Gene Marshall is being retired - again!

 Gene Marshall, the gorgeous and iconic creation of Mel Odom, has had a long and tumultuous history since her debut in 1995. From her Ashton Drake decade to the short but beautiful Integrity Toys evolution to the resin reincarnation at JAMIEshow dolls, Gene Marshall has always shined as the bright star she is, bringing joy to many fashion doll collectors with her district style and elegance. Unfortunately, in the latest JAMIEshow newsletter, we got the news that next year she will be retired again. Below is the text, announcing the 2018 convention in Palm Springs, which contains the news.

Photograph and styling by Tom Logan from The Glass Of Fashion - JAMIEshow doll. Wig by Ilaria.

JAMIEshow Dolls PALM SPRINGS 2018 Convention  A Fashion Retrospective & Farewell to Gene

Join us in February 2018 for the 5th JAMIEshow Convention in beautiful Palm Springs, California.

Join us for a Fashion Retrospective celebrating the glory days of Palm Springs’ movie society.  Along with a dazzling JAMIEshow line we will be celebrating Gene and Friends in different decades throughout the 20th century.  We will also be saying a farewell for now to Gene, as she retires once again to her home in Italy.  This will be the last production of JAMIEshow Gene Dolls offered and a not to be missed event.   Although JAMIEshow will continue to produce accessories that can be worn on Gene and Friends, including wigs, shoes, outfits and accessories there will be no more regularly scheduled dolls after this event.  A planned museum retrospective in the foreseeable future might happily be the exception to this rule. 

You can visit the website for more information, like the schedule below:

CONVENTION SCHEDULE

• Registration includes, one convention doll, you will choose at registration whether you want the Gene Family or JAMIEshow Family Convention doll, the other will still be availalbe to you to purchase at the event.  It also includes.

• Cocktail Party "At the Cha Cha"  Opening night cocktail party where we will all meet mingle and dance the night away!

• Pool Party, thats right a Pool Party for those who want to take a dip or just sip a drink and mix and mingle.

• Tour of Modernism and Architecture.  This tour will be available for sign up at the event.  Participation not required. Extra fee may apply.

• Sales Room with lots of offerings including new wigs, and new dolls!  All dolls will be available to take home at event and are limtited to small quantities.

• Grand Banquet Dinner "A Farewell to Gene"  as we say goodbye to Gene, Mel Odom who will be our guest throughout the event share his thoughts on and the future of Gene.

• Breakfast in the Garden, a buffet breakfast poolside at one of the fabulous outdoor restaurants.

• As always our special guest Mel Odom will be joinging us for the weekend.

JAMIEshow photo

It will be nine years from her previous retirement, when she is retired for a third time next year. Will it be for good? I hope not. Gene Marshall is a very important part of the fashion doll,history and I would like to have her with us for many more years to come.

Barbie and Missguided team up to sell out!

Barbie has collaborated many times with fashion brands in order to sell clothes or cosmetics - hey, they even sell their own fashions! Their latest collaboration is with global brand Missguided. It launched with the Barbie x Missguided collection, featuring jeans, cameo and millennial pink.  As Missguided mentioned on their website: "Barbie is THE ultimate female icon and her message is that girls can be anything they want. Our #babesofmissguided’s possibilities are endless, this is for the badass babes who can do anything".

The collection sold out in the first 24 hours - all 43 pieces of it! The company announced they will be re-stocking soon, so if you are interested, go to their website and sign up,for their newsletter.  

Of course they could not pass by the opportunity to make some Barbie sized outfits as well! No mention anywhere if theaw dolls will be released for sale, but after the success of the real clothes, who knows? Let's see the dolls one by one, as each has a distinct look, character and role in the Missguided team. The dolls were created by the super talented Magia2000 duo, Mario Paglino and Gianni Grossi.

The Artworker Barbie is the art director of the bunch. Looks appropriately creative. 

The real life version of Artworker. 

Photographer Barbie, best of the bunch. Love the hair and sunglasses. She does have a camera, which makes her the only one of the team with appropriate tools for her trade. 

Real life version very close to the doll one. 

PR and Events Barbie looks a bit too teeny bopper for this kind of job.  

The real skirt looks much better than the miniature version. Plus jewellery! 

Social Media Barbie  does not have any kind of mobile device to justify her title. How is she going to post on Instagram with those headphones?

Her real life counterpart does not seem to care about posting on social media either. 

Creative Conceptualist Barbie gets so thirsty when thinking about campaigns and promotions that she has a water bottle with her. 

Would you like to see these dolls get a commercial release? 

All photos courtesy of Mattel and Missguided.  

JAMIEshow 2017 convention in Chicago: East Meets West!

