice of the actual numbering of the dolls I’ve collected, because I’ve never intended to resell them once they’ve become mine. Some certificates I keep because they’re nicely designed, most get trashed with the box as space is limited these days. But I do know that some collectors do like them, and it is good to have on it information for clarity about the total number produced in the limited edition run. 


TD: Tell us more about your sales rollout – will it be pre-orders…dolls ready to ship…combo of both?

JS: It’ll probably be a combo of both, as their pre-sales will go straight to the factory to help offset some of the production costs. Last time around, I took no pre-orders, just notes of interest. And I’ve learned collectors can be fickle (as we all can be), and easily distracted unless they’ve made a financial commitment. There are commitments on both sides that need to be in place, respected and valued, for what they bring to each other.

TD: What is your plan to offset the high cost of shipping to places outside Australia?

JS: As a collector of mostly American Fashion Dolls, added shipping per doll is usually about USD$50 to $70 for each doll I purchase. So I understand that shipping will factor in price for some collectors. I will be looking into having a choice of delivery suppliers that may offer different delivery options and price points.

TD: Are you currently talking to any retailers with whom you may come to an exclusive distribution arrangement outside Australia?

JS: I’ve had discussions with a few retailers, but nothing conclusive about exclusive distribution arrangements. With the economy climate as it is, most retailers have said they’d want to see a demonstrated demand, before committing to a new doll line, which is a catch 22, and then only with orders in the low to mid 2 digit numbers. So my start up focus will be to sell direct from my online store.


Wearing Nigel Chia

TD: Tell us your concept of the ‘Basic Doll’…will there be one…or only dressed dolls and clothing?

JS: For the mainline of 8 dolls and 2 limited variants, all of them will be released as dressed dolls. I imagine a basic doll would be in either a swimsuit, lingerie or simple outfit, however there will be no basics or separate clothing this time around, that’ll have to wait to follow in the future. The gravy that comes after securing survival. Thankfully, the GlamourOz dolls wear most of the competitor garments with ease and comfort, even elevating them to a catwalk presentation. Catalogue models are beautiful, but do we remember their names? Supermodels are known by name! I like to see my girls as Catwalk Supermodels. I could see as an extension of the mainline if there’s popular demand, releasing garment sets inspired by the fashion designs of Stephen Moor, or even future dressed dolls too… some of which will appear on the box art to celebrate his 60s fashions. They are all such amazing fashion designs, I’d love to honour his incredible work and see each of them realised eventually.

Stephen Moor fashion

TD: What has been your biggest business challenge in developing a marketing plan with social media being the hungriest attention whores out there?

JS: Thankfully, I was accepted into the Australian government funded MTC NEIS program nearing the end of 2015, where I did a fully funded business course over a 6 week period, where I got the grounding information I’d need to launch and sustain my startup business and marketing strategies. The greatest asset of the NEIS program’s commitment to the startup businesses is to have a business mentor available for them for 12 months. It has been good to have someone with business knowledge to bounce off and share some of the hardships with, who can also offer real guidance. I think the biggest marketing challenge thus far has been deciding when is the best time to release information, as I know new news gets stale quickly on the net these days, especially when the reader isn’t privy to the reasons why there may be delays or time slips. But now I feel is the right time, and with your extensive industry history and experience, and with the respect and wisdom that comes with that, you and your blog is the right person and place… Including your blog flow on partners.

TD: Are you going to have a ‘club’ (please say, ‘no’)?

JS: I’m a member of a couple company toy clubs, and I do love the ease of assuring certain releases, without having to chase them down. This helps greatly being an international member. And it’s also a place where brand loyal collectors can congregate and share their mutual love. So, knowing how company collector clubs have helped me,… I’m not opposed to it, but I’m not yet ready to set up one of my own just now.


Wearing Superdoll of London

TD: Hopes/Plans/Expectations for your first doll event?

JS: There’s a strong, but small Fashion Doll collector base in Australia, with me being one of these collectors. Most of the Fashion Dolls we collect seem to come from America, and we often feel our island country’s isolation, or distance from the main doll events. I hope to launch my dolls first to the Australian Fashion doll collector base, and grow it from there to an international audience. I’d love to see a yearly GODs Fashion Doll convention based in Australia to be added to the international must -attend events. In 2017, I’d like to attend the main Fashion Doll conventions in America, Europe, and other international locations, to introduce my new doll line, and meet the collectors.

TD: Collectors like to meet and greet the creator…think Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Will you Howard Hughes it…or go on a world-wide Rainbow Tour? I think we’d be happy to Crowd Fund your tour.

JS: I’d love to meet and greet with collectors all over the world. So I’ll definitely make myself available to do so. Certainly it would be an honour to be the recipient of a funded convention or tour visit.

TD: Seriously, though…you must be scared – doll collectors are so fickle – you’re placing a great deal of risk in their confidence. I hope you also market to the Action Figure folks because of the ‘Spy’ storyline.

JS: I’m a Fashion Doll collector, so I know I can be fickle at times, too – a pretty new thing can certainly get my attention over an equally pretty older item, causing me to miss out on the older item and then have to seek it out as a more expensive grail item. But I’m also very brand loyal and supportive of those brands I love and collect. My hope is that my dolls and brand will attract its own loyal collectors, that will want what I do now and in the future. Most action figure products are licensed pop culture, rather then original fare – like He-Man, She-Ra, Jem and Transformers – the toys are released concurrently with their own pop culture vehicle (in these cases, animated TV series) to anchor their products to. Most action figure collectors will buy an action figure, even a bad one, with a character they already recognise or have a pop culture connection with, over a well made action figure of a character they don’t yet know. What’s different about fashion dolls, that I love, is they can survive entirely on their own merits without an established pop culture reference. And the Fashion Doll collector thrives on discovering something new… A new story, new fashion, new face, new body, new characters. I’m sure there is some crossover, but they seem to come from different ends of the spectrum.


