#53 of 2019 - NYFW Karolin Stone (And #54)

Choosing dolls to release from boxes and add to my collection can sometimes be a long process.  I have very limited display space, so I sometimes have to sell or rebox a doll for another to join those dolls currently out.  

Unfortunately, when you collect Integrity Toys dolls, you can't just return a whole boxed doll and have it switched out for another.  The Patient Care program requires that you identify the problem and then send back the specific part or head/torso for replacement.  This takes some of the control out of a collector's hands about which dolls are released from their packaging first.  It's what happened with NYFW Karolin Stone.

At the 2019 IT Convention, the "Fashion Week" theme was most apparent in the NuFace dolls.  The only NuFace doll in the convention collection was London Runway Nadja Rhymes (#35 of 2019).  At the W Club luncheon on Saturday, the centerpiece doll was Paris Runway Giselle Diefendorf.   

(Hate the color of the interior of these boxes - yellow just doesn't look right on most skin tones).  #54 of 2019.

It seems the NuFace dolls were unsettling to many collectors.  Some collectors loved them, and some collectors disliked them just as much.  The same is true for the W Club Luncheon gift doll that was included with the luncheon fee, NYFW (New York Fashion Week) Karolin Stone.

When I got upstairs and opened my doll, I found that she had not made a safe trip to Baltimore.  She had come untied from her box and had been tossed around.  Her head was twisted around like Linda Blair.  Her eyelash was not secure and she was missing some of the paint from her eyeliner. 

I took her back downstairs, hoping to exchange her, but the IT team had already boxed up everything.  I went to the salesroom and they tried to help me; unfortunately, they were unable to find a doll to switch out, so I was told I would have to contact Patient Care.

When I got home, I had to remove the doll from the box, undress her, and disconnect her from her torso at the breastplate.  She was mailed to Canada.  I just got the replacement this week.

Here is a full length photo of the replaced doll in her entire ensemble.  (Love those shoes!)

And a close up.

I added a hair ribbon to better show that gorgeous face because it is quite dramatic and beautiful.  Fortunately, my replacement had a higher forehead than the original.  This doll's best feature is her eyes.  They are amazing!  Again, the factory workers globbed on too much glue on the eyelashes, but I found a quick fix.  I just took a small paint brush, some black paint and painted over the glue!  It made a significant improvement in photos.

So how will she redress?  How about how does she undress??

#53 of 2019 is NYFW Karolin Stone, a truly amazing doll to photograph!  I think she looks almost like a OOAK re-paint.  She'll be staying here for a long time.  I see a lot of playtime in my future with this doll!  I wonder when her value will increase as collectors realize her potential and she stops being overshadowed by other dolls from the convention...

2021 Ctrl-Alt-Delete Reboot

The last of my convention dolls finally arrived (one of them was mailed on December 7 and just arrived on Wednesday, January 6).   It is fair to say that the IT Legendary Convention hit me hard in my countdown and in my budget.  

I felt like I was doing alright with my rules.  42 dolls left my collection in 2020.  Some of my decisions were difficult but necessary.  I'm not sure how, but 59 dolls made their way into my house this year.

I think I will blame the pandemic!  "Sheltering In Place" was difficult.  Not being able to leave your house caused us to spend more time on the internet.  

Some older collections presented great pricing opportunities.  I was able to add three dolls from the Luxe Life Convention at below original retail cost:

#1 of 2020 Prosperous Complexity Kyori Sato:

#55 of 2020 Subtle Affluence Eugenia Frost:

#56 of 2020 Gilded Oligarch Tatyana Alexandrova (originally purchased as a body donor, but wears Sea Devil's ensemble so well):

Integrity Toys has had a substantial influx of younger collectors over the past couple of years.  Since these collectors were attracted by newer collections, many of them have no experience with the older body types, so they aren't invested in wardrobes to fit those dolls.  (Collectors who have been around longer have different body versions in their collections and are able to upgrade bodies as necessary.)  The prices of older dolls have come down.  I was able to add the following dolls at little cost:

#10 Perfect Skin Adele Makeda:

#15 Heat Seeker Natalia Fatale:

#47 Sweet Smell of Success Veronique Perrin:

#55 Heart Stopper Natalia Fatale:

But I didn't stop there.  Since I was at home on the internet so much, good pricing opportunities popped up on dolls that have been on my radar for several years.  Like:

#6 Heiress Erin Salston:

#14 Elyse Jolie Bergdorf Goodman Daywear:

