"Stay Tuned": the online event for Integrity Toys is announced - plus a new Poppy!

August 6, 2022

In mid July, Integrity Toys announced the initial details about their special online event that will take place in p;ace of the traditional online convention structure for this year only. Currently expected to take place sometime later this Fall (exact start dates will be shared closer to the launch of the special event), Integrity Toys will be breaking news about some new dolls that will be unveiled each day, which will be available to W Club members via a variety of methods (RTB lottery, made-to-order, etc.).

So this year’s theme is “Stay Tuned”: every doll shown during the event will be inspired by different TV show genres of the ’60s and beyond. Everyone in the W Club gets the chance to participate, no registration fee is required and nothing will be immediately time sensitive. No pre-registration fee is required to participate: all 2022 W Club members will be able to attend.

Here's what attendees can expect during this event:

Daily unveilings: a short “newsflash” and/or presentation each day unveiling a new doll or dolls from the various Integrity Toys brands (exact brands to be announced, not all IT brands will be present at the event);

Dolls will available via a variety of purchase methods: the dolls offered during the event will be made available either via a right-to-buy lottery or will be made-to-order, on a case-by-case basis. Depending on the purchase method of each doll, attendees will be guaranteed access to some items, while others will be more limited and available via the right-to-buy lottery method. Exact details will be outlined in each offer email on the day of release of each new event doll;

Limit one per membership: each product offered will be limited to either one pre-order per doll per membership, or one lottery entry per doll per membership, depending on the purchase method.

Stay Tuned... more details will be sent closer to the event. I am guessing this is to streamline the doll presentations and purchases, based on previous online conventions. Truth is that they tried to give the online events the feel of the convention but it never worked out. I hope this runs more smoothly and - since many dolls will be made to order - people will be more satisfied.

To kick things off, Integrity Toys gives us the first preview doll connected to this year’s theme; Poppy Parker as she would have looked had she starred in her very own TV series simply called “We Love Poppy” (I Love Lucy is the inspiration of course), at a time when every TV set in the nation was in black and white!

Designed by Integrity Toys designer Mark Tinkey (who for years has been closely working with David Buttry), this Poppy Parker doll features a special "grey gradient” colour scheme* to simulate the way an early 1960s TV audience would have seen her in their living rooms for the very first time. Every W Club member got the chance to pre-order this doll.

*Note: Only this first doll related to the special event will be done in grey gradient; the other dolls will have various skin tones and coloration.

Item # 77239

We Love Poppy

Poppy Parker® Mini-Gift Set

The 2022 Integrity Toys Event: Stay Tuned

Edition Size: TBD

Expected Ship Date: Late Spring / Early Summer 2023

Head Sculpt: Poppy Parker

Body Type: PP 1.5

Foot Sculpt: High-heeled & Articulated Ankle

Skin Tone: Pale Grey

Hair Color: Silver

Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied

MSRP: $195 + S & H

Special W Club Price*: $175 + S & H

Sales method: These dolls are guaranteed made-to-order for 2022 W Club members only- 1 per membership. Should any products remain after the final payment deadline has passed, they may be made available to the public and/or for purchasing extras at the MSRP.

($50.00 NRD deposit due now, $125.00 + S & H due in approximately late Spring / early Summer 2023);

*Special W Club pricing is limited to one per membership

Included:

Grey-toned, 12-inch articulated doll with rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes;

Grey-toned outfit composed of a polka dot bodysuit with detachable bow detail and matching pleated skirt with alternating panels of dark grey and polka dot fabrics;

Black Capri pants;

Black neck scarf and black belt;

Grey-toned high-heeled shoes with bow detail;

Grey-toned slingback kitten heels;

Small black patent pleather purse;

Simple button-style earrings and grey-toned bangle bracelets complete the look;

Pair of lower legs with articulated ankle feet;

Pair of lower legs with high-heeled feet;

Pair of "Poppy Parker" hands;

Alternate pair of "grip" hands;

Doll stand;

Certificate of authenticity.

WE LOVE POPPY

POPPY PARKER® MINI-GIFT SET

SPECIAL W CLUB PRICE $175 + SHIPPING AND HANDLING

(deposit of $50.00 USD per doll to pre-order)

Purchasing this doll is a standalone bonus offer and does not include any other item from the special online event. However, there is no need to pre-order this item in order to participate in the event later this year.

