Smoke and Shadow Vanessa Perrin is the first doll of the Nu Fantasy Coven Couture collection

Nu Fantasy, the Integrity Toys line that translated dolls from all their other lines into fantasy inspired dolls just made a comeback. A new collection (one doll from it to be precise) was unveiled in a W Club event presentation, for the Coven Couture NU. Fantasy collection, designed by IT designer Mark Tinkey. There will be four dolls in total to be released, with the next one presented in the next months. The event alsio informed us that the first W Club doll is just around the corner. IT has secured a licensing deal for a new line of dolls that got Alain and Carol very excited, but they did not divulge any details about that. They also talked about the delays of doll production that are doggin Integrity again this year (as well as otner companies all over the world) and the effect they are having on pricing (which manifested in the price of this doll). Seeing the priced steadily rising this year in everything from groceries to clothes to services, and the delays in materials moving around the world, it’s not hard to imagine how it can affect a company like Integrity Toys that is small in size and does not own big factories and raw material production sites like other larger corporations do (hello Mattel). So you have to accept that this year and for at least the first half of the next one, everything will be late and expensive. One more worrying thing is that they cannot travel to China to supervise production like in previous years. Fingers crossed the situation improves soon.

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Let’s get back to the doll. Here's an introduction about the Coven Couture Collection's inspiration directly from Mark Tinkey:

"I was inspired by myths, fairy tales, and some of my favorite couture designers to create the dolls and fashions for the Coven Couture collection. It is a series of four dolls each meant to stand out on their own or fill out a shelf in your collection with drama and color. The images conjured when I think of dark castles, magic spells, and fabulous witchy women helped to define the look and mood of these dolls. They are decadent and darkly romantic and I hope you love them as much as I do!"

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Item # 75029

Smoke and Shadow

Vanessa Perrin™ Dressed Doll

NU. Fantasy™: The Coven Couture Collection

Edition Size: 1500

Expected Ship Date: Late Fall / Early Winter 2021

Price: $199.00 + Shipping & Handling

*W Club Right-to-buy Lottery Offer*

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Head Sculpt: Vanessa 3.0

Body Type: FR 6.0

Foot Sculpt: High-heeled

Skin Tone: Cream

Hair Color: Ash Blonde

Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied

Quickswitch: No

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Included:

12.5-inch articulated doll with rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes;

Black tulle and satin gown with extravagant embroidery designed by Mark Tinkey, rhinestone detail, and multi-layered skirt;

Removable tulle sleeves:

Ornate metal headpiece with separate tulle veil;

Dangle earrings with rhinestone drop;

Stud earrings for a simpler look, if desired;

3 finger rings, 2 with "stone" detail and 1 geometric "gold";

Black open lace-up platform boots with zipper in back;

Small black satin clutch with attached bracelet and skull charm with rhinestone eyes;

Pair of long manicured hands;

Extra pair of "hand on hip" hands (also perfect for spell-casting!);

Doll stand;

Certificate of authenticity.

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IMPORTANT NOTE: Prototypes shown, final product may vary. Acrylic blocks in the accessory pictures are display props only and are not included with the doll. This collectible is meant for adult collectors ages 15 and up only.

Offer Type:

Members-only right-to-buy lottery;

Right-to-buy Lottery Participation Deadline:

August 2nd, 2021 at 12 PM (Noon) Eastern Time;

Pricing (Only If You Are Selected in the Right-to-buy Lottery):

$199.00 + S&H (payable in two installments of $99.50 each);

Approximate Shipping Timing:

Late Fall / Early Winter 2021;

W Club Right-to-buy Lottery Participation Limit:

Max. one (1) lottery ticket per each 2021 membership only.

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Having a new doll presentation from IT is exciting, even if it is only one doll and not a whole collection, which is the thing usually featured in a live event. Mark was there to present the doll as well and I got the impression that they did this to placate collectors, who are still waiting for preorders to ship. My guess is that instead of waiting to have all four prototypes to present the collection, they decided to showcase this one in order to generate excitement sooner and fill the gap that delays have caused to new dolls arriving. The doll is a beautiful version of Vanessa 3.0, with sexy, vampy make up and lovely hair, which will be gorgeous in other Fashion Royalty clothes as well.

