As I mentioned in my previous post, the W Club event presentation was double barrelled: after we saw the last doll of the Coven Couture collection, we were presented with the first one from the new collection of dolls - this one being the first of four dolls in the Integrity Toys X Magia 2000 Collaboration, designed by the talented duo behind Magia 2000, Mario Paglino and Gianni Grossi! I was lucky enough to meet the incredibly talented duo of Magia 2000 back in 2018, at the Italian Fashion Doll Convention, which they organise in Milan. They are amazing creators and awesome human beings and I am so happy that Integrity Toys is collaborating with them for an entire collection!
Celebrating 23 years in the doll world, Magia 2000, the artistic duo formed by fashion designer, Mario Paglino and graphic art director, Gianni Grossi, playfully began in 1999. After a few months, playing became collecting, which was soon followed by artistic passion. Their elegant, rich, fully detailed style, which takes a lot of inspiration from Italian couture, has been their distinguishing mark from the start.
Through the years, they attended almost 100 doll conventions around the world, traveling everywhere from Japan, the US, and all over Europe, promoting their brand and passion for doll customization, while generously donating several of their unique creations, which helped raise over $200,000.00 for various charities!
Magia 2000 was the first international design team to attend an Integrity Toys convention back in 2004 and won Judge’s and People’s choice awards at several design competitions afterward. In 2018, they were the first and only to host a Poppy Parker event outside of the US, welcoming designer David Buttry for the unveiling of the “Ciao!” Poppy Parker convention exclusive doll. Today, Mario and Gianni collaborate with various celebrities and brands and have been featured in multiple media outlets.
About Integrity Toys X Magia 2000
"We've always admired the stories and unique personality behind Integrity Toys' brands and characters. For this special collaboration, we envisioned a journey through our incredible country; ITALY! With the largest amount of cultural and artistic artifacts in the world and a long history that spans multiple millenniums, Italy is the ultimate tourist destination. Italians are also leaders of the fashion industry and creativity is simply in our blood. We would love to invite fellow collectors on a fantastic journey through our land, to discover all that its famous venues and iconic events have to offer! For our first offering in the series, as Gianni is a fan of IT's male fashion figures, we wanted to launch with something new and unexpected from Magia 2000 and we are thrilled to bring you our vision of what Lukas Maverick would wear if he attended the world-famous Venice Carnival!" -Magia 2000
Item #15106
Carnival Gala in Venice
Lukas Maverick™ Dressed Fashion Figure
The Integrity Toys X Magia 2000 Collaboration
Edition Size: 1500
Expected Ship Date: Early Spring 2023
Head Sculpt: Lukas
Body Type: FR Homme 1.5
Foot Sculpt: Articulated Ankle
Skin Tone: Japan
Hair Color: Ginger
Eyelashes: No
MSRP: $225 + S & H
Special W Club Price*: $199 + S & H
Sales method:
This is being sold with a portion to W Club members via a W Club right-to-buy lottery offer, and a portion set aside for the public. Should you not secure any figure(s) in the lottery or want more than your memberships allow, you will be able to try to secure a figure from the set aside portion.
*Special W Club pricing is limited to one per membership
PUBLIC PURCHASING
More information on public purchasing will be sent closer to the figures' arrival, approximately later in Spring 2023.
The Story:
First 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!
This fantastic journey starts in the most unique place in the world: Venice! Entirely built over water, Venice becomes a symbol of eccentricity and glamour during its world-famous annual Carnival!
Lukas Maverick is putting his own modern, gender-fluid twist on carnival by wearing a flamboyant, elaborate costume inspired by the rare imported velvets and other exotic fabrics used over the centuries by Venetian costume designers to create the extravagant, lavish costumes worn by members of the Italian high society and aristocracy when attending the Carnival!
Mysterious and charming, foggy and sunny, the pure essence of Carnival and abundance. Lukas navigates the canals with his black mask on and only reveals himself in the middle of the party, flirting and seducing women and men alike with his fluid beauty and his charming dress, paying tribute to many iconic Italian fashion brands!
Included:
12.5-inch articulated fashion figure with partially rooted hair and flocked hair;
Floor-length green velvet hooded cape with lavish, contrasting custom-designed embroidery, designed to be reminiscent of the tint of the Venetian laguna colors;
Matching high-waist velvet pants;
Pink chiffon shirt with bouffant sleeves gathered at the wrist, built-in jabot and delicate black lace detail trim;
Sheer, black-ribbon neck tie;
Lion ring, paying tribute to the Flying Lion (the symbol of the city), which dominates the San Marco Square;
Pair of faux-diamond stud earrings;
Faux-pearl and faux-diamond brooch, a nod to the rich Venetian architecture and churches;
Italian designer-inspired logo clutch;
Pair of black velvet slipper loafers with intricate golden filigree design and "stone" accent;
Pink socks;
Venetian masquerade mask with black ribbon ties;
Pair of hands featuring black nail polish;
Figure stand;
Certificate of authenticity.
Such an incredible collaboration can only produce incredible dolls and Lukas does not disappoint! I love what Gianni and Mario have done with him, dressing him up in all that finery inspired by the venerable Venice Carnival! It also draws on current fashion trends - from Gucci to Arturo Obegero and others, channelling Harry Styles and Jared Leto but also all dandies who rocked similar looks in the past. Love the mask too and that it fastens on the doll, instead of being held with a handle in front of the face (it would never work on a doll). The second red headed Lukas (first one was Beauty, which has a similar vibe, albeit in a minimal, northern European style), he has a smouldering look with that eyeliner. Some club members said he reminded them of Red Johnny Mac from Jem.
Two complaints about the cape: 1. The fabric is like a terry cloth and ruins the luxury feel. Why not velvet There are thin velvets that can work in doll scale, we have seen them used by Integrity before. 2. The embroidery (inspired by the ceiling fresco decorations in the city’s mansions) should have continued along the bottom back of it. I know it was done for cost reasons but still. Love the black nails and also the awesome embroidered shoes. The details are so well taken care of - the ring is a lion because it is the symbol of Venice!
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 text 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. NU. FACE 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.