The second Integrity Toys / Magia 2000 collaboration doll is Summer in Taormina Vanessa !

As we wait impatiently for the first doll resulting from the collaboration of Integrity Toys and the incredibly talented duo of Magia 2000. Mario and Gianni, here is the second one: Summer in Taormina Vanessa Perrin. As before, this will be mostly for the club, who got dibs through a lottery for most of the edition, while a very small portion will be available for the general public. Read on for more details.

Gianni and Mario, who are the people behind Magia 2000, said this about their inspiration:

“As we love to play, this time around we designed an exciting “day-to-night” look for Vanessa, which brings many display possibilities for collectors to enjoy! The imagery on her dress has been artfully crafted to pay homage to some of the most iconic elements of Sicily, such as the delicious lemons growing on the island, or the strong devotion to the “sacred heart” that the residents all share. We want Vanessa to enjoy a wonderful day through the little streets of Taormina, looking fantastic in the “daytime” version of the dress, and then with a few transformations, look like a vision of perfection, ready for a triumphant appearance at the ancient Greek-Roman theatre later that evening!” - Magia 2000

Item #15107

Summer in Taormina

Vanessa Perrin® Doll

The Integrity Toys X Magia 2000 Collaboration

Edition Size: 1500

Expected Ship Date: Winter 2022 - Spring 2023

Head Sculpt: Vanessa 3.0

Body Type: FR 6.0

Foot Sculpt: High-heeled

Skin Tone: Hungarian

Hair Color: Raven/Black

Eyelashes: Yes, hand-applied

MSRP: $225 + S & H

Special W Club Price*: $199 + S & H

*Special W Club pricing is limited to one per membership

The Story:

Second in a series of dolls created especially for Integrity Toys, each figure and doll in this series will take fans on an ultra-creative tour of some of Italy's most iconic venues and festivals, as seen through the eyes of fabulous design duo Magia 2000!

Perched on a cliff overlooking the Ionian Sea on the East Coast of Sicily, with a rich history that pre-dates the arrival of the ancient Greeks, Taormina is well known as a welcoming haven for artists and is one of the top tourist destinations of Italy, attracting visitors from all over the world! Magia 2000’s exciting, fashionable journey through Italy continues as famed Fashion Royalty® top model Vanessa Perrin® visits the gorgeous seaside town, dressed in a glamorous ultra-detailed gown that is filled with symbolism, ready to make a most anticipated appearance at one of the many festivals that happen in town throughout the summer. 

Included:

• 12.5-inch articulated doll with intricately styled, fully rooted hair;

• Custom printed cocktail gown with extravagant detachable train and ruffle detail at the shoulders;

• Black velvet bow belt with jeweled heart charm;

• Black satin bra and panties with lace trim details;

• Fitted, sheer black petticoat with ruffle detail at the hem;

• Elaborate "sacred heart" tiara with black lace ruffle accent;

• Matching "sacred heart" earrings;

• Red "ruby" ring;

• "Gold" chain bracelet with tiny lemon charms;

• Elaborate oversized sunglasses with sculpted heart and flower accents;

• Pair of black pleather strappy high-heels;

• Pair of custom printed platform sandals;

• Custom embroidered purse;

• Pair of manicured hands;

• Alternate pair of "grip" hands;

• Doll stand;

• Certificate of authenticity.

After Venice in the north, we travel, with the help of Magia 2000. to the south of Italy: Sicily. The doll is gorgeous and I was really sorry to not being selected through the lottery. Hopefully a take over could emerge - fingers crossed. The inspiration is of course very close to what Dolce and Gabbana are doing in their collections, which mars the beauty of the doll a bit. But they surely do not have an exclusive on being inspired by Sicily.

The doll really succeeds in capturing the ideal beauty image of the island, with her sunny colours, her dark hair and tanned skin, her sultry make up and sexy silhouette, the baroque embellishments and accessories. The idea of making the outfit so versatile is another testament to the genius of Mario and Gianni. You get so many variations with all these pieces, it is perfection. The accessories are of course really glamorous and baroque, channelling the ornamentation and decoration of the Sicilian churches and palaces, and the Sacred Heart head ornament is the cherry on top. The only accessory that looks a bit poor compared to the rest is the pair of black close toed shoes, they look like they could use a bow or two.