Alexander McQueen Pre-Fall 2012 Collection - photo courtesy of Alexander McQueen

Alexander McQueen Pre-Fall 2012 Collection - photo courtesy of Alexander McQueen

Even though I love having miniature versions of real life designer fashions, especially from my favourite designers, like Alexander McQueen’s Sarah Burton, it irks me when it is not mentioned at all in the emalis or the presentations. This one is not even inspired by the actual dress, it is an identical copy, with only the embroidered motifs being different. That is not designing a doll, it is simply styling. It is not the first time Integrity is doing this and it will not be the last - and I will pin-point it every single time. If Integrity are afraid of legal issues, then they should stop doing it and get their talented designers to make some original fashions. That being said, the accessories are magnificent, especially the headpiece, the earrings and the bag combined with a bracelet.

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W Club members only can enter the lottery. While lottery tickets are free, if your entry is picked, you will be expected to pay the first instalment ($99.00) only for each doll that you win by August 20th, 2021, and then the balance and the shipping fees will be due approximately in late Fall / early Winter 2021 once the item is in stock. Let me know in the comments what you thing about the doll and if you are entering the lottery.



All doll photos and information contained herein is copyrighted Integrity Toys, Inc. and Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC 2021 and may not be reprinted or disseminated without express written permission. FASHION ROYALTY, and NU. FANTASY and all other character marks followed by ™ or ® are 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 Bill Peck and Shaunessey Smith ; Layouts and graphics by Alain Tremblay, Marketing.

A new Monarch doll - was that what you were missing from your life?

Having new doll releases during this world-changing time can be a way to combat dreariness and escape a bit from the relentless pace real life moves. Isn’t doll collecting an escape into our own ideal world for most collectors anyway? Having said that, the release of a new, unexpected Monarch doll was definitely quite surprising - and to me, quite unnecessary. Rest assured, I always love a well designed and made doll, especially a guy. But this is not how I would have done it. He’s a lottery exclusive for W Club members in a lower than usual price, which is quite nice. And a new character too!

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Item #21005

Most Influential

Paolo Marino™ Fashion Figure

The Monarchs™ Homme Collection

Edition Size: 700

Expected Ship Date: In-stock, will ship after winners' payments are received

MSRP: $175.00 Special Members-Only Price (During Lottery Only): $150.00 + Shipping

W Club Exclusive Right-to-buy Lottery Offer

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Head Sculpt: Paolo 

Body Type: Monarchs 1.0

Skin Tone: Hungarian

Hair Color: Salt and Pepper

Eyelashes: No

Quickswitch: No

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Included:

12.5" fully articulated fashion figure with rooted hair and flocked hair;

Bespoke slim-fitted business suit;

Tailored shirt;

Dashing satin tie;

Brilliantly engineered, multi-toned overcoat;

"Micro-suede" loafers;

Fully functional umbrella accessory;

Time piece;

Eyeglasses;

Alternate pair of "grip" hands;

Alternate pair of "gloved" hands;

Underarm fashion figure stand;

Certificate of authenticity.

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Offer Type: Members-only right-to-buy lottery;

Participation Deadline: June 15th, 2020, Noon Eastern time;

Special Members-Only Price (During Lottery Only): $150.00 + S&H each;

Final Edition Size: 700;

Shipping Timing: In-stock, will ship once the lottery winners have paid;

Availability: 2020 W Club members only; Right-to-buy Participation Limit: Max. one (1) lottery ticket per 2020 membership only.

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For those following the complicated storylines of the Integrity Toys dolls, Paolo Marino is the younger brother of Missima Cosmetics founder Perry Marino and is presented now as a ruthless billionaire financier ready to take over the world. Not exactly the guy to mess up with. The doll sure looks more like a hipster entrepreneur with that hair and that coat and less like a Wall Street guy. Even more, he reminds me of Eggsy, the character played in the Kingsman films by Taron Eggerton - see photo below. The sculpt could even be made to look like the actor. The sculpt is supposedly new but it looks like a tweaked Zipper.

