Easy As 1, 2, 3

It's hard to believe that it has been five weeks since my last blog entry.  I promised myself I would get better at posting, but it's been sort of quiet on the retail doll collecting front.   

First, I would like to thank everyone who participates in this blog.  It truly encourages me to keep doing this.  

With Valentine's Day coming up this week,  Jamieshow/Owensu Legends Thea borrows Integrity Toys 2004's Red Blooded Woman Kyori Sato's gown and fur but combines it with the jewelry and hairpieces from Integrity Toys 2007's Veronique Perrin's Photo Realism. The wig cap is Jamieshow/Owensu Go East Style 2 in black.

In January I received my first doll of 2026.  I had pre-ordered this doll from an online retailer several weeks ago and she just got shipping in January.  

Collecting Cycle 2026 - Number 1 is Integrity Toys Misaki Neo Wave.

The next dolls were just received from Integrity Toys' most recent shipment.

The first was one of the four dolls in the Modern Muse Collection offered to W Club members through a lottery opportunity.  I entered for this doll because we don't see a lot of nice denim offered by IT, so I really wanted this business casual ensemble with all the accessories.  When she arrived, I was so glad I got her because she is gorgeous.  The makeup and hair just work so week with the sculpt.

Collecting Cycle 2026 - Number 2 is Integrity Toys Fashion Royalty Shopping Suite Elyse Jolie.

The next doll was also offered as a W Club lottery and represents a new sculpt/character for Fashion Royalty.  We get another Perrin system with an open mouth smile; this time wearing a version of a Jason Wu original.  Photos do not capture the beauty of this particular doll.  She's extraordinary in hand.

Collecting Cycle 2026 - Number 3 is Integrity Toys Fashion Royalty Constellation Anais Perrin by Jason Wu.

We are off to a slow start this year and I hope we can truly limit the number of girls joining my collection.  The first three are a great start!

Best of 2025 - Number 1

For the third time in the past five years' countdowns, the top spot is going to a line other than Integrity Toys.  Three collections were produced and shipped in 2025.  From those collections I added seven dolls plus another I got in a trade for one of my duplicates.  Here are the links to my reviews of these collections and the dolls I received:

Jamieshow/Owensu Muses Garden Party (Jasmine/Astrid/Keira)

Jamieshow/Owensu Muses Mini-Collection The Swans (Alexis and Grace)

Jamieshow/Owensu Muses Time & Timeless (Thea and Daphne)

I have been collecting Jamieshow/Owensu since their Premier Collection debut in 2020/2021 and have been waiting for the design and quality to level off.  It hasn't.  Somehow designer Owensu keeps finding a way to give collectors better and better designs and the production quality is beyond anything available to collectors.  

It may not seem reasonable to compare mass produced plastic dolls to these hand painted/hand blushed resin ball-jointed little works of art, but they both are produced made-to-order to the general public.  The cost of a nude Muses doll is more than 250% that of an Integrity dressed doll with accessories, but the quality truly is there.   The ensembles cost between $175 and $300, but they are made from the finest fabrics and are designed and sewn with the greatest attention to detail.   (It helps quality control that Owensu oversees the entire production process himself overseas.)  Since the dolls are the same size and can share the same clothing and shoes, they display quite nicely together.   (If anything, I think Integrity Toys should learn from this and offer a high end alternative to their own collections called "IT Atelier".)

In an effort to be as fair as possible, I gave Jamieshow/Owensu one place in my countdown as a doll line, but the only place they belonged was the Number 1 spot.   More and more collectors seem to be willing to move from quantity to quality in their collections and are joining this line, creating a very loyal following.  

Jamieshow/Owensu doesn't do those silly lotteries that always seem stacked against collectors, nor is the secondary market filled with dolls offered by employees/family members of the parent company at jacked up prices.   If a collector wants a Jamieshow/Owensu doll, they just place a pre-order and they get it.  No stress.  No worry.   No aggravation.  The smartest thing Jamieshow does is over-produce their orders so they can offer "leftovers" publicly after all collectors receive their orders.  It gives us the opportunity to see post-production photos on social media and pick up items we may regret overlooking from the pre-order window.  Again, this prevents collectors from having to go to secondary mark-up for items.

Representing Jamieshow/Owensu Muses in my countdown is Garden Party Astrid wearing ensemble pieces and accessories from Time & Timeless Look 4 over Bonjour Paris Sabina's mini-dress.

Best of 2025 - Number 1 is easily Jamieshow/Owensu Muses