Defiant Rayna designed by Jason Kramer, winner of 2015 Integrity Toys convention design contest, available for preorder

September 13, 2016

Last year at the Cinematic Integrity Toys convention, there was the Official Integrity Toys Advanced Design competition. The winner was Jason Kramer with Defiant, modelled by a Natalia Fashion Royalty doll. The winning design, picked by the members of the Integrity Toys design team, after adjustments to make it production ready while preserving the spirit of Jason's original design, is now ready for preorder. A major change is that instead of Natalia, the doll wearing the outfit is now Rayna. W Club members can pre-order as many dolls as they like, so the total edition size will be based on how many pre-orders are received. The doll is also available for the general public to preorder, you can click on this link.

Item # 82076
Defiant
Rayna™ Dressed Doll
The NU. Face™ Collection
2015 Design Competition Award Doll by Jason Kramer
Limited Edition Size: TBA
Estimated Ship Date: January/February 2017
Special W Club Price: $135.00 + Shipping, Handling and Applicable Sales Tax*.
General Public Price: $145.00 + Shipping, Handling and Applicable Sales Tax.
*W Club members will have to pay a non-refundable deposit of $20.00 at pre-order to reserve their doll (s); the balance of $115.00 + shipping and handling (and tax for Maryland residents) will be due approximately January/February 2017.

Doll Tech Specs:
Head Sculpt: Rayna™
Body Type: NU. Face 2.0
Quick Switch Feature: No
Skin Tone: Hungarian
Hair Color: Golden Bronze
Eyelashes: Yes, Hand Applied

Rayna™ is a 12.5-inch fully articulated vinyl fashion doll with long, silky fully rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes. Her look that can be worn multiple ways is composed of a high-contrast custom printed removable plaid skirt over high-waisted capris and a black micro sequined sleeveless top, finished with a multi-strand chain necklace, oversized hoop earrings, cuff bracelets, high-heels and a clutch purse. A doll stand and a numbered certificate of authenticity is also included. For adult collectors ages 15 and up.

Hmmm... Rayna is one of the rarest Integrity Toys sculpts, first premiered as an unknown doll wearing an outfit for sale and has only been released as part of conventions or special events, while lately she appeared as part of an ITBE collection but in a dark skin tone. I was looking forward for a more easily available version of hers and now she's here. But she does not look like Rayna at all. Look at the photo below and tell me you'd recognise the same character if no one told you who it was.

I do not know why the designers picked this particular doll to use the small, slanted eye design but it is a total disaster - it is not Rayna. So, while the outfit is gorgeous and I'd love to have it in my collection, the doll will keep me off buying it. We were informed that she has painted eyes so I cannot attribute the look to the newly available, and much discussed, decal eyes that the company used on some dolls. It is a major disappointment for me. I know some people will pre-order her in the hope that Integrity will redesign the eyes but I cannot commit like this. And no one should have to.

So who is the talented Jason Kramer? He began working in design straight out of college, where he majored in Theatre Arts, with an emphasis in Costume design. He has designed costumes for both theatre and dance productions, and now works as Artistic Director and Lead Designer at a costume design company that specializes in custom made dance wear. When he's not working, he spends most of his free time with his husband James and their dog Apollo in their Long Beach, California home.

The inspiration for this design was grunge fashion, with a more contemporary and chic interpretation. He collects dolls for the last 15 years. His favourite era of fashion is the Dior New Look. Favourite IT sculpts include Eugenia, Natalia, Elyse and Tulabelle.

Jason Kramer

The winning design as sketched by Jason

Are you pre-ordering Defiant? What do you think of her? Let me know in the comments.

Note: Pictures of prototype shown; final production colors and textures may vary slightly. All 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.

Fashion Royalty and all related characters are trademarks of Integrity Toys, Inc. and JWU LLC. All rights reserved.

Graphics and Layouts by Alain Tremblay Marketing. Photography by Jayme Thornton

Integrity Toys convention 2015: Cinematic Part X: The final gala and convention doll

October 26, 2015

The Saturday gala is always a bittersweet event: while everyone is anticipating the presentation of the convention doll and lots of other reveals and gifts of the night, it is also time to say goodbye and marks the end of the convention. The Integrity Toys design team conducted the highly anticipated OOAK and complete collection raffles, unveiled the final dolls of the weekend and announced that next year's convention would take place in Chicago (the theme, dates, registration information and other details will be revealed approximately in the Spring of 2016). They also announced the winner of the design contest, Jason Kramer, who was attending his first convention and won both categories, the advanced with his 12" entry (which will be made into a doll from Integrity next year) and the intermediate with his 16" entry. Here are photos taken from the flickr profile of Crystal.

Jason Kramer - winner of the advanced category in the design contest

This is Jason Kramer's 16" entry that won the intermediate category. It is actually portraying model Shalom Harlow at the finale of the Spring Summer 1999 Alexander McQueen collection, where her dress was spray-painted by industrial robots live on the runway.

Of course the final two dolls of the weekend were revealed: Elyse Jolie was the centerpiece (the designers mentioned that the change in her name's spelling was requested by her and they had being writing it wrong for years!) and a new character was introduced in the Nu. Face collection, Ms. Karolin Stone, a model and actress. Everyone in attendance received the gorgeous Karolin doll who is the official convention doll. Not everyone was pleased, as Elyse or Vero were expected to be convention dolls. The fact that Jason Wu did not make an appearance during the convention and no doll was wearing one of his real life outfits in miniature was also much discussed and speculated upon.

