Integrity Toys 1st on-line presentation 2013: Funny Face

The fourth and final line presented at the on-line event was the one most anticipated, as an ad had run in DOLLS magazine (much like Tulabelle) and also previewed at the 2012 convention and the W Club. Furthermore it had the success of last year's Sabrina line to buoy it. The result left all fans breathless. To me it is the best collection ever presented by Integrity Toys - and the one most likely to break us financially. Six dolls, most in giftsets of two to three outfits each and one more as the event doll that will be allocated to lucky W Club member via lottery. Each doll is only 400 pieces so it was only natural some would be sold out. If the prices were lower, I bet all would already be sold out.

This time Integrity did not use one sculpt only for the main character. It also did not give us only one character. A variety of sculpts and bodies were used with great success. Needless to say that after the event, I watched the film again, spotting the outfits in the film and enjoying the incredible talent that created it. As a reminder, Givenchy created all of Audrey Hepburn's Jo Stoctkon character Parisian outfits while Edith Head designed the rest. But enough rambling, let's see the dolls!

Item # 14011
Take The Picture!
Dressed Doll
The Funny Face Collection
Limited Edition of 400 Dolls
Suggested Retail Price: US $150.00
Estimated Delivery Date: Week of February 11th, 2013

The iconic moment in the film that Audrey is running down the steps below the statue of the Winged Victory of Samothrace in the Louvre, shouting to Fred Astaire "Take The Picture". There were two previous incarnations of the outfit on dolls, one by Mattel for a convention and one by Madame Alexander in 16" size. It is a magnificent reproduction. And the moment means a lot to me as this is my favourite sculpture in the world.

"Take The Picture!" is a 12" fully articulated vinyl doll with rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes featuring Integrity's Poppy Parker body (with kitten heel foot) and the original Vanessa Perrin head sculpt (i.e. Vanessa 1.0). The outfit consists of a long form-fitted red satin gown, dramatic white opera gloves, a jewellery set, matching kitten heels and a bright red chiffon shawl. It also includes an alternate set of hands, a doll stand and a certificate of authenticity. Magnifique!

Item # 14012
Think Pink
Dressed Doll Mini-Gift Set
The Funny Face Collection
Limited Edition of 400 Dolls
Suggested Retail Price: US $150.00
Estimated Delivery Date: Week of February 11th, 2013

One of the most memorable musical numbers in the film is "Think Pink" with the indomitable Kay Thompson (more about her later). So it was only natural that one outfit at least would be selected. Well, guess again: there are two. The 12" fully articulated vinyl doll has rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes and sports the FR: Monogram body (with Victoire Roux legs) and the Imogen head sculpt. The first look in the set (which is worn by a dancer in the film, when a bunch of painters change the colours of the office doors to pink and ladies appear to dance among them) is composed of a two-piece bright pink business suit with a white pill-box hat, short gloves and matching shoes. You can see it in the photo below, on the far right.

The doll is evoking the model Sunny Harnett who appears in the film along more famous models Suzy Parker and Dovima (who has a speaking role). Suzy appears with many outfits in the sequence but most notably the second outfit of this gift set  This look is composed of a pink satin two-piece gown with a transformable pink faux fur peplum that turns into a cape, as shown in the film.  Pink opera length gloves, bright pink satin shoes and a jewellery set complete the outfit. It also includes an alternate set of hands, a doll stand and a certificate of authenticity.

Wish I had the car to go with the doll!

Item # 14013
The Quality Woman
Dressed Doll Gift Set
The Funny Face Collection
Limited Edition of 400 Dolls
Suggested Retail Price: US $199.00
Estimated Delivery Date: Week of February 11th, 2013

As mentioned above, Kay Thompson (as Maggie Prescott) is the actress that sings "Think Pink". A veritable force of nature, Ms. Prescott was a multi-talented artist, with only five films, lots of jazz singing and of course writer of the Eloise books. She was a musical coach in MGM and was loaned to Paramount for Funny Face (along with most of the cast and crew). This gift set (named after her ideal woman to represent her magazine, Quality) gives us three of her outfits in the film, unfortunately not the best ones. I am posting stills from the film so you can see the outfits as worn by her, above is the blue and beige one. I think the shirt colour is not a  match.

