Tonner 2012 Fall Holiday release preview - Pt.1: Precarious™

The Tonner Doll company just presented a preview of their Fall Holiday 2012 release. Of course there are many dolls and outfits in most of their doll series but we will concentrate on the fashion dolls. So let's see what's up in TonnerLand.


From the Precarious™ line: Fierce $199.99 Dressed doll LE 300. She has the Precarious™ head sculpt and the Antoinette™ body in the Cameo skin tone. Her eyes are grey/blue with applied eyelashes. She sports a brown removable saran wig. Her outfit consists of an off-white shirred dress, with a matching cape, gauntlets and leggings. Accessories include nude pantyhose, a silver chain belt with blue rhinestones and faux pearls, matching earrings and clear platform shoes.


I think she looks great. Love her make up even though her sculpt is not very attractive to me. She does look like a model though. The outfit looks like it has many possibilities but I'd rather have it in another colour that does not remind me of the Mummy. She should have had a bag to make this complete.


From the Precarious™ line: Precious Metal $189.99 LE 300 Dressed doll. Again we have the Precarious™ head sculpt with the Antoinette™ body in the cameo skin tone. This doll has purple painted eyes with applied eyelashes and auburn rooted saran hair. She wears a burgundy, silver, and black metallic faux leather dress with matching thigh-high boots with clear sole. Accessories include nude pantyhose, a metallic silver faux leather belt, silver bracelets and silver earrings.


This one is weird. I love the "sprayed-on+splatter" print of the faux leather (major trent this winter) but the shape is not suited for this kind of print (a geometric one, another makor fall trend, would have looked better). The earrings are very 80s (again), the belt looks very fake as does the cuff. Love the hair and eye colour on this one, but her hair do is a mess.


Another dressed doll in the  Precarious™ line is Wild Bird - at $189.99 and LE 300. She has of course the Precarious™ head sculpt and Antoinette™ body in the cameo skin tone (I guess they do not do a variety of skin tones for production costs). She has blue painted eyes with applied eyelashes and black rooted saran hair. She wears a black lace bodysuit under a black feather skirt that fastens with a black glitter canvas belt with black rhinestone decoration. Her accessories include a black sequined and beaded bracelet, black faux leather and ribbon platform shoes and a black feathered hair decoration.


I love the total look of this one. Very high fashion and funky. Her make up is metallic bit matches the style perfectly. Would love to have seen more funky, high styled shoes and earrings with this one. She reminds me a bit of Stella Tennant.


Next up is Romantic Gold, at $224.99 dressed doll LE 300, with the Precarious™ head sculpt and Antoinette™ body in the Cameo skin tone. She has green painted eyes with applied eyelashes and red rooted saran hair. She is wearing a gold dress with a sequined bodice and ruffled skirt with gold sequined decorations, cinched with a gold braided trim belt. Her accessories include nude pantyhose, a gold hair decoration with golden feathers and a pair of gold faux leather shoes with rhinestone buckles.


I think I like this one. She is impressive enough and her make up does wonders for the sculpt although I still don't like the lip shape. Gorgeous hair colour (would look even better in a paler skin tone). But the skirt needed more decoration with "fall out" from the top, to give it that extra "oomph" factor. And earrings please. Maybe if the shillouete was more early 20th century belle epoque it would look even better.


The final dressed doll of this line is Up All Night $224.99 LE 300, with the Precarious™ head sculpt and Antoinette™ body in the Cameo skin tone. She has blue painted eyes with applied eyelashes and platinum rooted saran hair. She is wearing silver sunglasses (hence the up all night moniker), and navy blue/silver lamé gauntlets. Her outfit consists of navy blue satin cigarette pants worn with a beaded bodice and over these goes a navy blue/silver lamé attached skirt. Her accessories include a pair of navy blue satin shoes with silver lamé accent bows and clear platform soles.

Does Tonner pull a Gaga here? She reminds me of her, a diluted, tamed version. If she had funkier shoes and great dangling earrings with a weird headpiece (or even a lame headscarf) on her, she would be perfect. Easily the best doll of the bunch.


Her make up looks a bit strange considering the outfit's colouring. Metallic smoky eyes and pale pink lips would look so much better on this. And paint the nails please.


Finally a basic doll:  Basically Precarious™ $119.99  LE 500, with the Precarious™ head sculpt, the Antoinette™ body in (of course) cameo skin tone. She has blue painted eyes with applied eyelashes and platinum removable wigged saran hair. She is wearing a pink bodysuit with black lace overlay and black ribbon trim and straps. In her description it says she is wearing black tights (which we see) and nude pantyhose (for what reason?). Must be a mistake. Her elastic shoes with clear platform soles are black.