Item # 91383
Starlet Elyse Jolie™ Dressed Doll (Gala Dinner Centerpiece)
Cinematic: The 2015 Integrity Toys Convention Collection
Limited Edition of 450 Dolls

I'm not a fan of this Elyse. She looks a lot like previous releases of her (On The Rise was the first that came to mind), while the dress is too transparent - shouldn't it be lined? I really like the fabric buy maybe it needs a different design to look its best.

Item # 82068
Making An Entrance
Karolin Stone™ Dressed Doll (Main Souvenir Doll)
Cinematic: The 2015 Integrity Toys Convention Collection
Limited Edition of 600 Dolls

The face looks familiar. She could be using the Ayumi 2.0 (more likely, as it is out of use now) ot 3.0 sculpt. Her severe look and simplicity did not go down well with some attendees - I read somewhere that when she was announced, everyone was silent for a few moments. She looks modern and strong but I would not try to get her.

Note: The dolls shown are prototypes and final versions may vary slightly. All doll photos and information contained herein is copyrighted Integrity Toys, Inc. and Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC 2015 and may not be reprinted or disseminated without express written permission.

Integrity Toys convention 2015: Cinematic Part IX: The W Club luncheon

October 26, 2015

One of the most sought after events of the convention each year is the W Club members-only luncheon. Attendees that are not part of the W Club cannot attend and everyone is eager to find out details about the next year's collections that are unveiled on the luncheon. Each member who opted to attend received the opportunity to purchase a Veronique Perrin centerpiece doll from the Fashion Royalty Collection and each member then received a basic Eden doll as a thank you gift for attending the lunch. In addition to an interview with the W Club's own Carol Roth, David Buttry returned to the stage to sneak peek a brand new line- The Industry- featuring a 12" version of Tulabelle that will officially début next year. Yes. you read it correctly, Tulabelle is turning 12". Is this a sign for the other 16" doll lines of Integrity too? Vaughn and Alain also talked about how the dolls of IT are made.

Item # 91380
Stage Presence
Véronique Perrin® Dressed Doll (W Club Luncheon Centerpiece)
Cinematic: The 2015 Integrity Toys Convention Collection
Limited Edition of 450 Dolls

For me this is one of the three best dolls in the convention - the other two being Nadja and Agnes. She looks like Jean Harlow. In real life photos, the hair look longer than shown here though, which is a minus. Brilliant doll.

Item # 82062
Sneak Peek Eden™ Dressed Doll (Giveaway Souvenir)
Cinematic: The 2015 Integrity Toys Convention Collection
Limited Edition of 600 Dolls

Another Eden (counting the cocktail ITBE as an Eden), she looks like Vero's daughter as they share the same colouring. Wonder what Hollywood link is there in these underwear. Casting couch outfit?

Integrity Toys convention 2015: Cinematic Part VIII: The Poppy Parker luncheon

October 25, 2015

Friday was all about workshops and shopping. Attendees though were eagerly anticipating the day's highlight: the Poppy Parker luncheon with designer David Buttry. Carol Roth, conducted an interview with David on stage at the luncheon to talk about what's in Poppy's future for 2016. Carol and David also unveiled the final gift set that will conclude the 2015 Model Scene Collection, which will be available to W Club members later in November (more details when available - a photo I saw from an attendee of the slide shown during the presentation showed a lovely doll). The lucky attendees who got picked got the chance to purchase the luncheon centerpiece doll. Then, as the event closed, everyone in attendance received another Poppy Parker doll for free as a thank you gift for attending the luncheon.

Item # PP091
Love and Let Love
Poppy Parker™ Dressed Doll (Centerpiece)
Cinematic: The 2015 Integrity Toys Convention Collection
Limited Edition of 450 Dolls

Her hair look like the Camera Loves Her Poppy. Very 60s fashion model, although I can't think of a film featuring this style. I don't like the multicoloured eye shadow.

Item # PP090
Paper Doll
Poppy Parker™ Dressed Doll (Giveaway Souvenir)
Cinematic: The 2015 Integrity Toys Convention Collection
Limited Edition of 600 Dolls

This one would look amazing with different colouring. Again too candy coloured for my taste. Love the hairdo.

Integrity Toys convention 2015: Cinematic Part VII: Thursday night gala dolls

October 25, 2015

Everyone attending was able to finally get together for a delicious meal and see their friends, old and new during Thursday night's gala. Stage hosts Carol Roth and Alain Tremblay offered lucky guests at each table the chance to own the fabulous Adele Makeda centerpiece and then played the stage game with the audience. At the end of the evening, everyone received a Nadja doll from the Nu.Face collection absolutely free, as a souvenir doll.

Item # 91378
Time and Again
Adèle Makéda® Dressed Doll (Thursday Dinner Centerpiece)
Cinematic: The 2015 Integrity Toys Convention Collection
Limited Edition of 450 Dolls

I like her a lot - she's probably in my top-5 or 6 dolls from the convention. In real life photos of her from the convention though, the face looks a bit strange. Could be the eyeliner or the eyeshadow. Would not say not if I'd won her. Love the jewellery.

Item # 82061
Out of Sight
Nadja R.™ Dressed Doll (Giveaway Souvenir)
Cinematic: The 2015 Integrity Toys Convention Collection
Limited Edition of 600 Dolls

For me this is the best doll of the convention, even though she's one of the simpler dressed ones. What a face! Channelling Grace Jones in James Bond, Nadja rocks with flocked hair like her previous favourite incarnation (Urban Outfitting) and Muse Adele, two of my most favourite dolls. And she should take pride of place next to them, no?