You can see the black and white ensemble above. I love that they have the accessories down pat. Her hair could have had less volume though.

The third one is the grey suit in "Think Pink". The shape marks the transition from the "New Look" sharp waist to the more boxy "Trapeze" and "A-line" silhouette of the late fifties and early sixties.

So what about the doll? "The Quality Woman" is a 12" fully articulated vinyl doll with rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes featuring Integrity's Victoire Roux body and Katy Perry sculpt (I asked about it in the on-line event!) in the role of Maggie Prescott. The set of three looks also features two pairs of shoes, gloves, three hats, a purse and a jewellery set. It also includes an alternate set of hands, a doll stand and a certificate of authenticity.

I think they could have missed the two-piece ensembles and have done the following two:

Or even the two shown below:

Item # 14014
On How To Be Lovely
Dressed Doll Gift Set
The Funny Face Collection
Limited Edition of 400 Dolls
Suggested Retail Price: US $199.00
Estimated Delivery Date: Week of February 11th, 2013

"On How To Be Lovely" indeed! Could not have chosen a better name! Three outfits here and all incredible. The doll has rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes featuring Integrity's Poppy Parker body and the new Veronique Perrin sculpt (who looks uncanilly here like Michelle Dockery who plays Lady Mary in Downton Abbey) . This gift set is composed of three complete looks as worn by the character of Jo Stockton in the film: the pink cape and white column dress worn in her transformation scene (above), the delicate wedding outfit worn during the photo shoot with Fred Astaire and at the finale of the show and the film and also the yellow dress worn in the fashion show (below). This set also features the accessories to finish the looks and of course the bridal bouquet. It also includes an alternate set of hands, a doll stand and a certificate of authenticity. 

I wish we had more photos of the bridal gown, the actual dress from the film has so many details!

Item # 14015
Bonjour, Paris!
Dressed Doll Gift Set
The Funny Face Collection
Limited Edition of 400 Dolls
Suggested Retail Price: US $199.00
Estimated Delivery Date: Week of February 11th, 2013

Another Jo gift set! More outfits! "Bonjour, Paris!" is a 12" fully articulated vinyl doll with rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes featuring Integrity's Poppy Parker body and the original Veronique Perrin (i.e Vero 1.0) sculpt in the role of Jo Stockton. This gift set is composed of three complete looks as worn by the character of Joe Stockton in the film. This set also features accessories to finish these gorgeous looks and a bouquet of miniature balloons to recreate the iconic Parisian photo shoot scene at Champs Élysées   It also includes an alternate set of hands, a doll stand and a certificate of authenticity. The outfits are:

1. "Beautiful" dress and cloak. They missed the matching scarf though.

2. Catching a fish outfit - looks divine!

3. Balloon dress at Champs Élysées - it even has the balloons!

Item # 14018
A Woman Who Thinks
Dressed Doll Mini-Gift Set
The Funny Face Collection
Limited Edition of 400 dolls
Suggested Retail Price: US $150.00
Estimated Delivery Date: Week of February 11th, 2013

The best doll of the bunch strangely enough is not one of the Jo Stocktons but the one portraying Marion, or better yet, Dovima, the iconic 50's model who was an Avedon muse (she is in the famous elephant photo of his) and plays a parody of herself in the film, down to the comic she reads in a scene (she had a huge collection). "A Woman Who Thinks" is a 12" fully articulated vinyl doll featuring the FR: Monogram body (with Victoire Roux legs) and the Anja head sculpt in the role of Marion. Anja looks amazing as Dovima! This mini-gift set is composed of two complete looks as worn by the character of Marion in the film - the black scalloped neckline dress and the yellow full skirted one (the She-bop as they call it in the film). The set also features the accessories to finish these looks (unfortunately no comic or statue, LOL). It also includes an alternate set of hands, a doll stand and a certificate of authenticity. 