Meh. Boring. I like the shoes though. Would expect something more avant guard from this line, even for the basic doll. I think the first outing of this line was more impressive and coherent than this one. And what's with the weird eyelashes? They look overtly long and unkempt. Maybe it is because they are prototypes, but I would expect the official company photos to have details like that taken care of.


All photos © 2012 Tonner® Doll Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved..

Poppy Parker: The Happening


As mentioned in my April post about the main Poppy Parker collection this year, the mood is Swinging Sixties in London. I managed to get three dolls of that collection and the first one has arrived: Poppy Parker The Happening! 


She's even better than her promo photos! She is wearing a mini dress covered in silver sequins, with a round neckline (that reminds me of ancient Egypt), ending at the back in straps (look further down for photos of it), metallic fishnet stockings, and her accessories include one of the best pairs of earrings I have seen on a doll (silver concentric circles hanging with beads under a "diamond" stud), four silver bangles (that were tarnished almost instantly), a silver clutch (which is her only so-so accessory, looks and feels cheap) and a pair of silver sling-back bow shoes. 


Her hair is pulled up and back in a very long ponytail, with the top puffed up in a very mid-sixties style. The hair is treated with product to make it stay put and wavy. I know some people had problems with greasy or over-treated hair but mine looks perfect. Her make up is very mod: light blue eye-shadow, black eye-liner, applied lashes and almost nude shiny lips. Her eyes are purple but do not look unnatural.


There is nothing not to love about this doll, except that awful clutch and the tarnished bangles. Almost perfect. Now I'm even more giddy anticipating the next one coming. 


And how small this world really is. As I was preparing this post, a very special lady I am following on twitter, Penny Calder, posted a photograph from the special 50th anniversary issue of British Vogue, from mid October 1965. I found the whole spread, with model Donna Mitchell photographed by David Montgomery,  from that issue in this gorgeous website and I think this is pretty much the inspiration for Poppy's outfit.


So below is a series of Poppy's photos specially treated for your pleasure. Hope you like her as much as I do.






Tim Gunn gives a makeover to Barbie

Timm Gunn is a famous fashion consultant. The public met him through the reality show Project Runway and then he got his own TV show, Tim Gunn's Guide To Style, giving makeovers to normal people like you and me. He has now turned to Barbie and produced with Mattel two dolls and two fashion accessory packs that are available from today in Target stores and on Barbiecollector.com . Each doll is $30 and each pack goes for $25.


First we have Barbie’s Casual Look: Barbie is ready to “make it work!” Dressed in her favourite skinny jeans, the $30 doll works a patterned blouse, yellow blazer, metallic purse, and must-have smartphone. This is my favourite from the bunch.


The second doll is Barbie’s Work Style: Tim Gunn’s $30 doll comes dressed in a pencil skirt and polished white button down shirt. A wide belt, high-heeled sandals and red handbag finish off the look.


First accessory pack is Barbie’s Trench Coat: This $25 pack features a patent “leather” trench coat, cozy houndstooth scarf, and buckled booties. Look at the miniature magazines.


And last but not least, Barbie’s Evening Look: Barbie is ready for her night our with Ken! This $25 accessory pack comes with an asymmetrical black top, patterned skirt, strappy sandals, and sparkly jewelry.

IFDC 2012 Integrity official dolls - Shock, Rattle & Roll

IFDC in Las Vegas is one of the major doll conventions every year. Even more so in 2012 and their 10 year anniversary with the Shock, Rattle and Roll theme. Collectors eagerly anticipate the official dolls that are part of the convention or the exclusives revealed there from doll companies.


Integrity did again the official convention doll this year, as well as the souvenir companion one, plus they had one more doll as an exclusive. Each doll in this mini-collection has the Integrity Toys/Vampire body. Here are their official photos and descriptions:

Item #15017
Long Cool Woman
Shock, Rattle 'N' Roll Collection
IFDC 10th Anniversary Souvenir Convention Doll

Suggested Retail Price: $150.00 US

Limited Edition of 300 Dolls



"Long Cool Woman" is sleek, sexy and definitely Rock 'N Roll! Designed to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the International Fashion Doll Convention (IFDC), this gorgeous goddess of the music stage is ready to rock your collection down to its foundations! Long Cool Woman is a 12-inch fully articulated vinyl doll with hand-applied eyelashes and fully rooted hair. She comes dressed in a long dramatic rock frock completed by black pumps and jewelry. The doll stand is included. Long Cool Woman was given away as the convention souvenir doll to guests who attended the 2012 IFDC Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada.