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Do I like the doll? Not with those ears! That god-awful hair style! Which will definitely, experience talking, will look much worse IRL. if I need a cobweb broom, I will get one from the supermarket, thank you very much. the suit does not help a lot, despite the narrow, tailored look. Red ties are forever ruined for me after Trump. Maybe a pinstripe fabric would have suited him better. A waistcoat would have bee so fitting. And definitely not that oversize patchwork coat, which is something Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen has been making variations of forever, and with much better results and aesthetics. Thom Browne does it too but in a more trompe-l'œil way. We have had two-toned coats before in FR Hommes and they never look that dapper to begin with. Some examples in the slideshow below (after the accessories photo), with a pinstripe look in the end that would be my favourite for this release. i would not mind the first look either, on a black gorgeous doll as shown IRL please.

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Fashion photos courtesy of Alexander McQueen and Vogue Runway. Final fabrics, colours and textures may vary slightly. For adult collectors ages 15 and up only. All doll photos and information contained herein is copyrighted Integrity Toys, Inc. and Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC 2020 and may not be reprinted or disseminated without express written permission. The MONARCHS HOMME, PAOLO MARINO and all other character marks followed by ™ or ® are trademarks of Integrity Toys, Inc. All rights reserved. The W Club is a trademark of Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC. All rights reserved.

Doll Photography by Jayme Thornton;

Layouts and graphics by Alain Tremblay, Marketing

Integrity Toys Dolly Days finale pt.2: Fashion Royalty Retrofuture 2019 Collection reveal

The second collection unveiled on Saturday was a three doll Fashion Royalty Collection designed again by Jessy Ayala. The collection is inspired by various things: Thierry Mugler’s robotic body armour outfits, Daphne Guinness, Dior, the artist Fecal Matter, Balenciaga, Tom Ford and Alexander McQueen. Lots of influences, combined in various ways, with an almost impeccable result. They fit great with the Anika Luxottica Dasha from the IFDC 2016 convention. If the dolls were more, I’d have a serious budget problem. And contrary to the NuFace collection before it, this one is justifying the prices attached to the dolls. Two of them are available through IT dealers (Vanessa and Adéle), one is the event doll, available only to W Club members for preorder (Dania). I love this collection so much, I got them all!

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Item # 91464

Retro Dimensional

Vanessa Perrin® Dressed Doll

The Fashion Royalty® Collection: RETROFUTURE

Expected Ship Date: Late-Spring/Early Summer 2020

Suggested Retail Pricing: $160.00

*ONLY AVAILABLE VIA IT DEALERS*

Edition Size: 1000

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Head Sculpt: Vanessa 1.0

Body Type: FR 6.0

Foot Sculpt: High-heeled Foot

Skin Tone: Hungarian

Hair Color: Chocolate Brown

Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied

Quickswitch: No

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Included:

  • 12.5" fully articulated doll with rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes;

  • Intricately engineered, high-gloss red patent "leather" cocktail dress with decorative grommet detailing at the hem and dramatic, oversized, detachable bow at the back, cinched at the waist by a perfectly matched belt;

  • Chrome plated, full-metal, die-cast robotized armor coverings;

  • Pair of robotized gloved hands;

  • Pair of regular flesh toned hands;

  • Fiber optics inspired chrome metal magnetized choker necklace;

  • Chrome finish earrings with cloisonné highlights;

  • Oversized, chrome finish duo-toned sunglasses;

  • Flamboyant red patent "leather" shoes with chrome spiked heels;

  • Metallic red, embossed clutch purse;

  • Stand;

  • Certificate of authenticity.

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What an amazing Vanessa is this? The doll, using the 1.0 sculpt, immediately reminded me of AFL Vanessa. The Hungarian skintone is a first for this sculpt I think. It goes well with her make up as well as the colour of her outfit. And what an outfit! The dress is the one made and worn by the artist Fecal Matter, who in turn was inspired by Marilyn Monroe’s Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friends dress. Only now it is red and has grommets as decoration, which I remember seeing on old and newer Versace outfits. Remember that the bow is detachable. And with Marilyn and retrofuturism combined, you can’t not mention the work of Japanese artist Hajime Sorayama, with his sexy robotic pin ups. The thunderbolt pumps are very Thierry Mugler, as are the metallic hands and arm bands. The sunglasses remind me of vintage Alain Mikli styles. Good thing that she has three pairs of hands: regular, holding and robotic. I added a slideshow below, to help you see the various influences.

