As longtime collectors, there are always certain dolls that seem to elude us. I was able to recently acquire one of mine.
Reflecting back on the 2015 Integrity Toys (IT) Cinematic Convention ... 2013's Premier Convention collection was still fresh on everyone's mind with its incredible show of Fashion Royalty fan favorites ending the convention with souvenir doll Midnight Star Elyse Jolie and After Tonight Eugenia Frost as the table centerpiece. (I still have both those dolls displayed in their original ensembles. They truly represent IT at it is finest.) Not to mention the previous year's 2014 Gloss Convention's Intimate Reveal Agnes Von Weiss accompanied by table centerpiece Sheer Sensuality Vanessa Perrin, which resulted in a standing ovation of thunderous applause when revealed. The anticipation of the 2015 crowd was palpable! IT had set the bar extremely high for convention souvenir dolls. Collectors were salivating like Pavlov's dog!
When the convention doll was unveiled, the response was not what the designers expected. The majority of the audience just sat there in shocked silence. Were they being punked?
This is the story behind one of the least loved of all Integrity Toys dolls, Making An Entrance Karolin Stone. Secondary market prices on this doll were almost at give-away level! My photo of her:
The reception of this doll was so icy that only five versions of the character have been produced over the past eleven years.
The following year a talented designer, Salvadore Lopez Arriaga, decided to give this mold a second chance by using it in his design competition entry as Alta Moda. Alta Moda won the design competition in 2016 and went into production as an exclusive W Club purchase opportunity. Unfortunately, collectors still remembered how difficult it was to get rid of Making An Entrance and the pre-order edition of Alta Moda was only 430 dolls. When the production doll was released and photos began showing up on social media, I was one of those collectors that deeply regretted not adding this girl to my collection.
The limited edition run, paired with the couture runway faceup, caused this doll's prices to skyrocket and they have remained quite high when one rarely shows up on secondary market. In 2019, I drove to the Live From Fashion Week IT convention and picked up my best doll friend and her friend to ride along with me. Her doll friend was the designer, Sal. We became instant friends. It made the pain of not acquiring Alta Moda even more difficult.
Many collectors know that "If it's meant to be, it will happen" and "Being in the right place at the right time". I was offered the opportunity to add Alta Moda to my collection recently at a very affordable price. Here she is wearing the skirt and top from 2009's Monogram Black Party.
Finally joining my collection, Collecting Cycle 2026 Number 11 is Integrity Toys NuFace Alta Moda Karolin Stone. In my opinion, the best version ever produced of this particular character.
Other important sayings are "Treat others as you would want to be treated" and "What goes around comes around". IT recently released a new and quite exclusive Misaki called Streetwise. 200 of the 500 edition size were offered to W Club members through a right-to-purchase lottery opportunity. My luck with lotteries hasn't been too great lately with IT, so I had to rely on retail to get this girl. When Fabric Friends listed this doll as available, I was trying to use my phone to order her and got everything all tangled and wound up ordering a second Neo Wave instead. I contacted the owner and explained my problem. Unfortunately, the doll was sold out by the time we got everything sorted out. I was told that my refund would be short the processing fees, which I was alright with. Fabric Friends was unable to give a partial refund and chose to absorb the difference as a financial loss to themselves. I sent them enough money through PayPal Friends & Family to cover the fees. They remembered the kindness and, when they acquired more than they had originally been allotted, they notified me that I could purchase one. It pays to be nice to our dealers! Streetwise is selling on secondary market at almost three times her retail price.
Collecting Cycle 2026 Number 12 is Integrity Toys Misaki Streetwise.
I have been trying to cull my collection quite a bit recently. One of the doll lines that I enjoy but don't spend a lot of time photographing is the Integrity Toys Poppy Parker dolls. They are quite irresistible, so I tend to acquire more of them than I have space to display. As much as I try to be selective in my Poppy Parker purchases, I find myself getting seduced by W Club exclusives. I'm so glad that I didn't pass up the opportunity for this girl. The clothing pieces alone make for a lot of fun mix and match playing and redressing!
Collecting Cycle 2026 Number 13 is Integrity Toys Peace and Harmony Poppy Parker.