The idea of the “grey” doll is not new of course. And no, I’m not talking about Monster High you people! If you remember, there was a similar version of Gene Marshall presented back in 2007, during the “Rare Deal” Gene Marshall convention, organised by Integrity Toys and Mel Odom. They had asked doll designers to make OOAK b&w doll clothes for Gene, to be auctioned off on dolls for charity during the convention - but nobody knew what the dolls looked like. The dolls turned out to be a grey-scale version of Gene (from this blog), much like Poppy looks like in this incarnation. Due to their being so rare, they are much sought after. JamieSHOW did a resin version for the 2015 convention and Gene’s 20th anniversary. Two years later they did a similar Trent for their “East Meets West" convention. It looks otherworldly but she’s beautiful and different enough to warrant getting her - if she was in normal colours, I would definitely pass. She does remind me of Lucille Ball back in the day and also has a hint of Wandavision about her! Mark Tinkey photographed her along other Poppies to show how she looks in real life.

We_Love_Poppy_Poppy_Parker_doll accessories

IMPORTANT NOTE: Prototypes shown, final product may vary. "Screen test" sign and 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.

All photos and information contained herein are copyrighted Integrity Toys, Inc. and Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC 2022 and may not be reprinted or disseminated without express written permission. POPPY PARKER 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.

Photography by Bill Peck and Shaunessey Smith. Layouts and graphics by Alain Tremblay, Marketing.

A Meteor just landed - and it surely caused quite a stir!

March 16, 2020

The new W Club year - and by extension the new year for Integrity Toys releases - begun on the Saturday 14th of March, amid the Covid-19 pandemic, not a good omen for the future. But yes, life must go on and we should keep on dreaming. Plus, with more and more people worldwide confined in their homes due to the virus, we doll aficionados turn even more to our passion for relief and enjoyment. This weekend brought the release of a new line for Integrity Toys, designed by Vaughn Sawyers. It’s name is Meteor and the story line involves the opening of a trendy nightclub by three friends. Three new characters, with new sculpts, were unveiled in a collection made up by five dolls, four available from Integrity Toys dealers and one for W Club members as an event doll. All are priced at $150.00. The dealer dolls arrive in the last week of March, while the event doll will arrive by the end of summer.

My thoughts on the line: I love the concept and that they are all from West Africa. The new sculpts are beautiful and will give us some really interesting dolls. I’m not crazy about all the outfits I’m seeing, but more about that in each doll’s comments. The vibe is certainly au courrant with the fashion trends as seen in the latest catwalks, particularly the decadent bourgeois trend evident in major fashion brands. The price is high, placing the dolls on a par with NuFace and near FR. I’d rather see a new line begin on a lower price level to lure people in, especially when it has a body that’s new to collectors. Better to start low, and when you see that there’s a healthy demand, raise prices. Also, releasing all dolls at once, and badly timed with people paying for older preorders, is not boding well for sales. It’s the same mistake they keep doing with East 59th and it seems they are simply not getting it.

As for the new body: in a video interview sent to Club members, Vaughn said he wanted the dolls to have a curvier body but had not time to develop a new one. So he created a new one by combining parts from other types of bodies. Here’s what Integrity Toys said about the new body:

We know that for many customers, compatibility between brands is extremely important. After careful consideration, Meteor ladies feature a newly assembled doll body composed of the following components:

East 59th upper torso;
Slightly re-engineered Color Infusion lower torso;
Fashion Royalty/NU. Face arms and hands;
Newly developed legs compatible with Fashion Royalty and NU. Face shoes.

With this fantastic body combo, these beautiful fashionistas will be able to easily borrow outfits and shoes from other dolls in your collection! You don't need to wait for more outfits to be released, you'll be able to dress, re-dress, pose and play as soon as you receive them!

The upper torso of East 59th is not the best choice for modern dolls. That body looks good for period fashions but is not aesthetically close to current fashion. They could have used the FR upper body. The lower part is a modified Colour Infusion torso. I guess that was for having a more curvy bottom. The legs are new but they say that they can share shoes with FR and NuFace. If that’s the case, why design a new foot at all? Just use existing ones. I am happy they are compatible though as the main reason I did not collect CI was their incompatibility with FR. That and their larger heads.