There is no image available on-line for this one, I had to make my own capture from the DVD!

And there was one more doll - the event doll. Another Jo Stockton one, but only available to W Club members through lottery. I entered the lottery and hope to win.

Item #14016
Let's Kiss And Make Up
Dressed Doll Gift Set 
The Funny Face Collection
2013 W Club Exclusive Lottery Doll 
Suggested Retail Price: US $199.00 US
Limited Edition of 400 Dolls
Estimated Delivery Date: Week of February 11th, 2013

"Let's Kiss And Make Up" is a 12" fully articulated vinyl doll featuring Integrity's Poppy Parker body and the closed mouth Vanessa Perrin sculpt (i.e. Vanessa 2.0, looking even more like Michelle Dockery than Vero's  2.0 sculpt does) in the role of Jo Stockton. The set is composed of three complete looks as worn by the character of Jo Stockton in the film: The Anna Karenina photo shoot suit, the yellow flower shop dress and the beige fashion show suit. This set also features the accessories to finish these looks: three beautiful hats, a travel purse, three pairs of shoes, a rose bouquet, a faux-mink coat, an umbrella (non-working) and the little dog of course! It also includes an alternate pair of hands, a doll stand and a certificate of authenticity. Here are the outfits:

1. The Anna Karenina train station suit:

2. The flower shop dress:

3. The beige suit from the fashion show (umbrella included but does not open):

So many dolls, so many dresses such an extraordinary collection. I'm going for broke trying to get them all and hope to manage it. Audrey is one of my muses and icons and it is a perfect homage to her and to this visually brilliant film.

Most film stills and valuable information for the film's costumes came from this lovely blog.

Please note that the photos are of prototype dolls and subject to changes and modifications. All photos and doll information contained herein is copyrighted Integrity Toys, Inc. and Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC 2013 and may not be reprinted or disseminated without express written permission.

Breakfast at Tiffany's : 50 years anniversary of a legendary film

Audrey Hepburn has always been a fashion icon, even from her first forays into acting. She always attracted attention not only for her good looks and gamine figure but also her impeccable sense of style and pick of outfits. The fashion doll world could not stay away from her, although only one company managed to secure the rights for a doll in her likeness: Mattel. They did a gorgeous two doll - two outfits series about her as she appeared in the Breakfast at Tiffany's film back in 1998, which I was lucky enough to obtain some years ago. Now Integrity secured a deal with Paramount, celebrating the film's 50th anniversary, to release a series of dolls (not in the star's likeness). I was inspired by this and got one of my Audrey's out (the other is wearing a My Fair Lady costume) along with the film's outfits to make a shoot. Immediately I thought that I could show them on other dolls to make it more interesting. So here is my homage to Breakfast At Tiffany's 50th anniversary!

First of all is the original Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly doll from Mattel. This was one of two dolls released in her likeness. She was wearing the black long column dress from the opening scene of Audrey in front of Tiffany's. Here she dons the famous little black dress that came as a separate outfit set. It came with all the accessories pictured. Of course all her outfits in this film were designed by Givenchy.

The doll is a very good likeness of the actress. The clothes are very well made too, although not reaching the quality Integrity has gotten us used to. They are not cheap play-line Barbie either though and I can say that for their 13 years they have aged pretty well - the doll too.

The unfortunate thing is that the doll is not very poseable. Little articulation (the Mattel bane) in shoulders, waist, hips and the infamous click knees does little to help show off Audrey as she was in the film. I have seen one transfer of this head to an articulated body and it looked nice - I might try one but do not trust myself to do it yet.

As I mentioned earlier, this doll came originally with the black column dress. I had put that on Camera Lights Action Veronique Perrin from Fashion Royalty dolls for another shoot and it stayed there. She looks a natural for an Audrey substitute with her piled up hair and cute smile so here she is.