The weekend of 23-25 June was the one when this year's JAMIEshow Convention took place in Chicago. The theme was East Meets West, so Gene and friends got to dress up in Japanese inspired outfits, as they are supposed to be making a spy film named Red Lotus, that takes place there. A new character appeared, named Luna Li, a former model and now movie star in Japan. Madra is there of course, trying to steal the spotlight as always, while Trent was in Japanese clothes but in a grey version, matching the famous Lady Grey Gene. There was another gorgeous new doll presented, Ling Lang, as well as some impressive outfits, ranging from $75 to $120. Let's check them out.

Ling Lang Black Dragon

​This is the most beautiful doll from the convention. Face, hair, outfit, all perfect. The embroidered back is stunning. Just a reminder here that all dolls are resin dolls. Prices ranged from $500 to $600. 

Luna Li, convention souvenir doll 

Beautiful doll and I love her kimono. It reminds me a bit of the one worn by the very first Kyori Sato doll from Integrity Toys. Black kimonos always stand out because they are not seen so often.

Gene Marshall

I think I'd prefer her in a long skirt for this style. The bangs in her hairstyle is something I could do without. The jacket is stunning.

Madra Lord

Gorgeous looking doll. I love the mask, it gives her that extra evil mysterious look. Her wig cap is perfect and her outfit reminds me of a Dior by Galliano look from way back. The pearls of the earrings are jarringly big. Would have liked them more delicate.

Trent Osborne 

Amazing looking doll. That outfit rocks. I'd love it for an Asian male doll (which is so rare in 1/4 scale) to compliment my Memoirs of a Geisha dolls. I bet people that have Grey Lady Gene would love to have him stand right beside her.

Below are the outfits available at the convention, shown on Ginnie. The quality and craftsmanship stands out. My favourite is the sleeveless black and print long take on the qipao below. For availability of any remaining dolls and outfits from the convention check the JAMIEshow website. Bravo JAMIEshow for another fantastic convention collection.

All photos courtesy of JAMIEshow dolls, used by permission.

Dollton Abbey: IFDC convention dolls by Integrity Toys take a creative spin on the theme

The IFDC convention was held in Las Vegas, celebrating its tenth anniversary at the Orleans hotel. The theme this year was Dollton Abbey, a celebration of the British tv series Downton Abbey that was very popular on both sides of the Atlantic. I was really curious to see what Integrity Toys would do with their convention dolls, from the moment the incredible Jim Pharaone, heart and souls of IFDC announced they would be dong them again this year. I must say I was kind of expecting Poppy Parker to be used as the basis of the dolls, as she usually is for bygone era clothing. Or maybe the new sculpts from the East 59th street line. On Saturday night. members of the Integrity Toys team presented the trio of dolls as part of the NU. Fantasy™ Collection, created by Vaughn Sawyers, based on this year's IFDC convention theme. It was not a literal interpretation of the era, but a modern take on it. Which is a shame, as I would really love to have some outfits from the first decades of the 20th century (the series begun at 1912 and ended right before the big recession of 1929) on Integrity dolls. Just imagine if each doll had an outfit of a different decade on her. And it was an era with major shifts in fashion and style for women, freeing them from corsets and conservative looks to define the essence of modern woman. Remember that Coco Chanel started back then.

Remember that these dolls were available only at the convention and a very small number was reserved for W Club members, where a lottery will take place for the right to buy them. Members have until the 17th of July to participate. Let's see how the dolls look like and how close they came to giving us a taste of Downton Abbey. 

Item # 75023

Feeling Wild

Dressed Doll

IT Direct Exclusive

IFDC 2017

Approximate Ship Date: IN-STOCK (Ships after winners' payments are received)

Limited Edition Size: 500 (Total edition size, including those sold/given out at IFDC)

Price: $150.00 + Shipping and Handling

**IMPORTANT**THIS IS AN IT DIRECT EXCLUSIVE!THIS DOLL WILL NOT BE SOLD THROUGH IT DEALERS!

Doll Tech Specs

Head Sculpt: Giselle D.

Body Type: FR 6.0

Feet: High-heeled

Skintone: Cream

Hair Color: Burnt Sienna

Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-Applied

Quickswitch: No

Feeling Wild is a 12.5-inch fully articulated doll that features fully rooted hair. She comes dressed in an intricately constructed, off-shouldered chiffon evening gown which features delicate embroidery at the bust. A veil, jewelry and shoes complete her look. A doll stand and a certificate of authenticity are also included. For adult collectors ages 15 and up only.

Very beautiful version of Giselle, with a Fashion Royalty body. From real life convention photos, one can see that the hair is fuller and not as stiff as the prototype photos show. I like the dress but it does not give off any Downton vibes for me. It looks more like modern couture, something that Taylor Swift would wear to the Met Gala. I love the jewellery but for the $150 price tag, she should have had a nice evening bag to compliment the outfit. And a chocker necklace too.