Let’s check each new doll and see how they look.

Item # 46000

Night Falls

Keeki Adaeze™ Dressed Doll

Meteor™: The Launch

Limited Edition: 525

Available: Last Week of March 2020

Suggested Retail Pricing: $150.00

AVAILABLE ONLY FROM IT DEALERS

Head Sculpt: Keeki Adaeze

Body Type: Meteor 1.0

Foot Sculpt: High Heel

Skin Tone: Nubian

Hair Color: Midnight Brown

Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied

Quickswitch: No

Included:

12.5" fully articulated doll with rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes;
Ultra-feminine, brilliantly pleated and draped burnt-orange satin blouse featuring a sophisticated asymmetric neckline;
Fashionable high-waist cuffed shorts;
High-gloss taupe belt featuring an intricately designed oversized "gold" buckle;
Deep-burgundy handbag with delicate, shimmering texture;
Faux-suede over-the-knee / slouch high-heeled boots that can be worn in multiple ways;
Baroque-inspired earrings with cloisonné detailing;
Matching baroque-inspired cloisonné cuff bracelet with jeweled detailing;
Oversized yellow "diamond" ring;
Pair of long manicured hands;
Alternate pair of grip hands;
Acrylic doll stand and pole;
Certificate of authenticity;
Signature designer packaging.

First one is Keeki, a beautiful lady in Nubian skintone, with lovely natural hair in a series of ponytails and whisps of baby hair on her temples. It’s a nice detail that complements her hair. I love the doll. Her make up is fresh and stylish and I really like that the lips look well defined without too many paint layers. Her outfit? The blouse needed more work on the sleeves, this type of sleeve in this scale either needs a lighter fabric or gathering at the wrists, to show off well. Now they simply look like lumps. I like the shorts and the versatility the boots. The colours are gorgeous. And her accessories are beautiful. Love the burgundy bag and the Byzantine jewellery which were done a lot by Chanel, and in a more artistic style by Yves Saint-Laurent and Christian Lacroix. And did you notice the detail on her manicured long nails? Wow. I preordered this one despite my dislike of the sleeve style, as I love the rest.

Item # 46001

In This Skin

Zuri Okoty™ Dressed Doll

Meteor™: The Launch

Limited Edition: 525

Available: Last Week of March 2020

Suggested Retail Pricing: $150.00

AVAILABLE ONLY FROM IT DEALERS

Head Sculpt: Zuri Okoty

Body Type: Meteor 1.0

Foot Sculpt: High Heel

Skin Tone: A-tone

Hair Color: Chocolate Copper

Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied

Quickswitch: No

Included:

12.5" fully articulated doll with rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes;
Deconstructed, asymmetrical lightweight faille blouse;
High-waisted, faux-crocodile skirt with dramatic side slit;
High-contrast, multicolored faux-fur boa;
Short gladiator lace-up sandals;
Oversized "tortoiseshell" sunglasses;
Newly developed spiral-ring earrings;
"Golden" molded necklace;
Pair of "golden" finger rings;
Scaffolding inspired oversized "golden" cuff bracelet;
Two-toned, micro-suede handbag with magnet closure;
Pair of long manicured hands;
Alternate pair of grip hands;
Acrylic doll stand and pole;
Certificate of authenticity;
Signature designer packaging.

Zuri reminds me a lot of Suri from Black Panther, and not just name-wise. She’s a fierce looking doll with the air of those legendary Yves Saint-Laurent catwalk models of the 80s, Katoucha Niane and Mounia. And that gap toothed mouth is gorgeous. Her outfit is the embodiment of one of Vaughn’s sources of inspiration, the Real Housewives Of… reality series. My objections: first of all, the sleeve does not drape well with this fabric in this scale. It should have been narrowed at the armpit, meaning a more difficult execution. Or else discarded completely. Secondly, the skirt is pleather, which means eventual destruction. I tend to avoid pleather as much as possible. Accessories are again gorgeous, especially her jewellery. If the dolls were more spaced out as releases, I’d get her too. I will later, if she does not sell out.