#16 Chameleon Vanessa Perrin:

#17 Sunny Slickers Poppy Parker

#18 Smoke and Mirrors Lilith Blair

#52 Get Graphic Misaki

#53 Snowstopper Poppy Parker

#54 Origami Girl Misaki

I sort of dropped out of blogging existence from July 4 until the Legendary Convention in November.  I got a new puppy which required a lot of my time.   My mother-in-law lives with us and had some serious medical issues and complications (she is on the mend and doing well).  The Covid19 crisis continued to interrupt my normal life as my husband is part of the essential work force and was working 7 days per week for most of this time period.  Teaching in a digital environment required me to take some hefty staff development courses over the summer.  Things only started settling down a little in November.  (Unfortunately, all of these things caused an abrupt halt to listing and selling dolls from my collection.  The last doll that left here happened in early June.  I need to get my organizing back on track!)

I made up for lost time with the Legendary Convention collection.  It's hard to believe but I actually added 15 dolls from that convention to my collection!

Being a Fashion Royalty collector since 2005, I honestly felt nostalgic over the Style Lab dolls this year.   Fortunately, many newer collectors were quite disappointed in the Style Lab's return to original molds to celebrate their characters' 25th Year Anniversary, so I actually got some of them for retail price!  I couldn't resist that, right?!

#38 of 2020 Radiant Soul Kyori Sato (mold 1.0):

Most of the Style Lab dolls looked like younger versions of the original characters to me.  Radiant Soul is wearing the blouse and jacket from NYFW Karolin Stone (2019) and the shorts, boots, and hose from Sensuous Affair Giselle Diefendorf (2014).

#39 of 2020 Violet Obsidian Vanessa Perrin (mold 1.0) One of my favorite dolls from the convention.

She is wearing the 2016 Pure Love Ensemble from the Supermodel Convention with Walking On Clouds Adele Makeda's boots.

#40 of 2020 Flawless Beauty Adele Makeda (mold 1.0):

I corrected her irises myself!  She is wearing the 2014 Gloss Convention Style Lab Ensemble Night Fever.

A few of the Style Lab girls haven't made it to the redress shelf yet.  

#41 of 2020 Cover Story Veronique Perrin (mold 1.0):

#42 of 2020 Acquired Traits Natalia Fatale (mold 1.0):

#43 of 2020 Exotic Interlude Anja Christensen:

#44 of 2020 Red Reign Korinne Dimas:

Personally, I didn't care for Social Standing Mme Margaret Jolie; however, I did acquire the ensemble "Social Behavior".  Although I was able to get the "...And Scene" ensemble at a great price, Body of Work Isha Kalpana Naryanan became a hit and her secondary market price keeps her out of range to add to my collection.

When I looked at the additions, I was surprised to find that 25% of the new dolls were Poppy Parker and 25% were NuFace.   Only about 1/3 of the new dolls were Fashion Royalty with the remaining coming from various other lines (East 59th Street, Misaki, or Meteor).

As I hit the reset button for 2021, I realize I am behind in sales and  need to find homes for 17 dolls to bring my collection back into balance.   Unfortunately, three other dolls are in the mail: Mothership Dania Zarr, Charmed Child Ayumi Nakamura, and Undercover Angel Poppy Parker.  Being so out of balance, I chose to not participate in the W Club lotteries for The Originals Adele Makeda or Veronique Perrin.  I also didn't pursue purchase of the Poppy Parkers, Enlightened in India or Outback Walkabout.  ... At least I'm trying, right?

Best of 2019 - #9

It would be an understatement to say, "I love what Jessy Ayala does with the NuFace line."  My NuFace collection has increased substantially since he joined the design team at Integrity Toys.   Although production problems in China affected production of lines this year, somehow Jessy still found a way to get some incredible versions of NuFace molds into the hands of collectors.  It doesn't hurt that he used characters/molds that haven't gotten a lot of attention over the past few years.

The next doll in my countdown was already highlighted in blog:  #53 of 2019.  I was so pleased that she was the W Club Luncheon doll.   Many collectors have avoided her because of her original ensemble, but her redress potential is unparalleled!

In my opinion, she was an obvious choice for my countdown; her screening is truly gorgeous!   #9 of 2019 is NYFW Karolin Stone!

History of Color Variations & Re-imaginings

If you were to count color variations, it could be noted that Integrity Toys (IT) has a very long history with re-imaginings.