A last observation: the doll reminds me a bit if that infamous upgrade Take Me On Vanessa(becaise of the sticker eyes debacle), with her severe hairstyle. She is of course darker skinned and has green instead of blue eyes.

PUBLIC PURCHASING

More information on public purchasing will be sent after the dolls' arrival, approximately later in Winter 2022 - Spring 2023.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Prototypes shown, final product may vary. Acrylic blocks in the accessory pictures are display props only and are not included with the figure. This collectible is meant for adult collectors ages 15 and up only. 
All photos and information contained herein is copyrighted Integrity Toys, Inc. and Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC 2022 and may not be reprinted or disseminated without express written permission. Fashion Royalty and all other character marks followed by ™ or ® are trademarks of Integrity Toys, Inc. Chesapeake City MD USA 21915. All rights reserved.  Magia 2000 is a trademark of Magia 2000. Used under permission. 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.

Integrity Toys Obsession Convention 2021 Day 1: The Welcome doll is Vanessa!

Just like last year, the Integrity Toys convention was held virtually, on the web, due to the ongoing pandemic. Unlike last year, W Club event ticket holders (like me) could not attend the rest of the convention events. So it was less fun than 2020, but it probably helped make the whole experience more smooth and glitch free for everyone.

This year's theme was Obsessed, which, per IT, “explores what truly defines our obsession for fashion, couture, makeup, and everything that is connected to the world of beauty, seen through the eyes and styling of the Integrity Toys design team!” This was a free pass for IT designers to create whatever dolls they wanted, but the result was a lack of cohesion and a mixed bag of offerings. While it helped the designers make some unusual and bold choices, it resulted in some dolls having a less than warm welcome from collectors, attendees or not, even when designed by IT’s enfant gâté Jessy Ayala.

Another sore point is the availability of the dolls presented to attendees. Integrity Toys stated that they did not have the dolls available for shipping until “likely sometime in January / February.” Having in mind that people were receiving 2020 convention dolls even in November, it looks like delays are becoming a permanent part of the experience. I wonder how would this go across in a live event - can you imagine not having the dolls to hand over to attendees in a live convention? And since these troubles are not going away soon, I am betting that next year’s convention will be held virtually too, regardless of the situation with the pandemic. The uncertainty over shipping schedules affects everything worldwide and will not be restored very soon.

On with the dolls - and first up is the Welcome Gift Set. Main convention ticket holders had already received a package swag that was sent as a surprise, with a set of replacement hands and a doll sized make up kit, plus the convention lanyard and badge.The welcome gift set was designed by Mark Tinkey - here’s what he had to say about it:

"I wanted to think of NU. Fantasy in a different way for this gift set, the fantasy life of a doll made real. I was inspired by the dolls I grew up wishing I could own as a kid and YouTube videos of people obsessed with being living dolls. You'll notice oversized jewelry and details that feel doll-like, but still incredibly chic. My own love of doll gift sets and what I would want as a collector also heavily influenced this set. I wanted this to be a fantasy of mix and match play with a gorgeous doll as its main feature. I hope you have as much fun playing with this set as I had designing it for you!" -

Item # 75031

A Doll's Life

Vanessa Perrin™ Welcome Gift Set

The 2021 Integrity Toys Convention: Obsession

The NU. Fantasy™ Collection

Edition Size: 1300

*Only for Main Convention Package Holders*

Head Sculpt: Vanessa 3.0

Body Type: FR 6.0

Foot Sculpt: High-heeled

Skin Tone: FR White

Hair Color: Light Blonde and Platinum Mix

Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied

Quickswitch: No

I was not expecting Mark Tinkey to design the welcome doll but he did a good job. First problem is that she looks too much like a watered down version of Smoke & Shadows Vanessa that he designed as well. Second problem (always for me): she is almost a Barbie clone. The styling, the choice of clothing and accessories, is too much like the Barbiestyle dolls. And I do not get why she is under the Nu Fantasy line. This line is almost always about known mythical or fairy tale characters reinterpreted in a modern fashion. Maybe it is Vanessa’s fantasy of living like Barbie, LOL. Having in mind his brilliant work at the two Coven Couture dolls and his previous creative work, this feels a bit underwhelming.

