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.

It has been two years since the announcement about Integrity Toys producing American Horror Story: Coven dolls came, making collectors and fans of the series giddy with excitement. Since that day, three more seasons of the series have been aired and time seemed to pass too slowly on the way to the final product. Collectors were getting annoyed, bored, even becoming indifferent to any news - admittedly very few - on the progress of the project. It seems that the main issue was the final approval of the dolls' sculpts from the actors being portrayed. With so many divas involved, it would not surprise me at all. Finally the dolls are revealed, available to preorder at all Integrity Toys dealers, with Angela Basset's Marie Laveau being the first doll to arrive at the end of the month. 

Portrayed by famed actress Angela Bassett, Marie Laveau is the Voodoo Queen in American Horror Story: Coven™. Marie Laveau is a 12.5-inch fully articulated fashion doll with fully rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes. She comes dressed in a leopard print suit and blood red leather jacket, accessorised with large hoop earrings, snake pendant necklace, shoes, and a doll stand. Recommended for adult collectors ages 15 and up.

Portrayed by famed actress Jessica Lange, Fiona Goode is the central character of American Horror Story: Coven™. Fiona Goode is a 12.5-inch fully articulated fashion doll with fully rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes. She comes dressed in one of her signature looks and includes two pairs of interchangeable hands (non-gloved and gloved), earrings, sunglasses, shoes, a fully functional umbrella and a doll stand. Recommended for adult collectors ages 15 and up.

Now this one looks a bit off, as far as the likeness is concerned, but if Jessica Lange is OK with it, I'm  more than fine. The loos is impeccable and the cherry on top is the functioning umbrella! Love her! Below is a still from the series with Lange in her iconic look, leading the coven.

Portrayed on-screen by actress Frances Conroy, the eccentric Myrtle Snow served as the Head of the Witches Council on American Horror Story: Coven™. Myrtle Snow is a 12.5-inch fully articulated fashion doll with fully rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes. Myrtle wears a black jacket, cinched at the waist by a faux-leather belt, over a polka dot shirt and long skirt combo. Her look is completed by long, contrasting yellow gloved interchangeable hands (regular non-painted hands included as well), her signature cat-eyed glasses, oversized turquoise and gold spider shaped jewelled broach, shoes and a doll stand. Recommended for adult collectors ages 15 and up.

They totally nailed Myrtle, even though she is not wearing the red "Balenciaaaaga!" final outfit. Amazing, amazing, amazing. Below is the actress from the series.

Portrayed on-screen by actress Taissa Farmiga, Zoe Benson is a Council member and a witch at Miss Robichaux's Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies on American Horror Story: Coven™. Zoe Benson is a 12.5-inch fully articulated fashion doll with fully rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes. Zoe comes dressed in a look that includes a black satin mini-skirt and a white shirt with ruffled detail and a black ribbon tie. She completes her look with a large brimmed black hat, an oversized finger ring, short black socks, short faux-leather boots and a doll stand. Recommended for adult collectors ages 15 and up.

She looks close enough to the real thing. Cute face, lovely outfit. I think the three older characters are better than the three younger ones though.  I would have preferred another outfit for this character, like the black one below:

They probably tried to avoid too much total black outfits, even though this is a line that would totally justify it. Below is a still from the series with Farmiga in the outfit worn by the doll.

Portrayed by actor Evan Peters, Kyle Spencer is a native of New Orleans' Ninth Ward and has spent the years since Katrina supporting his single mother. Resurrected after a violent death, Kyle serves Miss Robichaux's Academy on American Horror Story: Coven™. Kyle Spencer is a 12.5-inch fully articulated fashion figure with fully rooted hair. Kyle is dressed in the outfit the girls dressed him in after his awkward resurrection from the dead, which features a plaid shirt, khakis, black shoes and a figure stand. Recommended for adult collectors ages 15 and up.

Great likeness of the actor, but the head looks a bit larger than it should have - it might be the hair that makes it look like that. Men in AHS: Coven did not have any particularly striking outfits, so I am guessing the inclusion of the character had more to do with the popular actor and less with any fashion inspiration. They should have included a jacket with it. Below is the actor from the series with Lily Rabe as Misty, who unfortunately is not included in this line up of dolls.

Portrayed on-screen by actress Emma Roberts, out-of-control Hollywood starlet Madison Montgomery is used to things going her way. After becoming stranded at Miss Robichaux's Academy, she may learn that she needs more than star power to shine.  Madison Montgomery is a 12.5-inch fully articulated fashion doll with fully rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes. Madison comes dressed in a look composed of a black bustier, silver jacquard cigarette pants, and a black fur coat, accessorised by a thick silver finger ring, crystal beaded earrings and short faux-leather high-heeled boots and a doll stand. Recommended for adult collectors ages 15 and up.

I think this likeness is off. This does not look like Emma Roberts at all. She's gorgeously dressed but that's it. Pity as she would have been striking. Below is the actress in the series.

Note: The pictures contained in this email show the prototype and the final doll may vary slightly. All doll photos and information contained herein is copyrighted Integrity Toys, Inc. and Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC 2016 and may not be reprinted or disseminated without express written permission. AMERICAN HORROR STORY and all related characters are trademarks of Twentieth Century Fox Television and are used with permission. © 2016 Twentieth Century Fox Television. All Rights Reserved

Fashion dolls have been featured quite a while in fashion magazines in the last few years. Even models have been photographed as dolls many times. I had done a photo shoot with doll-sized clothes designed by the cream of Indian fashion designers some years back, for Grazia India. This year, Cosmopolitan India celebrates its 20th anniversary, with their October issue. And thanks to its amazing editor in chief, Nandini Bhalia, I got a chance to have my doll photos featured in this special issue for an editorial about blush, by talented fashion editor Navya Anand. Below is the pages of the magazine as featured in the October 2016 issue, now on stands. Click to see them bigger. Again I must thank Nandini and Navya for their support and for choosing me to participate in this special issue of Cosmopolitan India.

The opening two-page spread with Intrigue Elise Jolie in a Jason Wu jumpsuit and Going Public Eugenia in a valeyofdolls gown.

Of course Style Notes Isha Kalpana Narayanan would be featured in Cosmopolitan India!

Main Attitude Adele Makeda in all her glamour

And the final page featured a guide on how to blush, with Daring Imogen, Power House Ayumi, Take Me On Vanessa and Belissima Natalia. Sorry to say that Eugenia and Poppy did not make the final cut. Tantrums could ensue!

The 20th anniversary October issue of Cosmopolitan India is out now, with Kangana Ranaut on the cover.

Integrity Toys announced last year that they had secured the license from Hasbro to do < 3 MLP (My Little Pony) inspired dolls to honour the fans of the My Little Pony brand.  This special-edition collection includes six fashion dolls and figures inspired by My Little Pony brand enthusiasts and fans of all ages, four boys and two girls. Each fan figure keeps the theme of their favourite MY LITTLE PONY character, wearing clothing and accessories inspired by that pony, complete with a "cutie mark" on their respective figures i.e. a tattoo matching the one on the pony. 

I was not expecting to like anything in this collection. It was a nice surprise to find that most of the dolls are looking great and I am already thinking of buying one of them. Jesse Ayala, the designer of this collection, has done an outstanding job in creating the dolls inspired by fans inspired by the ponies. The attention to detail and realisation is great and I am sure that the series, available in a staggering release through IT Direct only (and not through dealers) will be a success. Jesse also said that Alain helped him with the pony images on clothes and accessories and the design of the skateboard graphics. Each doll is an edition of 500, retailing at $130. w Club members will have the privilege of ordering ahead of public.