The very first Fashion Royalty separate ensemble, Toast of Paris, was produced in tones of charcoal with lavender embroidery.  It was recreated in soft tones of gray for "Miss Carroll's Study Group" in an edition size of 100.  The following year the separate ensemble was Soir de Paris, produced in rich wine colors, and Purple Factor Adele Makeda showed up wearing a pale lavender version.

The year after that we got both La Petite Robe Blanche and La Petite Robe Noire.  

There have been many of these. 2005 gave us Flirtatious Veronique Perrin and Bodacious Adele Makeda  in different colourways of the same ensemble.   

2006's Lights, Camera, Royal Veronique lavender gown was produced for the IT convention as Lights, Camera, Royal Blonde ("photo courtesy of Amanda" according to the Fashions Royalty Reference Pages) in black.

2007's High Drama Eugenia Frost's Deep Blue version of Talking Drama Adele Makeda's taupe gown.  

2008 brought us Shirred Not Shaken Vanessa Perrin's black version of the blue gown worn by Most Desired Eugenia Frost, 

as well as Fine Jewel Eugenia's red version of Vanessa Perrin's olive Color Therapy.  

2009 gave us another double whammy of Optic Clash Dania Zarr's black and pink version of Optic Verve Agnes Von Weiss's yellow and gray gown, 

while Silver Zinger Agnes Von Weiss said "turn about is fair play" with Dania Zarr's Red Zinger.

Of course we saw this cross over quickly to the FR2 line with 2011's Evermore Vanessa and Forever Veronique.

IT Basic Editions brought back color variations in  2013 and 2014.  We got Light Strike Natalia Fatale in White, Red Strike Janay, and Night Strike Monogram in Blue.

Then there was Flawless Impact Dania Zarr and Immaculate Finley Prince (only difference is the color of the belt).

The 2015 Integrity Convention brought us High Frequency Kumi (in teal) and Heart Stopper Natalia Fatale in Hot Pink versions of the same gown.

And Santa's Secret Grab boxes of 2015 gave us Wondrous Tatyana Alexandrova (pale lavender), Mirage Ayumi Nakamura (white), and Cloudscape Dominique Makeda (pale blue).  

In 2015 we got an ITBE Ignite Janay with a red version of 2011's Flawless Elyse dress!

But if you consider "re-imaginings" as taking one doll and changing the doll/design to reflect a different take on things, well, that started in 2009 at the IT Convention Iconic.    We got Luxe Life Vanessa Perrin offering an amazing spin on sister Veronique's Lush Life from 2003.

Eugenia Frost's Diamond Society based on 2003's Veronique Perrin Silver Society.

And Poesie Enchantee Agnes Von Weiss taking on the mega Poesie Sans Couleur Vanessa Perrin.

In 2010, things started getting combined.  Flame Bleue Vanessa Perrin took on A Fashionable Life Vanessa from 2005 for hairstyle and face but wore a blue version of 2003's Veronique Perrin Flame Rouge.

Then ... I think there was a temporary shift from re-imaginings because Jason Wu's human lines took off and he started giving us miniaturized versions of some of his favorite designs.  

The idea was resurrected in 2017 with the Design Competition which required the entries be based on a previously issued FR design.  The winner that year was Vasilen Milkov's Passion Week Elyse Jolie based on 2004's Red Blooded Woman worn by Kyori Sato.

And we can't forget the 2018 IT Convention Optic Illusion Giselle Diefendorf taking on the the mighty Optic Verve Agnes Von Weiss.  (The ensemble I'm not so crazy about, but the Giselle is amazing.)

Of course, poor Bergdorf Goodman Poppy Parker from 2010 has been re-issused almost as many times as the original edition size.  2018's Split Decision Poppy Parker solidified the strongest resemblance.

Since that time we've had some direct copies of facial screenings.  Designer Jessy Ayala likes doing this often ... a little too often for my personal taste. In 2019, we even had almost exact replicas of specific "Grail" dolls.

There is the 2019 IT Convention NYFW offering of Spring Romance Adele Makeda which was incredibly close to The Muse from 2008.

And the upgrade W Club doll this year was Le Tuxedo Eugenia Frost ... Going Public's twin.

I guess it was only logical that IT would base all the dolls from it's 25th Anniversary Convention called "Legendary" on previous versions.  Some were obvious choices.  Some were easily recognizable.  Some still have me scratching my head.  There were even a few, I wouldn't consider "legendary".