I used a Silkstone brooch as a tiara substitute for her hair. The necklace, earrings and shoes are Fashion Royalty, the bracelet you see in some of her photos is a Dressmaker Details Couture necklace while the dress, gloves, glasses and stole are all Mattel. This set had the coffee cup and bagel paper bag included.

She looks a bit like Angelina Jolie as well at the photo above! As the FR dolls are taller than Barbies, the dress looks a bit short for her long, lean legs. Not bad though. 

She is a natural for Audrey! I think even her new sculpt, with the right hairdo would look great in these outfits.

Of course the articulated body helps a lot. My Veronique's body has started to yellow though so it is good that this outfit has long opera length gloves and the stole to help cover it up.

This is the back of the dress with the scalloped details. I wish I had a better styled necklace (or like the one of the film) to match though.

Now it was Poppy's turn to show if she could pass as an Audrey. The Holly Golightly Integrity doll has the Poppy body (without the articulated ankles) so I was optimistic about it. Here she is sporting the Cat Mask outfit from the Mattel line (released as an outfit separate set). All accessories are from the original set, even the pantyhose.

The outfit consists of a halter neck tweed dress (the Integrity version has the top made of a different fabric but in the film it is like Mattel's version shown here) worn under an orange coat. A fur hat, leather bag, gloves, shoes, glasses and a cat mask are the rest of the accessories. The original dolls sported non-removable pearl stud earrings, not faithful to the drop earrings Audrey is wearing in the film.

Teetering on the narrow and high Mattel heels, Poppy looks great in the Givenchy designed outfits - it is her era after all, early 60s. Of course her small bust cannot fill the dress.

The Poppy shown here is As Tears Go By Poppy, from Integrity's last year convention. With her raven hair in an up-do she gets really close to being Holly - much better IMHO than the Holly sculpt.

As I really liked Poppy in these outfits, I kept her for the last one too. Pink Princess was released as a dressed doll - exactly the same doll as the original Audrey but with a pink tiara. As I did not have one, I used a brooch from a Gene Marshall Integrity outfit as a substitute - without any pink on it. 

This ensemble consists of a pink dress with transparent crystals embroidered on it, worn under a satin pink coat, a matching clutch, white gloves and pink shoes (the ones in the photo shoot are from another outfit as the originals did not want to stay on Poppy's larger feet).

The Integrity dress looks more faithful and detailed than the Mattel one here, especially regarding the embroidery and the clutch, which is small and white in the film. The top layer of the skirt also is too puffed out from the underskirt - they should have looked more like one layer.

Poppy looks like having fun - and so did I! Doing this project was a nice way to re-discover some things from my collection I had not seen in ages and also remind myself of why I do not need to buy these again in their new incarnations (although I must make a couple of cigarette holders for my dolls!). I hope you enjoyed it too and please let me know how are the Integrity Holly dolls if you get any. Here's to another 50 years for Breakfast At Tiffany's and the enduring appeal of Holly Golightly and Audrey Hepburn.

The missing Vogue cover...

I have been wanting to do this for quite a while. A photo shoot inspired by the multi-model covers of Vogue, like the one last May (which I want to duplicate sometime in the future). So here are some Fashion Royalty and NU Face ladies, posing for your pleasure, on the August Vogue cover that was mysteriously ditched at the very last minute for unknown reasons...and got replaced by one with someone named Winona...tsk, tsk.

The models are, from left to right-standing: Nadja Rhymes (Missima model), Baroness Agnes Von Weiss (heiress, fashion entrepreneur), Kyori Sato (Creative Director at Missima). Seated, left to right: Natalia Fatalé (former director of Missima) and Adèle Makeda (W model). All styling by Stratos, outfits and accessories by Jason Wu except Natalia's dress and accessories from Givenchy Audrey Hepburn by Mattel. Make up on Adèle by W Cosmetics, Natalia's by Revlon, all other ladies by Missima.

Vogue logo courtesy of Conde Nast Inc.