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Item # 91463

Neo Look

Adèle Makéda® Dressed Doll

The Fashion Royalty® Collection: RETROFUTURE

Expected Ship Date: Late-Spring/Early Summer 2020

Suggested Retail Pricing: $160.00

*ONLY AVAILABLE VIA IT DEALERS*

Edition Size: 900

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Head Sculpt: Adèle 2.0

Body Type: FR 6.0

Foot Sculpt: High-heeled Foot

Skin Tone: Nubian

Hair Color: Dark Brunette

Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied

Quickswitch: No

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Included:

  • 12.5" fully articulated doll with rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes;

  • Soft, romantic, yet fashion forward two-piece ensemble composed of a multi-layered tulle skirt and futuristic inspired, elaborately constructed jacket;

  • Show-stopping, techno embossed chrome finish pleather saddle clutch purse;

  • Fiber-optic themed chrome plated jewelry set composed of a magnetized choker necklace, earrings and ring;

  • Pair of robotized gloved hands;

  • Robotized finger ring attachments;

  • High-chrome finish sunglasses;

  • Pair of alternate, flesh-toned hands;

  • See-through vinyl and chrome finish high-heeled shoes;

  • Stand;

  • Certificate of authenticity.

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A gorgeous Adéle is the second doll in this collection and is one of the best Adéle dolls ever released. Nubian skintone? Check. Beautiful make up? Check. Great hairstyle? Check. Amazing outfit? Check. Brilliant accessories? Check. She could be a Christian Dior modelfrom the John Galliano era, with that modernised Bar Suit silhouette. And, not that Jessy could have had an advanced look at the new Ivy Park collection that Beyoncé is dropping next January, but the jacket could easily have been part of it, from what I have seen in the photos of her in the January 2020 Elle magazine. The bag is the metallic version of the Dior Saddle bag that designer Kim Jones debuted on the Pre-Fall 2019 Men collection, in collaboration with - guess who? - Hajime Sorayama! Pity this bag is not metallic; its real life counterpart was and cost a breathtaking $35,000! There are only ten of them in the world, one being owned by KKW. Jones has been obsessed with Sorayama’s work for years and he had him do a special installation of his robotic woman statue for the show. The metallic hands are again Mugler. I made a slideshow with all the references, check it out below.

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Item # 91462

Mothership

Dania Zarr™ Dressed Doll

The Fashion Royalty® Collection: RETROFUTURE

Expected Ship Date: Late-Spring/Early Summer 2020

Retail Pricing: $175.00

*ONLY AVAILABLE VIA IT DIRECT FOR W CLUB MEMBERS*

Edition Size: TBA

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Head Sculpt: Dania

Body Type: FR 6.0

Foot Sculpt: High-heeled Foot

Skin Tone: FR White

Hair Color: Platinum Blonde With Black Streak

Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied

Quickswitch: No

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Included:

  • 12.5" fully articulated doll with rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes;

  • Dazzling chrome plated, magnetized two-piece bustier with "diamond" detailing;

  • Extravagant, intergalactic inspired, floor-length ruffled overcoat;

  • Intricately engineered thigh-high chrome finish gladiator boots;

  • Chrome finish gauntlets and robotized gloved hands;

  • Fitted, magnetized chrome finish neck piece;

  • Futuristic chrome plated earrings;

  • Newly designed mirror-chrome finish sunglasses ;

  • Alternate pair flesh-toned hands;

  • Stand;

  • Certificate of authenticity.