Item # 75022

Never Predictable

Dressed Doll

Official Companion Doll

IFDC 2017

Approximate Ship Date: IN-STOCK (Ships after winners' payments are received)

Limited Edition Size: 500 (Total edition size, including those sold/given out at IFDC) 

Price: $150.00 + Shipping and Handling

**IMPORTANT**THIS IS AN IT DIRECT EXCLUSIVE!THIS DOLL WILL NOT BE SOLD THROUGH IT DEALERS!

Doll Tech Specs

Head Sculpt: Adaline King 2.0

Body Type: FR 6.0

Feet: High-heeled

Skintone: Japan

Hair Color: Auburn Sugar

Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-Applied

Quickswitch: No

​Never Predictable is a 12.5-inch fully articulated doll with fully rooted hair and comes dressed in an embroidered gown, designed to mimic the fineries of a time gone by. She wears long opera length gloves, shoes and jewelry. A doll stand and a certificate of authenticity are also included. For adult collectors ages 15 and up only.

Now that's more like it. The silhouette, colours and embroidery draw heavily on the first decades of the 20th century while being brought up,to date by the hairstyle, textures and sheerness of the fabric. The sculpt is not to my liking but makes for a very interesting doll. The dress is stunning and so are the gorgeous shoes. Again, a bag should have been included in this price.

Item # 75021

Touch of Whimsy

Dressed Doll

Official Convention Doll

IFDC 2017

Approximate Ship Date: IN-STOCK (Ships after winners' payments are received)

Limited Edition Size: 500 (Total edition size, including those sold/given out at IFDC)

Price: $175.00 + shipping and handling.

**IMPORTANT**THIS IS AN IT DIRECT EXCLUSIVE!THIS DOLL WILL NOT BE SOLD THROUGH IT DEALERS!

Doll Tech Specs

Head Sculpt: Finley

Body Type: FR 6.0

Feet: High-heeled

Skintone: Cream

Hair Color: Golden Blond

Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-Applied

Quickswitch: No

Touch of Whimsy is a 12.5-inch fully articulated doll features fully rooted hair and comes dressed in a unique and thoughtfully decorated hand-painted overcoat, created just for the occasion. Her original look is completed by long thigh-high boots, a hat and jewelry. A doll stand and a certificate of authenticity are also included. For adult collectors ages 15 and up only.

 Again a modern take on very early 20th century fashions, with a touch of late Victorian influences. The result could have been better, while still being quite impressive. She could have been starring in Ripper Street (another great British tv series taking place in the late 1800s) as a hooker in Whitechapel. I'd prefer the sleeves and front part of the overcoat in navy blue like her panties, instead of white, and a navy blue ribbon on the white hat. There are four different fabrics on her. Overkill. Adding a pair of lace fingerless gloves and a drawstring pouch would have made her perfect. The light pink lipstick does not flatter this face sculpt. In real life photos the hair looks fluffier and looser, which is not good for this hairstyle. I looooove the boots. Love them. Even though they look like they will be a pain in the ass to put on the doll, no matter the zipper at the lower part. The price is a bit higher for this one, $175. Is it for the boots? I can't find anything that justifies it. She has only a pair of earrings, the boots, a hat and the outfit, which is not very intricate. Is the fabric expensive? Inquiring minds want to know.

So what do you think about the IFDC dolls by Integrity Toys? Let me know in the comments.

The dolls pictured in this release are prototypes. Final fabrics, colors and textures may vary slightly. All photos and information contained herein is copyrighted Integrity Toys, Inc. and Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC 2017 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.
NU. FANTASY and all related characters are trademarks of Integrity Toys, ©2017 All rights reserved.
Doll Photography by Jayme Thornton.  Layouts, Graphics and 3D rendering by Alain Tremblay, Marketing.

Joey Versaw's A Little Head can be ordered specially customized for a very limited run

I have written before about the talented Joey Versaw and his amazing colourful dolls. His more recent release was titled "A Little Head" and consisted of both boys and girls in eye-popping colour. Due to popular demand "A Little Head" has opened up custom commissions for an extremely limited run. There will only be 10 females and 10 males available for this special custom order offer. 

With this special offer you will have the choice of five hair colors: they are Blonde, Burgandy, Brunette, Blue, and Pink. You will also be able to choose make up colors, eye colors, and eye direction: you can request either a flirty side glance or a straightforward look. The girls will come in their original side part settings with beautiful long hair and the boys will come with the option of long hair or short.

Each doll will be hand-painted to the customer's specifications. Orders will take four weeks to complete once purchased. Each doll will come in an original fashion with accessories to complete the look. Nicely packaged in a clear plastic box that offers up a beautiful display case and easy in and out assessability with the logo on the front.

This offer will not be made again with these specific sculpts in vinyl so once this limited offer has sold out that is it. Joey is very excited to offer this up for those who have very specific tastes and likes. This will be a great way to have one of his creations exactly how you would like it to be. Links to order are below.

 order a custom "A Little Head" boy

order a custom "A Little Head" girl

All photos and information courtesy of Joey Versaw