Item # 46002

Breaking Dawn

Amirah Majeed™ Dressed Doll

Meteor™: The Launch

Limited Edition: 525

Available: Last Week of March 2020

Suggested Retail Pricing: $150.00

AVAILABLE ONLY FROM IT DEALERS

Head Sculpt: Amirah Majeed

Body Type: Meteor 1.0

Foot Sculpt: High Heel

Skin Tone: New Hispanic

Hair Color: Honey Ginger

Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied

Quickswitch: No

Included:

12.5" fully articulated doll with rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes;
Intricately draped charmeuse blouse;
Pale blue faded skinny jeans, featuring rhinestone appliqués;
Faux-snake pumps;
Oversized faux-suede and faux-leather tote bag with name tag detail;
Newly developed, oversized "golden" sunglasses with sculpted floral detail;
Oversized hoop earrings with "jeweled" accents;
Extravagant "golden" sphere ring;
Chunky giraffe print inspired cloisonné cuff bracelet;
Pair of long manicured hands with delicately hand-applied crystals;
Alternate pair of grip hands;
Acrylic doll stand and pole;
Certificate of authenticity;
Signature designer packaging.

Amirah is the sculpt I like least of all three. And the make up does not do her any favours here. Or the hair. The blouse she’s wearing tries to incorporate so many different things that ends up being a cacophony. And have I said I really hate torn jeans?

Her accessories are nice but not with the wow factor the two previous dolls have and ditto for the jewellery. Hard pass.

Item # 46003

Edge of Night

Amirah Majeed™ Dressed Doll

Meteor™: The Launch

Limited Edition: 525

Available: Last Week of March 2020

Suggested Retail Pricing: $150.00

AVAILABLE ONLY FROM IT DEALERS

Head Sculpt: Amirah Majeed

Body Type: Meteor 1.0

Foot Sculpt: High Heel

Skin Tone: FR White

Hair Color: Ebony

Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied

Quickswitch: No

Included:

12.5" fully articulated doll with rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes;
Elongated, menswear-inspired, textured chiffon shirt;
"Micro-suede", deconstructed, denim-inspired jacket;
Pleated kilt with contrasting plaid overlays;
Faux-leather handbag with shoulder strap detail;
Chunky high-heeled military-inspired boots;
Satin striped necktie;
Faux-silver dangle earrings;
Oversized "silver" ring;
Pair of long manicured hands with black rhinestone appliqué on one nail and glitter French tip on the thumb;
Alternate pair of grip hands;
Acrylic doll stand and pole;
Certificate of authenticity;
Signature designer packaging.

The second version of Amirah is much better than the first. The combination of pale skin and dark hair is very attractive, especially combined with the cool toned makeup she has. Too bad she has a boring hairstyle and a version of a Thom Browne that looks and feels overworked but unfinished too. She is missing the oomph of Browne.

Item # 46004

Afterglow

Keeki Adaeze™ Dressed Doll

Meteor™: The Launch

Limited Edition: TBA

Available: Approx. Late Summer 2020

Price: $150.00, $25 deposit with preorder and $125 + S&H when doll arrives

IT DIRECT EXCLUSIVE, available only for W Club members

Head Sculpt: Keeki Adaeze

Body Type: Meteor 1.0

Foot Sculpt: High Heel

Skin Tone: Sunkissed

Hair Color: Ebony

Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied

Quickswitch: No

Included:

12.5" fully articulated doll with rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes;
Shimmering mini dress with criss-cross harness detail, worn over a sheer, long-sleeved mock-neck top;
Show-stopping, extravagant, oversized, parka-inspired, quilted-satin and faux-fur hooded evening coat;
Thigh-high, sheer micro-sequined boots with intricate "chrome" heels;
"Jewel-encrusted", molded necklace (magnetized);
Leaf inspired, chandelier earrings;
"Jeweled" ring;
Pair of two-toned, long manicured hands;
Alternate pair of long-manicured hands;
Acrylic doll stand and pole;
Certificate of authenticity;
Signature designer packaging.

The event doll is easily the best of the bunch. Vaughn said his inspiration for this one was Cardi B, but the doll reminds me of the Kimora Lee Simmons Barbie (see below)! She could easily stand next to the Retrofuture ladies too. The sequinned boots and intricate manicured hands are the cherry on top

So, let’s recap what is available and from where.

