Superdoll’s Gibraltar: an ode to John Galliano

On the 28th of September, Superdoll London unleashed the gorgeous Gibraltar on their customers. As usual, the doll sold out quite soon. And how could it be any different? She is one of the most beautiful Sybarites released this year. Her outfit and styling are a direct tribute to John Galliano and his Dior Couture collections of 1997, both Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter. To me it looks like a combination of two gowns: the Masai inspired black gown from his S/S 1997 Christian Dior Haute Couture collection and the peacock gown from his Belle Époque inspired F/W 1997-98 Christian Dior Haute Couture collection. The hairstyle of the doll even comes from the last one. And the name of the doll? The place where John Galliano was born.

​The description from the Superdoll website.

Venus is fabulous as could be in her strelitzia Extravaganza, a late night rendezvous calls for coiffure, blossoms and very high heels.She is probably not paying attention to anyone other than herself this evening!
From the top. A gorgeous headpiece of banana yellow guipure asymmetrically sprouts from her flaming blunt red banged wig. A statement just as we get started ...fabulous!
Her eyeshadows in the spectrum of shocking green and smoke surround her eyes of translucent pistachio and blind fern with lids of unripened vanilla. Lips of fluorescent coral Macaw and beyond.
Her 1 piece frock; an ode and a nod; in electric blue sinuous silk satin custom printed with deconstructed strelitzia embellished in laser organza petals and piece d' resistance..... a beaded Massaii corset finished with a flourish of jungle bouquet. Probably not something you would wear for pre rendezvous cocktails.. unless you were a D'Royce; of course.
Venus loves twilight and loves nothing more than oozing around in skin tight satin as the moon comes out.
Always accessorised to the twenty sevens, Venus has a discreet electric blue clutch trimmed in stuff that matches her corset, opera length gloves in almost not there yellow illusion tulle, and totally uncomfortable stiletto heeled courts in magical 'just the right' blue.
Huge inspired gilt bracelets are her final accessory!
Venus knows once the beats start beating she's gonna shimmy all night long.
Could someone please hand her, her sunglasses?

Doll characteristics:
Clone: 1000 Venus d'Royce
Skintone: COSMETIQUE
She comes with the following standard accessories:
-manic_cure hands (see booklet for hand change instructions)
-booklet
-stand
PRODUCTION MAY VARY FROM PROTOTYPE SHOWN.
Price: £279.75 (Excluding VAT at 20%)

And now let’s see the inspirations... 

John Galliano for Christian Dior, Haute Couture Spring/Summer 1997, photo by Annie Leibovitz for US Vogue. 

John Galliano for Christian Dior, Haute Couture Fall/Winter 1997-98, photo by Peter Lindbergh for US Vogue.  

The goddess is here: Tonner Doll Wonder Woman in Gal Gadot’s likeness available for preorder!

Today one of the best, if not THE best superhero doll Tonner Doll has ever created is finally revealed and available to preorder. A gorgeous rendition of Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, with a new 15- points-of-articulation body is now ready for preorder either from Tonner Doll or from your favourite Tonner Doll dealer. As the company website ships only to the United States, Guam, The US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, US military bases, Australia, New Zealand and Asia , the rest of the world will have to scramble to the dealers to secure one of the 500 available dolls, There was a 100 pieces Deluxe edition but that was sold out in a flash. What’s the difference? Read on. 

T17DCDD03 Wonder Woman Deluxe Set - $310.00 - SOLD OUT

16” character figure of expertly engineered injected plastic and vinyl.  The totally new body has 15 points of articulation and Gal Gadot’s likeness is captured in detail. Saran is used to create lifelike hair set off with an accurate, highly detailed crown. Accurately sculpted depicting her movie costume, the WW armor consists of a molded breast plate with a genuine leather battle skirt; her armband and gauntlets are made of real metal. Wonder Woman carries her golden lasso in a genuine leather harness.  Boots are made of detailed vinyl and resin.  Figure comes with changeable open hands, fists and gripping hands. The Deluxe set Includes, along with the WW figure, her intricately detailed metal sword, shield that she can hold and stand designed to keep her on her feet for display.  LE 100

The likeness of the face is incredible. Robert Tonner now sculpts first on a computer in 3D rendering software, so he can tweak a sculpt to perfection. We also found out that the very talented repaint artist Shannon Craven was directly involved in the process of creating the face likeness of the actress, you can read all about it in her website.  If the production doll looks exactly like this one, it will be the best Tonner Wonder Woman ever. I knew I was right holding back on buying one of their previous Wonder Woman versions.

The detail on her costume is amazing. With real metal and leather used for so many things in addition to plastic and resin, the impression it gives is that of a great recreation. Metal sword eh? Yes! Leather skirt and harness? Check. Three sets of hands to vary the poses? Sure! ​

T17DCGS01 - Wonder Woman #1 BUNDLE COLLECTION - $310.00

​The bundle actually contains the same things the Deluxe editions has, for the same price. They are just packed separately instead of being in the same box. So I suspect that the Deluxe version will have a different, bigger box, maybe made for display like the Spiderman 3 one, while the simple doll has a normal, Tonner Doll sized box. We’ll see. 

