How About A Baker's Dozen?

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.

Let's Make It An Even 10

Since separating from longtime U.S. distributor George Gonzalez (formerly Angelic Dreamz), Jamieshow/Owensu (JS/OS) has a lot to prove to collectors right now.   When it was announced this relationship would be dissolved, fans of Muses (12") and Glam Dolls (16") experienced quite a bit of anxiety.  The parent company and production facilities are in Asia, so there was a lot of worry regarding the current tariff situation affecting shipment costs.

JS/OS made several announcements on social media that they would absorb the tariff charges and include free shipping on all orders over $1800.   In addition, they wouldn't be collecting state sales tax since their home office was outside the U.S.

As the old saying goes, the proof is always in the pudding.  Since I saved quite a bit of money on sales tax and shipping, I was able to add an additional two wigs and another ensemble.

When the package arrived, I was very impressed with how everything was collated into smaller boxes to help protect items during shipping.  This was probably the best shipping I've ever seen on any product.  The devil is always in the details and Jamieshow/Owensu has a reputation for paying extreme attention to those pesky details.

I'm not going to lie, when the Wild At Heart collection was advertised last year, I was less than thrilled.  Although Taylor Sheridan (creator of modern American western series including Yellowstone, 1883, 1923, Landman, Dutton Ranch, Y:Marshalls, and The Madison) is realizing a great deal of success right now worldwide and has reignited the world's interest in The American West, this fashion aesthetic is not a favored of mine.  Fortunately, OwenSu had the foresight to design the collection based on incredible couture fashions from the past decade or so.

Here are the promo photos from JS/OS:

Here are some of the fashion inspirations for the ensembles that I purchased:

Look 15 was from Elie Saab 2025 but Owen gave the ensemble more contrast with richer colors:

Look 14 is spot-on Christian Dior Fall 2007:

Look 13 - Another Dior but designed by Galliano in 2011 - instead of blue, Owen went with cocoa colors (which actually were seen on a different ensemble in this collection)

Look 7 is yet another Dior:

And ensembles I did not purchase:  

Look 8 was almost an exact duplicate of Dolce & Gabanna 2010:

Look 12 is a direct reference to Ralph Lauren:

Look 2 is Chloe 2024:

Look 6 continues the nod to Dior (Spring/Summer 2010 Collection):

This just goes to show how accessories can completely change a designer's concept.  Add cowboy hats and boots and you have Cowboy Couture!   Although the Wild At Heart (WAH) theme didn't speak deeply to me personally, the WAH models totally stole my heart.  There were two new characters and reissues of two other JS/OS models.  Three of them have side glances (which I have been begging for) and one has freckles!  I was so happy I was able to resist many of the looks because my budget was totally ate up with the collection of models!  I had to have all four!  And the couture wigs this time around were amazing!  

Collecting Cycle 2026 Number 7 is Jasmine (Last seen as Garden Party 2024).  This time she has a side glance.  She is wearing Couture Wig 3 in Ash White and Ensemble Look 14,  She is the most dramatic from the group.

Collecting Cycle 2026 Number 8 is Camille.  This is the third version of Camille.  Previous incarnations were 2023 La Vacanza and 2024 Let Them Eat Cake.  This time we have a gorgeous amber-eyed side glance.  Camille is probably my favorite from the collection.  She is wearing Couture Wig 2 in Berry Sangria and Look 13.  (The crop is from a Barbie Silkstone ensemble)

Collecting Cycle 2026 Number 9 is new model Evelyn.   Another fantastic side glance.  She has on Couture Wig 1 in Blonde and Look 7.

Collecting Cycle 2026 Number 10 is new model Larissa.  She is very popular with collectors due to her freckles.  I was running out of WAH ensembles and it has been so hot here in the south, that she is ready for the pool. She is wearing Masterpiece Wig Cap 3 in Bronze and Garden Party Look 14 with a different purse and a hat by Mattel.   She reminds me of a young Celine Deon.

My very favorite ensemble from WAH was Look 10 which I added later.  It definitely has Chanel vibes.  Moments of Joy Valentina volunteered to model it with Couture Wig 2 in Silver Cloud (probably my favorite couture wig ever produced).

For not being a fan of western wear, I wound up with four dolls, five ensembles, and eight couture wigs.  Had I not been selling off older IT dolls, I would've had serious budget concerns!  Owensu continues to dominate the 1:6 doll world with incredibly designed and produced fashions.  And the dolls just keep getting better and better.  Sadly there is less and less room for IT girls around here and those staying are being narrowed down to my favorites of the favorites.  

Hopefully, we will continue to see the same shipping quality and financial considerations from JS/OS.  As the future seems quite uncertain, we can hope for the best.  And the best is what we've come to expect from this group.  Unfortunately, I can't keep bringing them in four at a time!