Available from IT Dealers

Already in-stock/Shipping approximately the last week of March 2020

Item # 46000 Night Falls Keeki Adaeze™

Item # 46001 In This Skin Zuri Okoty™

Item # 46002 Breaking Dawn Amirah Majeed™

Item # 46003 Edge of Night Amirah Majeed™

IT Direct Pre-order

Ships approximately late Summer 2020

Item # 46004 Afterglow Keeki Adaeze™

Final fabrics, colors, and textures may vary slightly. For adult collectors ages 15 and up only. All photos and information contained herein, unless otherwise stated, is copyrighted Integrity Toys, Inc. and Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC. and may not be reprinted or disseminated without express written permission. ©2020 All rights reserved. METEOR, EAST 59TH, FASHION ROYALTY, NU. FACE, COLOR INFUSION, and all other character marks followed by ™ or ® are trademarks of Integrity Toys, Inc., Chesapeake City MD USA 21915. ©2020 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

Kimora Lee Simmons Barbie Doll photo courtesy of Mattel Inc.

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

December 16, 2019

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!

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

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

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.

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.

Artist Fecal Matter for the Met Gala 2019 Pre-Party

Artist Fecal Matter describes the dress material

Marilyn Monroe

Thierry Mugler’s robotic woman

Hajime Soryama art

Thierry Mugler robotic gloves

Thierry Mugler mid 80s shoes

Thierry Mugler mid 80s rubber shoes

Thierry Mugler mid 80s shoes

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

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

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.

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.

Dior by John Galliano from the spring 2011 Couture Collection

Christian Dior Bar Suit, 1947

Dior Men by Kim Jones Pre Fall 2019 Collection

Hajime Sorayama statue

Dior by John Galliano from the Fall 2008 Couture Collection

Beyoncé in January 2020 Elle magazine, wearing Ivy Park, photo by Melinda Matsoukas

Thierry Mugler metallic gloves

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

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

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.

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.

Thierry Mugler 1990

Emma Sjöberg at the Thierry Mugler Spring 1991 catwalk

Thierry Mugler metallic bodice, Fall 1995 Couture Collection

Nadja Auermann at Thierry Mugler Fall 1995 Couture catwalk

Joan Smalls in Thierry Mugler

Thierry Mugler Spring 1991

Thierry Mugler by Karl Lagerfeld

Helena Christensen in Thierry Mugler

Lady Gaga in Thierry Mugler

Cara Delevingne in Thierry Mugler

Irina Shayk in Thierry Mugler

Thierry Mugler Fall 1995 Couture

Naomi Campbell by Seb Janiak

Hajime Sorayama art

Cristobal Balenciaga cape, 1963

Cristobal Balenciaga cape and dress, 1967

Balenciaga by Nicholas Gesquiére dress, , Fall 2006

Christian Dior by Maria Grazia Chiuri belt, Resort 2019

Tom Ford, Spring 2013

Alexander McQueen by Sarah Burton, Fall 2012 RTW

Daphne Guinness

Daphne Guinness for Francois Nars

Daphne Guinness by Michael Roberts for Vanity Fair

Daphne Guinness in Alexander McQueen , 2008

Daphne Guinness wearing the Alexander McQueen visor

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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.

Integrity Toys 2018 reveal pt.5: the event doll - Devotion Agnes Von Weiss

August 28, 2018

Every event has a doll dedicated to it and this year's Integrity Toys webinar was no exception. My haw literally dropped when the first photo of the incredible Agnes Von Weiss doll appeared on the screen, easily surpassing everything I had seen on the screen for the previous hour or so. She's a tour de force, a version of Agnes that is totally original but also has references to older ones, like High Gloss or Optic Verve. She's fierce and majestic, with her Gaultier Haute Couture Automn 2017 inspired ensemble (see it at the very end of the post). I'm happy she has the new sculpted glove hands. Her head jewellery can be worn as a necklace too! Preordered already! She's exclusive to the W Club members.