She has the Kesenia mold, in a tan body and looks superb. I love the accessories and the outfit looks like something Stevie Nicks would have worn in the 70s. She looks more and more like the old Vanessa mold with each incarnation of hers.



Item #15018
Shake It Up
Shock, Rattle 'N' Roll Collection
IFDC 10th Anniversary Companion Doll
Suggested Retail Price: $150.00 US
Limited Edition of 300 Dolls


Ready to be shaken? Well, shake it up! Introducing "Shake It Up", this year's IFDC companion doll! With her sultry looks and legs that won't quit, this girl is ready to tour with her favorite rock band and sing a little Rock 'n Roll of her own! Shake It Up is a 12"-inch fully articulated vinyl doll with long rooted hair and applied eyelashes. She comes dressed in a totally retro rock ¾ sleeve mini-dress and includes edgy "chrome" shoes and jewelry. The doll stand is included. Shake It Up was the companion doll available for purchase to guests who attended the 2012 IFDC Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada.


The companion doll is the Korrine sculpt - like Kesenia, she comes in a totally different skin tone than the one we have seen her so far and looks much prettier too. She reminds me of a young Debbie Harry. From the real life photos of attendees I have seen on-line, she is much prettier in real life.



Item #15019
Rock Me, Baby
Shock, Rattle 'N' Roll Collection
IFDC 10th Anniversary IT Direct Salesroom Doll
Suggested Retail Price: $150.00 US
Limited Edition of 300 Dolls




Put your rock 'n roll on and ROCK ME, BABY! Introducing this year's IT Direct Exclusive for IFDC! This girl means business and she won't take "no" for an answer. She's the leader of the pack, she's got attitude and she knows how to flaunt it! Rock Me Baby is a 12"-inch fully articulated vinyl doll with long rooted hair and applied eyelashes. She comes dressed in a two piece rock 'n roll suit and comes with edgy "chrome" purple and black shoes and jewelry. The doll stand is included. Rock Me, Baby was the IT Direct Exclusive doll available for purchase to guests who attended the 2012 IFDC Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada.


This one has the Rayna sculpt and looks gorgeous. She gives out a Joan Jett - Lita Ford vibe. Her face reminds me a lot of Anna Paquin as Sookie in True Blood (if she would only dress like that!). A very beautiful doll.



Lovely and very hard to find dolls. W Club member have a lottery going on for a few of the dolls. The only other option would be in the secondary market and I bet prices will sky rocket as they are quite limited.

All photos and doll descriptions are copyrighted by Integrity Toys, Inc. and Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC 2012 and may not be reprinted or disseminated without express written permission.  

Nouveau Régime Tatyana


Integrity Toys FR.Squared series is dedicated to producing high fashion dolls (with Jason Wu on the helm), with couture like clothing and styling. This year's series was very close to what the line stands for. Nouveau Régime Tatyana is one of the line's three dolls, probably the most glamorous of them. Her sculpt is the one presented at last year's convention and I think here it reaches near perfection.


She has of course the FR.Squared body - elongated, slimmer, more articulated than it's regular Fashion Royalty counterpart. All the better to showcase the magnificent red dress she is wearing. Draped on the side and finished with a small bow on the shoulder, it also has a golden filigree detail on the bust. The draping is good considering the scale but I would prefer it a bit tighter on the skirt.


Check out the quality of the workmanship at the back - the way the draping ends at the zipper is incredibly made. Her outfit is completed with tights (with a back seam), a red clutch, "crocodile" red shoes with straps, buckles and golden chain, a cuff, a ring and a pair of earrings.


The earring has a single red stone on a golden setting. The clutch has a golden button with a black stone that matches her hair. You can see the cuff better here, with it's modern sculpted design. It reminds me of Elsa Peretti's designs for Tiffany. The golden filigree on white background bust detail is visible here too.


Her earrings are matched to the outfit: golden drops with red stones, they look Byzantine in inspiration. Considering Tatyana is a Russian character in the FR storylines, it fits her to a T. Her make up is bold, like all the dolls in this year's FR.Squared line (and Jason Wu's Fall/Winter 2012 collection too). Dark, smoky eyes, with arched brows, bright red lips and pronounced rouge on the cheekbones. I think this looks great on her and is almost perfectly done. Of course the whole look is finished with fire engine red nails. Her hair is gathered at the back in a big chignon and has Marcel weaves at the front, perfectly done. There were a few flyaway hairs but nothing serious. Below is a photo of her still in her box:


And a close up of her shoes:



I could not help using some of my new filters and effects on the photos I took of her. She is incredibly photogenic; it is very hard, if not impossible, to take a bad photograph of her.