There is also the option of getting each element of the bundle separately: Doll, set of sword and shield, and stand.

T17DCDD02 Wonder Woman #1 - $225.00 - LE 500. This is the doll only, No sword, no shield, no stand included.

T17DCAC01 - Shield & Sword Accessory Pack - $50.00

Wonder Woman Sword and Shield—Both shield 4.5" and sword 7.25" are crafted in fine metal with high attention to detail. It’s the perfect accessory set to your Wonder Woman character figure.  Open Edition

T17DCAC02 - Wonder Woman Stand - $50.00

​Wonder Woman Stand—The stand base 5.5" is made of acrylic resin with the Wonder Woman logo and a black bendable rod 13" so that she can hold any number of poses. A specially designed gripper keeps her secure no matter what the pose! Open Edition.

If you order separate sets of the weapons or the stand, there is a limit of six per order. So what are you waiting for! Run!

Oh, and do you know what is on the way! Look at a sneak peek from Tonner Doll official Facebook page:

All photos courtesy of Tonner Doll Company. 

Christian Siriano shrinks some of his most famous dresses to Barbie’s size

Christian Siriano, probably the only Project Runway alumnus who has made a name for himself, is the latest designer to collaborate with Mattel​: he translated some of his most famous dresses in Barbie size. Known for his inclusiveness, he did not shy away from using every available Barbie body type and different skin colours for the dolls wearing his one of a kind creations. The five ensembles are below.

Four of them were worn by famous stars on the red carpet or for a photo shoot, while the fifth one is from one of his latest collections. Let’s check them out one by one.

First Up,is the red number he did for Leslie Jones, when no one else would give her a gown to wear for the Ghostbusters premiere in July 2016. Siriano graciously accepted to dress her and wou can see the real outfit below the doll photo. Pity thatbthe Doll does not have the same jewellery or bag Ms. Jones was wearing. It is an OOAK doll people, pile it on! Jones photo from Elle UK.

Next is a gown worn by Sarah Jessica Parker for a photo shoot with Marie Claire. Boring does not even begin to describe it. She was photographed by Tesh for the US edition in September 2011 and it was also in many international editions of the magazine that Fall, making the cover in South Africa and Hungary. Parker photo from Siriano’s website.

The third dress is again a red carpet appearance. The actress Sarah Hyland wore it at the 2014 Emmy Awards. It reminds me a lot of Mizrahi outfits but without the chutzpah. Hyland photo by Peoples Choice.

The fourth outfit looks like a variation of the previous one, different skirt colour and material. This is the most recent one, from the designer’s 2018:resort collection. Fashion photo courtesy of Christian Siriano.

And last, but not least, anothervred caret outfit. This one was worn by Solange Knowles at a gala during Art Basel 2016. Easily the best of the bunch, both in Doll and human size.

Apart from the Solange outfit, the rest look like something any little girl can do with fabric scraps found at home. No design, no shape, no style. It does not help that the real fashions on which the doll clothes are based are devoid of any kind of style or inspiration themselves. Simplicity is hard to design and even harder to translate to doll size.

All doll photos courtesy of Mattel.

Alta Moda Karolin Stone by Salvador Lopez Arriaga

During last year's Supermodel Integrity Toys convention in Chicago, the Official Integrity Toys Advanced Design competition took place and the winner was the very talented Salvador Lopez Arriaga with "Alta Moda" Karolin Stone™. Now, that creation is becoming available to everyone for purchase through the W Club (for members) and IT Direct (general public). The original design has undergone adjustments to make it fit for production while preserving its original spirit. W Club Members get a special pricing of $135.00 US versus the general public, who will be able to purchase this doll for $145.00 US. Furthermore, Club members can preorder earlier and as many dolls as they want. The link will be available soon. Deadline is 19th of September.

Update: link to preorder for the public:  http://www.integritytoys.com/shop20/alta-moda-public-pre-order-link.html

Item #82089

Alta Moda

Karolin Stone™ Dressed Doll

The NU. FACE™ Collection

2016 Design Competition Winner

Edition Size: TBD

Estimated Delivery: Spring 2018

W Club Only Retail Price: $135.00 US + Shipping and Handling

General Public Retail Price: $145.00 US + Shipping and Handling

Doll Tech Specs:

Head Sculpt: Karolin Stone™

Body: NF 3.0

Foot Sculpt: High-heeled

Skin Tone: Japan

Hair Color: Platinum Champagne Mix

Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied

Quickswitch: No 

Karolin Stone is a 12.5-inch fully articulated fashion doll with rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes. Karolin wears a creation by design Salvador Lopez Arriaga, the winner of the 2016 Integrity Toys Design challenge. The ensemble is composed of a two-piece suit that features a structured waist length jacket, cut in an oversized houndstooth pattern and black trousers. The look is completed with an oversized bow-shaped headdress, custom-made houndstooth jewelry, spiked heels and a contrasting red purse. For adult collectors ages 15 and up only. This doll cannot stand alone; a doll stand is included.