Item # 91440
Devotion
Agnes Von Weiss® Doll
Fashion Royalty®:
The Sacred Lotus Collection
Approx. Ship Date: Winter 2018-19
Price: $155.00 US
2018 W Club Event Exclusive
Edition Size: TBD

Head Sculpt: Agnes Von Weiss
Body Type: FR 6.0
Foot Sculpt: High-heeled
Skin Tone: Cream
Hair Color: Auburn
Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied
Quickswitch: No

Included:

12.5-inch fully articulated doll with rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes;
Tuxedo jacket inspired asymmetric drape over dress;
Long black metallic strapless dress;
Black "patent leather" purse with "gold" chain/charm detail;
Strappy high-heels made out of thin black ribbons;
"Gold" earrings w/ attached hair jewel with black inset "stones";
Multiple "gold" bracelets with black inset "stones";
"Gold" statement ring with black "stone";
Long black faux-leather gloves (featuring molded gloved hand);
Traditional henna tattooed forearms and matching alternate tattooed hands;
Doll stand;
Certificate of authenticity.

Final fabrics, colors and textures to be announced. For adult collectors ages 15 and up only. All text and information contained herein is copyrighted Integrity Toys, Inc. and Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC 2018 and may not be reprinted or disseminated without express written permission.
FASHION ROYALTY, POPPY PARKER, NU. FACE, EAST 59TH, THE INDUSTRY 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

Gaultier Couture Automn 2017 - Photo: Yannis Vlamos / Indigital.tv — Gaultier Couture Automn 2017 - Photo: Yannis Vlamos / Indigital.tv

Italian Doll Convention 2018 day one: my first ever doll convention!

May 27, 2018

I’ve finally attended my first ever doll convention! as you’ve probably read in a previous post, I took the plunge last year and registered for the 2018 Italian Doll Convention, and boy did I make the right decision! The experience was a blast and so I’m going to present the whole event here in the blog, with lots of photos and information. We will begin with Friday, 18th Of May, the first day of the convention, which was dedicated to Poppy Parker!

I arrived at Bergamo airport at 11:00 am Friday (Rayan Air helped to keep the budget low) and popped over to Milan with a bus. Checked in at my hotel near Milano Centrale FS - not staying at the convention hotel was not the most convenient option but it was definitely the cheapest. Being familiar with the city, since it was not my first time there, I then took the Metro (underground train) to the convention hotel, to get registered, managing to arrive a few minutes after it had begun.

One of the amazing Magia2000 guys was at the registration, the lovely Mario Paglino, along with assistants gorgeous Sebastiano Zaffalon and the incredible Ibrahim Ismail, who registered me and walked me through the do’s and dont’s of my first convention. I received the convention bag, full of goodies and all necessary stuff for the next three days, plus my convention bracelets, to be worn proudly for the duration of my stay, while nixing every chance of flirting with gorgeous chic Italians in the wider Milan metropolitan area!

First indication you are in the right place

Registration queue - being early means no waiting time. Mario is in the middle, Sebastian with the darker pink shirt and Ibrahim with the black one.

The magical bracelets guaranteeing entry to all events

Finishing early with the registration meant I had quite some time until the start of the first day event, which was at 20:00. So I decided to visit the Armani Silos building near via Tortona, in one of the most fashionable districts of the city, near the lovely canals, I navigli. On one side of via Bergognone are the Silos and right across you can see the company’s headquarters and the Armani Teatro, where the runway shows of the famous designer take place. A pilgrimage for every serious fashionista indeed!

The Armani Teatro where they host their runway shows

The Armani Silos turned out to be quite the experience! The ground floor, apart from the reception, cafe (more later) and guardarobe, have a temporary exhibition space, these days dedicated to the photographer artist Paolo Ventura. His work is characterised by the short stories he makes by constructing small scale dioramas and photographing them, creating his own worlds. Photographs, models and paper dioramas combined into a great experience, which was the icing on the cake that was Armani Silos.