Birthday Bash Kotalin Bizelle, 2006

My two 2006 releases, “Woman in Red” Elizabet Bizelle, and “Birthday Bash” Kotalin Bizelle, were inspired by The Matrix film. Describing it thus to a fashion doll collector, they got the concept straight up… “Inspired by fashions”, and if they liked it, they bought it. But when these same dolls were placed in action figure stores, the action figure collectors there would ask “Who are they?” I’d say they’re fashion dolls inspired by The Matrix, and the collector’s response would be, “Nicely made, but if it’s not Trinity or a character or exact fashion I recognise from the film… then I’m not interested”. Lessons learnt.

TD: Plans for accessory sets…where will you go with this? Will there be guns?

JS: No plans as yet for accessory sets of this nature. But who knows what the future will bring.

TD: What is your direct message to the people who would just look at the doll and say, ‘It’s not my thing.’ Knowing it’s because it’s plastic, a fashion doll, 16”, or otherwise competes with one of their faves like Ellowyne, Gene, Superdoll, et al?

JS: I’ve never been a fan of big headed dolls, so I’ve never collected Ellowyne, but I have and still collect Tonner Fashion Dolls that I love that speak to my aesthetic. Gene is a Fashion Doll icon, in all her incarnations, and she holds a special place in my heart and collection. The Superdoll Sybarites are incomparably the Fashion Doll Divas, and always will be in the Fashion Doll world at large and within my own collection. The Fashion Royalty 16″ (FR16) dolls by Integrity Toys are my favourite body sculpt currently on the market. Some of my favourite and loved dolls that I own aren’t 16″ fashion dolls, but their aesthetic and fashion sense and quality of sculpt resonates with me, like the beautiful dolls by New Zealand doll creator Jan MacLean. And there are other dolls that I love and have yet purchased, but intend to in the future, like “First Love” male Fashion Dolls by Joey Versaw. I won’t stop collecting the dolls out there by other brands and creators I love and support just because I’ve created my own doll, and I don’t expect other collectors to do that either if they start collecting mine. There is room in the Fashion Doll world to love many brands. What I’m offering is a new doll and brand to love amongst your other established Fashion Doll loves.


As to the nay-sayers, and the haters of plastic, 16″, or Fashion Dolls… I’ve had friends tell me I’m wasting my time and talent, and that my dolls look no different from the pack. I’ve had these same friends tell me that my doll’s body is offensive to them, and that they’re just not even interested to know more…. A simple “good luck” from these friends would have sufficed. But I understand each persons’ personal path informs them of what is of value to them, and these friends are not my target audience, and will never see what I see or am trying to achieve. If I can take this from friends, I’m well prepared to take similar from strangers. I’d rather invest my energy into impressing the supporting friends and collectors who love my dolls. As RuPaul has said, “I’m too busy loving the people who love me“. I’ve created what I’ve wanted and needed in the Fashion Doll world that I felt was not there for me already as a collector. My hope is that others will resonate with that same want and need, whether it’s been there for a while, or newly discovered when they see my GlamourOz dolls for the first time.


...I added one more question for Jozef, after seeing reactions from a couple of people online...

Stratos Bacalis: There have been a couple of collectors that have commented that your doll body resembles another company's 16" doll vinyl body. How do you respond to that?

JS:  I don’t follow trends, I like to think, I create them. I create what I like to see in a doll, and hope that collectors will like it. I actually hand sculpted my original Sculpy GlamourOz doll sculpt at 22″, starting that sculpt in 2006, so as not to be influenced at all by any other 16″ doll trends, whether resin or hard plastic/vinyl. The GlamourOz Dolls 22" Sculpy doll sculpt was only resized to her current height of 17" after scanning the 22" parts. When you compare my previous Elizabet Bizelle doll release from 2003 to my current GlamourOz Dolls, you’ll see that the details and aesthetic I’ve followed and developed on... and applied to my GlamourOz Dolls' body, is my own.


The reason I originally sculpted and created my original 2003 Elizabet Bizelle doll was to create a doll sculpt that embodied the elongated grace of my own art and sculptural aesthetics, with the illusion of movement sculptural pose, at a time when the contemporary dolls had a static and robotic stance. My first Elizabet doll's body from 2003, which incommensurately stands apart from its then contemporaries because of these differences, has providence in the torso and elongated look: the neck, shoulders, bosom, ribs, tummy and hip detailing and elongated grace from head to toe, and even through to its fingertips, that predates by about seven years the aesthetics other doll companies (which I'm sure these collectors are referring to) are now similarly exploring for their own lines. Granted 2003 is a while ago now, some collectors may not have seen nor heard of my first Elizabet Bizelle doll, as only a few hundred were produced. Though the timeline is there (check out a photo album here).


I'm flattered that my earlier doll work and sculptural details and aesthetic have made an impact, to some later released dolls within the Fashion Doll world, both within 12" and 16". Though however lovely they have been with some of these shared aesthetics, they still have not captured nor satisfied the wants and needs I still craved as a collector, or as a doll sculptor/creator. My GlamourOz Dolls are at least, that answer for me that satisfies my needs and wants in an articulated Fashion Doll. My hope is that collectors will resonate with the differences I bring to my GODs with my own sculptural aesthetics, and share that same want and need, too.


New and Original 2003 Comparisons

If you’d like to know more, or be added to Jozef's mailing list, please contact him via his website: www.glamourozdolls.com

Note: all photos and art © Jozef Szekeres. Original interview by permission of Tommydoll. GlamourOz dolls are prototypes only