Integrity Toys Luxe Life 2018 Convention: the highly anticipated Menswear Collection Launch did not live up to the hype.

Friday afternoon at the convention continued with more shopping and workshops, but many convention guests (and many more not attending the convention) were eagerly anticipating the Menswear Collection Launch Event and Party. The new Hommes body and line have been in the pipeline for many years (five if I’m not mistaken) so everyone that collected the Male Integrity Toys dolls were holding their breath. The importance was such that the reveal had  replaced the very popular Friday night bazaar and masquerade ball.

Unfortunately, even though guests got to hear about the design and inspiration behind the newest line, named The Monarchs, from Integrity Toys designer Vaughn Sawyers, something was amiss. All attendees received the Undercover Declan Wake Male Doll. More information on the line will be revealed to W Club members by email, and some prototypes were shown on a slideshow, with one also sent by email to Club members that is under strict no-show order. There was no centerpiece for the event, just an empty acrylic base with the new line logo, that was raffled instead. One can imagine how disappointed people were, as they were expecting to be able to purchase a dressed male doll from the new line, as the convention package mentioned. The doll was nowhere to be seen. Because of that mishap, the unveil lasted only a short time and the only information people managed to get out from Vaughn was that attendees would get first dibs on a dressed male doll sometime soon.

Item # 21008

Undercover

Declan Wake™ Fashion Figure

The Monarchs™ Homme Collection

2018 Luxe Life Convention Exclusive

Edition Size: 500 Dolls

The doll shown was offered to everyone who attended the launch event for "The Monarchs". The formal introduction to the new line will take place later this winter, with a full reveal of the new storyline, characters and looks.

So this is the body that took Integrity Toys five years to redesign. Other than making it skinnier and more defined, I do not see an actual improvement over the old one. No improved articulation, no better neck joint. Cosmetic changes are all nice and well, but real redesign should have made for a better articulated body, with a neck allowing male dolls to move their heads better and make them look more expressive.

None of the old, first wave of Hommes will be part of the new lin up: no Pierre, Francisco, Darius or Takeo. Which is a pity to hear, as they are very special and beautiful sculpts. I’m a Declan fan but this looks like his best ever version too much to be considered great. His hairstyle does not help - it looks like some third rate Mediterranean lover boy would sport while out cruising the tourist traps. Easy pass. And no, having a semblance of a penis will not make a doll better. Nice bag though - the big one. The other can simply disappear into the eighties it came from.

 All photos 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. The W Club is a trademark of Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC. All rights reserved.Layouts and graphics by Alain Tremblay, Marketing.

Asher Of New England presents their male BJD doll: Kent

Asher Of New England is Leigh Slaughter's company, specializing in fashion doll jewellery for 1/4 scale dolls. Today Leigh officially presents his first ever BJD doll, a male called Kent. Asher of New England Homme (as the line is named) will consist of urethane resin male fashion Ball Jointed Dolls created by R.L. Slaughter. These dolls are hand sculpted and produced in limited runs by the artist, made to compliment current female fashion BJDs. Let's meet Kent.

Kent is a fusion of popular modern male fashion models, and actors. These dolls stand 17.5" tall and are made of urethane resin. With hand painted faces, full body blushing, and applied eyelashes. Kent has 21 points of articulation (one of which is his penis!), and comes in hand made fashions. Kent is cast in pale urethane, and is hand blushed, and strung, with hand painted blue eyes, dark brows, and has hand applied eyelashes. Included is a black pompadour wig by Ilaria of timeofdoll.it. Kent's outfit consists of dark fitted denim jeans, a hand knitted black merino funnel neck cardigan sweater jacket, with hand applied leather patches, and a working zip, Turquoise geometric cut work scarf, white undergarments by Karen Kolkman of Kolkman Kreations and harness boots by Dalila Meece of DalilaDolls. Kent will arrive in a custom padded box with stand. Kent Fall/Winter 2014/2015 is a limited edition of 5 dolls in stock and ready to ship. Order him here.

Kent is indeed a handsome doll: I love his sculpt and he poses so well - even stands by himself! Wish I could afford him! Cannot wait to see photos from people who will buy this lovely male doll.

Joey Versaw's 3D printed "First Love" gay male dolls

Joey Versaw is not a newbie in creating fashion dolls. His Mary Magpie fashion doll character has been inspiring collectors the world over for quite some time now. Her unique eccentric 50s stylization and look is what put Joey on the map. Now he makes a step in a new direction, actually two new directions at once: 3D printing and male dolls. And not simple male dolls, but specifically gay ones.

"First Love" is one of the very first doll lines to use state of the art 3D printing. Still using old techniques of hand painting, sewing clothes, and assembly are merged with the new option of 3D printing the actual doll parts. And that method of manufacturing offers another advantage: For a limited time the buyer is offered choices in customizing the doll such as picking the eye and hair colours. A Deluxe doll choice will come dressed in full costume in colours and style of the buyer's choice. A basic dress me doll is offered as well. 

Each doll is expertly crafted and original. As a doll artist, Joey takes his dolls very personally and puts a hundred percent of love and soul into each doll. They are truly unique and filled with the joy of life he feels while creating them. As he says, "growing up gay and not being able to have dolls as a child made my passion for expression and the love of dolls even greater. I like to think of them as more than just a doll; they are a true piece of expression, they are a time, a moment, and are much more art than doll".

The dolls stand 12 inches tall and are strung, being jointed at the neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, and knees. The dolls are also anatomically correct. The skin has a texture to it and the look is that of a fabric doll made of felt like the vintage Lenci dolls. The pieces are hollow and although the dolls are meant to be played with, they should still be treated with care, as they can crush if stepped on, much like vintage celluloid dolls. They can wear most 12-inch male fashion doll or action figure clothing. You can get them here.

All photos by Ernesto Padro Campos, used by permission of Joey Versaw.