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The pièce de résistance of this collection (and the whole week in general) is Mothership Dania Zarr. She is incredible. Inspired by the Alexander McQueen friend and muse, Daphne Guinness, the Mugler robotic bodysuits and a Balenciaga coat, the doll stands out from the rest. I love the Daphne Guiness inspiration, she is one of my favourite fashion people and I love the idea of having a doll inspired by her. She has been photographed wearing lots of incredible McQueen originals by the greatest photographers. Her trademark streaked hair are like the ones Dania is sporting. The outfit is based on the Mugler robotic outfits, taking elements from all of them - he has done quite a few, with the most famous being the one worn by model Emma Sjöberg both on Mugler’s catwalk and in the George Michael videoclip Too Funky (watch it below). And the bodice and arm covers are made of metal. The coat is inspired by Balenciaga (Jessy mentioned it in a video accompanying the email presentation). Cristobal Balenciaga had designed a short coat in this style, which Nicholas Ghesquière redid for the storied house into a dress, many years later. The belt is from the Christian Dior Resort 2019 Collection by Maria Grazia Chiuri. The boots are surprisingly not Mugler but Tom Ford Spring 2013. And the sunglasses are from Alexander McQueen by Sarah Burton Fall 2012 RTW collection, bringing it full circle back to Daphne Guinness. A tour de force. If you’re not a W Club member, you will have to wait till next year to get it on the secondary market. The price is higher than the other two dolls but she fully justifies it. There’s the slideshow with the references below.

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Final fabrics, colors and textures may vary slightly. For adult collectors ages 15 and up only. All doll photos, unless otherwise stated, and information contained herein is copyrighted Integrity Toys, Inc. and Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC 2019 and may not be reprinted or disseminated without express written permission. Fashion Royalty, NU. Face and all other character marks followed by ™ or ® are 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 and graphics by Alain Tremblay, Marketing.

Alexander McQueen Spring/Summer 2014 advertising campaign: Kate Moss and a fashion doll

It seems fashion dolls keep fascinating more and more fashion people. The brand new advertising campaign of Alexander McQueen, shot by Steven Klein, one of my very favourite photographers, features not only Kate Moss modelling for the first time in a McQueen campaign (although she was very close to the late designer and founder of the brand) but also a fashion doll. And it is no ordinary doll too (how could it be?): it is a proper Kate Moss miniature, dressed in exact mini replicas of the outfits she wears in the photos featured in the campaign.


The doll seems to be in 1/6 scale, without articulation, made to look exactly like Kate Moss does in the photos, even down to the bright yellow hair. The outfits it wears look incredibly detailed and well scaled. I am jealous; I want all of the outfits for my dolls (would not mind having the doll too but non-articulated dolls are not a favourite in this house). Doesn't Kate look a lot like Tilda Swindon here? Can you imagine that doll?


There is also a small video clip made for the campaign, with a stalker following Kate around a dark and foreboding East London, with the doll in his hand. It is directed by Steven Klein as well, who returns to work with the brand after twelve whole years.



If you look at all the photos, some of them use the doll as a voodoo doll, with pins on its head. Steven Klein was inspired by the 1960s British thriller, Peeping Tom in which a serial killer murders women and uses a portable camera to record their dying expressions of terror. Morbid and fascinating at the same time. I love the way the doll looks in the campaign and covet the outfits. Sigh.


I have no idea who made the doll but I would not mind having it with the extensive miniature garment collection from McQueen! There is only one photo of the campaign without the doll - it's at the end of this post.






A Tribute to Alexander McQueen

Alexander McQueen is my favourite fashion designer. It was a shock for me too then, to discover on the morning of February 11th that he had committed suicide. It is a loss not only for his family and friends, but also for the world - talent such as he had is rare to come by. Read more about his work in my other blog. As an hommage, I photographed Fashion Royalty's Kyori Sato in mourning with a dress that Integrity did for the 2007 Wu Event IV - it was one of the convention fashion outfits, called Lap Of Luxury. It copied blatantly one of my favourite Alexander McQueen dresses, as the theme of the convention was The Royal Life - Anglophilia ruled, so it was an obvious choice. R.I.P. Lee, we will miss you.

Black As Night Kyori Sato in mourning, wearing Lap of Luxury


Spring/Summer 2007 show - one of my very favourite dresses