It hink the original looks better (see below), especially regarding the cut of the jacket at the top of the sleeves and the shape of its front. I also think she needs red strong lips with this black and white style - remember Opium Ayumi? Other than that she looks great and if I was in a better financial state I'd grab her. Maybe later. I love her jewellery set, it is always great to see new designs used. Salvador should be proud. Congratulations to him!

Alain Tremblay from Integrity Toys did an interview with Salvador, in which we learned that the inspiration for this design was Salvador's mother in the 80s but updated for now. He wanted versatility with mix and match pieces. Although one would not guess from this outfit, his favourite era in fashion is the 70s with their luxurious hair and glamorous fashions. He says Olivia Newton-John rocked the era's look and that made me like him that much more. His favourite IT characters are Nu Face models like Karoline but he's beginning to shift to Fashion Royalty ladies now.

Note: Please note that the doll, clothes and accessories pictured in the photos are prototypes and as always, final production 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. NU. Face and all other character marks followed by ™ or ® are trademarks of Integrity Toys, Inc. Chesapeake City MD USA 21915. All rights reserved. The W Club is a trademark of Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC. All rights reserved.

Doll Photography by Jayme Thornton

Layouts, Graphics and 3D renderings by Alain Tremblay, Marketing.

Metamorphosis - the second W Club doll from Integrity Toys

Yesterday the W Club members received news of the second (of five) Club doll of the year. Everyone was happy to discover that it was another addition to the extremely popular Heirloom Nu Face collection, designed by the talented Jesse Ayala. Metamorphosis Erin Salston is a gorgeous doll with two outfits. The first, a flowery print flowing gown, reminds me a lot of Giambattista Valli's couture dresses, with the asymmetrical skirt, the butterfly crown (that's the heirloom) and the flower print. The second one is a more minimal and streamlined look by Alexander Vauthier's Spring/Summer 2017 collection that juxtaposes casual (jean shorts) with glamour (long asymmetrical dress). I think that Jessie combined elements from two Vauthier tops in this one. Photos from possible inspirations accompany the respective outfits. Remember, preorder for W Club members ends on September 8th!

Item # 82088

Metamorphosis

Erin Salston™ Dressed Doll Gift Set

The Heirloom Collection

2017 W Club Exclusive

Edition Size:TBA

Estimated Arrival: Early Spring 2018

Pricing: (Limit of one per W Club membership) $175.00 US +S & H

The gift set is gorgeous. I like Erin's sculpt and I do not yet own a brunette one so she will be the one. The face screening and ski tone match perfectly and the braid is stylish yet versatile. The outfits are both gorgeous and with their original inspirations coming from very favourite designers, which is a plus in my book. The only thing missing is a bag. For this price, it should have been included.  

Giambattista Valli Couture Autumn/Winter 2017. Photo: Yiannis Vlamos/indigital.tv

Giambattista Valli Couture Autumn/Winter 2016. Photo: Yiannis Vlamos/indigital.tv

Giambattista Valli Couture Autumn/Winter 2015. Photo: Yiannis Vlamos/ indigitalimages.com

Doll Tech Specs:

Head Sculpt:ERIN 2.0

Body:NU. FACE 3.0

Foot Sculpt: HIGH-HEELED

Skin Tone:HUNGARIAN

Hair Color:MIDNIGHT BROWN

Eyelashes:Yes, Hand-applied

Quickswitch:No

Sinuhe Guzman pointed out to me that the upper part of this Giambattista Valli Autumn/Winter 2016 Prêt-à-Porter dress looks like the one Erin is wearing. 

 UPDATE: Stephanie Daniel-Walker from the W Club found another dress that looks a lot like Erin's: it is a Monique Lhuillier dress from her Resort 2018 collection: 

Photo courtesy of Monique Lhuiller

Erin Salston is a 12.5-inch fully articulated fashion doll with fully rooted, long braided hair. This gift set includes a layered custom printed chiffon gown and a second outfit composed of a one-sleeved white satin top that features a floor-length train, coupled with  denim micro-shorts. The set also includes a golden butterfly crown, jewelry and two pairs of shoes. For adult collectors ages 15 and up only. This doll cannot stand alone; a doll stand is included. A W Club members-only exclusive. 

Alexander Vauthier Spring/Summer 2017 Couture collection  - photo Marcus Tondo /indigital.tv from Vogue Runway

Alexander Vauthier Spring/Summer 2017 Couture collection  - photo Marcus Tondo/ indigital.tv 

Please note that the doll, clothes and accessories pictured in the photo are prototypes and as always, final production colors and textures may vary slightly. All doll 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.

NU. FACE and all other character marks followed by ™ or ® are trademarks of Integrity Toys, Inc. Chesapeake City MD USA 21915. All rights reserved. The W Club is a trademark of Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC. All rights reserved.

Doll Photography, Layouts, Graphics and 3D renderings by Alain Tremblay, Marketing.