The rest of the edifice is dedicated to the master. Three floors brimming with his clothes, divided by floor into three categories/themes: androgynous, ethnic and stars. Androgynous is about the brilliant way he fuses masculine and feminine in his clothes, his most prominent charachterisic along with his fluid tailoring. Ethnic is about the way he incorporates influences and elements of other cultures without merely copying them. And, finally, stars, was about his scintillating evening wear, minimal yet opulent, in a way only Armani can do. One of the great things about this exhibition is that you can walk amongst the clothes, able to look up close to all the details and workmanship involved. The only fault (for me) was the lack of detailed information on the outfits: apart from the respective collection the outfit comes from, no other information was given. Half of the third floor is taken over by the brand’s digital archive, accessible through huge touch screens and iMac computers. There is also a small screening room, where films and ads made for the house are shown - when I was there, a film by David Lunch was being projected.

I had to have a coffee at the ground floor cafe, both to relax and absorb what I had just seen, but also to charge my phone. The experience kept on being full Armani, with branded water and even sugar cubes and chocolate! There’s a lovely outdoors space too. I left to have lunch at the big canal, Grande Naviglio, at a favourite osteria, but had to hurry back to the Silos afterwards, as I had forgotten my convention bag at their guardarobe! After that, back to the hotel to freshen up. Below you can see the contents of the convention bag - best gift in my opinion: the amazing Balmain pencils! Thank you Magia 2000!

Time had come for the first event of the convention: the Harajuku party dedicated to Poppy Parker and the special guest from Integrity Toys, the designer David Buttry! A big ballroom was transformed by cartoon balloons, lighting and decorations into a harajuku scene, with many attendees dressed up as manga and anime characters or merely following harajuku style. A lavish buffet took over half the room, with lots of food and drinks available. A DJ was there to enhance the effect, later helping attendees burst into karaoke performances with the Spanish contingent making the biggest impression! Meeting people that until then were only known to me through doll groups or social media turned out to be the best part of the convention, with first and foremost the lovely, kind and talented David Buttry.

Me with lovely David! It was great meeting him at last!

David Buttry made his appearance on stage to give an interview to Rogier Corbeau, from the great blog Dutch Fashion Doll World. I found out that the questions, submitted by readers of the blog, were screened by Integrity Toys beforehand, which is kind of weird. The interview itself was great, with David telling us about his work process, his inspiration sources and how Poppy came to be. He also told us that the exclusive convention Poppy begun her life as part of the Swinging London Collection but was kept out of it to then transform into the event doll. He had also brought along another Poppy, a prototype doll from the Swinging London Collection that was part of the exhibition of various Poppy Parker dolls (all from the collection of Lauretta Tonini) at the event.

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Another exhibition inside the ballroom were the brilliant photographs taken by José Rdriguez (Ken Mad) with Poppy at the Scala of Milan as theme. Each photograph had Poppy transformed into an opera heroine, from Tosca to Norma to Aida. We were extremely lucky to each receive a lovely box with the printed photographs.

Ciao, Poppy! was the gorgeous event doll, finally revealed to us with a special presentation, and given to all attendees upon the presentation of the corresponding ticket received upon registration. The exclusive doll, limited to 250 pieces, even less than a centerpiece in other conventions, dressed in colourful clothes, with pink hair, a flower necklace in multicoloured stones, short skirt, knee socks, high heeled peep toe pumps and a shopping bag with her face and the words Ciao, Poppy! on them. She has the high heel feet instead of the classic Poppy articulated feet and her make up is more modern, matching her harajuku style perfectly.

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Everyone was so happy to get this special doll, but there was one more thing: a special gift in the form of a bathing suit designed by David in retro style. But that was not the end of it. Another Poppy doll, the blonde variation of the first one, was available to all attendees for purchase, to be bought the next morning for €160,00. This version was again limited to 250 dolls. Apart from the different hair colour, her lips are pale pink, contrary to the strong red ones of the pink haired version. I did not want a second one but bought it for my dear friend Maria of Habilis Dolls, who could not attend and loved her.

The rest of the evening was full of fun, drinks, song, dance and friends. The prototype Poppy Parker was raffled off to attendees, and the lucky winner was Lamanda Rae Scott! You can see her below with David and the OOAK Poppy!

It was a wonderful evening, being with great friends and getting lovely dolls - what a great way to start a convention! As I got on the Metro train to return to my hotel, I felt happy and excited for the next day. Read all about it in the next post.

All photos and videos, unless otherwise mentioned, are courtesy and copyright of Stratos Bacalis and the Fashion Doll Chronicles- not to be copied or shared without permission