The gold gown is a reinterpretation of a Valentino Haute Couture one from 2020. It is probably the fabric that makes a poor translation in doll scale. The black ruffle top could be from a number of designers (Saint Laurent, Vauthier, McQueen, Herrera, De La Renta, Valli, to name a few) but the closer one I could find was a Valentino from 2020 again. The fur coat is a classic - from YSL in the 70s till today and so many others. I love the versatility this giftset offers and the variety of styles and accessories - can’t wait to see how it is packaged.

The dolls is really pretty but not exceptional, especially following at the heels of Smoke and Shadow Vanessa. She reminds me a lot of how Nicole Kidman looked in Nine Perfect Strangers, which is not my cup of tea at all.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Prototypes shown, final production may vary. Acrylic blocks in the accessory pictures are display props only and are not included with the doll. For adult collectors ages 15 and up only.

All 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, POPPY PARKER, NU. FACE, EAST 59TH, THE INDUSTRY, THE MONARCHS HOMME, METEOR, 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.

The 2nd W Club doll of the year is Graceful Reign - Vanessa Perrin channels Princess Grace

I could think of many ways to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Fashion Royalty with a special doll (Jason Wu making a Veronique Perrin exclusive would have been my first thought) but I would definitely not think what IT designer Jessy Ayala did. Graceful Reign Vanessa Perrin is the 20th Anniversary tribute to the origins of Fashion Royalty with a twist. We saw Vanessa 3.0 in the Nu Fantasy comeback, so the choice of the same character again was a bit unexpected.

Item # 91526

Graceful Reign

Vanessa Perrin® Dressed Doll

Fashion Royalty® 20th Anniversary Tribute Doll

2021 W Club Exclusive Doll

Edition Size: TBD

Expected Ship Date: Spring 2022

Retail Price: $199.00

(Only $30.00 Due Now to Pre-order!)

Head Sculpt: Vanessa 1.0

Body Type: FR 6.0

Foot Sculpt: High-heeled

Skin Tone: FR White

Hair Color: Pearl Blonde

Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied

Quickswitch: No

Included:

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

Intricately embroidered sleeveless gown with "gold" and "silver" detail and ribbon belt;

Gorgeous removable matching floor-length cape;

Choker necklace with "pearl" accent;

Longer "pearl" necklace with "pearl" drop;

Bracelet, earrings, and small ring;

Additional oversized "diamond" ring;

Stunning "pearl" accented crown statement piece;

Matching strappy high-heeled shoes;

Pair of long manicured hands;

Alternate pair of grip hands;

Alternate pair of painted glove hands;

Doll stand;

Certificate of authenticity.

Apart from the “Vanessa again?”, the doll is quite beautiful, her colouring one that always looks great on a Fashion Royalty doll and is very versatile. Jessy had Princess Grace on his mood-board as inspiration, which is what makes the doll not quite what she should have been. The end result is dowdy and conservative. It is how a middle aged woman would dress for a royal occasion, if she was a member of one of Europe’s royal families. Vanessa on the other hand is a fashion icon and much younger, so we would have expected her to send up the royalty part in a modern, more youthful way. I would have looked more on the work of PierPaolo Piccioli in Valentino and Richard Quinn, and also the incomparable Christopher John Rogers. This is so retro and modest, it could be worn by Princess Anne or the Queens of Sweden, Norway or the Netherlands.

Having said that, the fabric is sumptuous and the accessories appropriately royal. The choice of headgear would look better on a Southeast Asian royal than a western one. The blue gloves are not as conservative as white ones would have been (like Princess Grace wore), but then again it is something one would expect of Queen Elizabeth, not a young fashion prodigy. Just imagine the whole outfit done either in jewel tones or a bright contrasting print and it would have been so much better and desirable. Will I get her? I still have not made up my mind. Have you?

Offer Type:

W Club Exclusive pre-order;

Pre-order Deadline:

October 1st, 2021 at 12 PM/Noon Eastern Time;

Pricing (FOR W CLUB MEMBERS ONLY):

$199.00 USD + S&H

($30.00 NRD deposit due now, $169.00 + S & H due in approx. Spring 2022);

Approximate Shipping Timing:

Spring 2022;

Availability:

2021 W Club members only;

Pre-order Limit:

Up to one (1) doll per each 2021 membership only.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Prototypes shown, final product may vary. This collectible is meant for adult collectors ages 15 and up only.

All 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 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

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.

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!"

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*

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Season's Greetings!