Battling 12" Doll Companies - November Collecting Capsules

 Last Saturday, November 11, Integrity Toys had its 2023 virtual doll convention.  The designers, Alain, and Carol Roth got together in Las Vegas to present the 7 Deadly Sins collection.

In August, W Club members received a teaser for this collection when it was offered the opportunity to purchase Sweet Temptation Tulabelle True. Here is the promo photo of this doll.  (All photos of 7 Deadly Sins dolls are the property of Integrity Toys- IT)

This doll sold to W Club members for $165 + S&H.   It was a made to order doll, so every W Club member got the opportunity to purchase one for each of their memberships.  She was an easy choice for me.  I really liked the ensemble very much and the doll is quite attractive.  Here is a closeup.

The 7 Deadly Sins virtual convention was shown live through a link to a youtube channel.  If you missed the live event, you could watch the video at your leisure.   The first event was at lunchtime.  During this session, there were four dolls presented.  All dolls were sold through a "right-to-buy" lottery through the W Club.   

Chris Stoekel designed the East 59th Street doll for the convention representing the sin "lust".  The name of the doll was Deepest Desire Della Roux.  

I really like the use of the Victoire Roux sculpt as a half sister named Della.  I own earlier versions of this sculpt and wasn't compelled to enter the lottery.  Edition size 600 with a price of $165 + S&H.   

Next up was Vaughan Sawyer's Monarch male doll representing sloth.  This is Leisure Lounge Paulo.

Edition size was 500 and the price was $175 + S&H.   He is a handsome guy, but I'm not impressed with the ensemble.  This was a pass for me; however, I do find his faceup and hairstyle quite interesting.

David Buttry then presented the ever popular Poppy Parker line contributions.  There were two.  The first represented Envy.

She is called Turning Green Poppy Parker.  The price was $165 + S&H and the edition size was 1000.  This hairstyle has been used a couple times in the past.  It's not a bad looking doll or ensemble.  It just didn't excite me.  I passed.

The second Poppy represented Greed.  She is called All For Me Poppy Parker.  Editions size was also 1000 and the price, again, was $165 + S&H.  

I actually liked this doll quite a bit, especially all the accessories, but I didn't enter the lottery.  She just didn't seem special enough to me.  I am not a fan of bangs on dolls.

In between the lunch presentation and the dinner presentation, W Club members received an e-mail for Bonus accessory packs.  There was a Poppy Parker and Fashion Royalty shoe pack that was limited to an edition size of only 300 and cost $90 + S&H.  (I thought this edition size was ridiculously low since the packs were actually quite great; I anticipated high demand for these).

Here is The Gathering Poppy Parker shoe pack.  I was very tempted to enter for this one.

And the Fashion Royalty/Nuface shoe pack was called Sinful Seven.

The ensembles were limited to 500 pieces each and cost only $75.  These were extremely popular.  

The Poppy Parker Devilish Fashion pack was wonderful in bright red.  

And the Fashion Royal ensemble was called Garden of Excess.

Look at these shoes!  I loved everything about this fashion pack.  

So much fun to mix and match!  Yes, this was my favorite thing from the whole virtual convention.  Yes, I entered the lottery, and I am excited to share that this is coming home to me!!!

The second video brought us the main collecting lines for Integrity Toys.

Jessy Ayala shared with us his representation of Wrath with Erin Salston.  Edition size 1000, price $175 + S&H.  This doll turned out to be the most popular from the 7 Deadly Sins collection.  

Erin Salston is one of my very favorite NuFace sculpts, and  24k, Metamorphosis, and Heiress are three of my very favorite NuFace dolls.  Had this doll been blonde or even natural red hair color, she would have been a "must have" for me.  Unfortunately, I don't care for the fantasy hair color, so I passed.  And again, those bangs!

There were two offerings for Fashion Royalty.  The first, representing Vanity, is a Dark A-Tone, brunette Isabelle Alves called Glorious Vanity.  She cost $180 + S&H with an edition size of 1000.  

I really wanted to love this doll.  Truly I did.  I may wind up chasing her down on secondary market after production photos show up from collectors.  For now, something held me back from entering the lottery.  (EDIT:  After collectors started posting photos of this doll, I totally caved.  However, I had to be very selective to find one with a good hairline.  Quality Control seems to still be having a problem with these exposed hairlines; I've seen some pretty bad examples which is so sad for such a lovely version.)

The final doll of the collection represented gluttony; Delightful Indulgence Dania Zara has an edition size of 1000, cost $180 + S&H.  

The ensemble looks so much better as just a sheath.  

I was tempted.  For some reason this doesn't look as much like a floral pattern as a pattern of aquatic life to me.  For some reason I see fish and turtles when I look at it.  Isn't that crazy?  I already have a Dania that looks similar in my collection, so I passed.  Maybe someone will sell the sheath on secondary market at a reasonable price.  (EDIT:  Again, this doll was a total surprise post production.  I like dolls with elaborate hair.  I like the Dania Zarr mold.  I was able to pick this dolls up as a "takeover" on the W Club for actual cost plus shipping.)

So ... what are my feelings.  I also hate to review a collection without seeing photos post production.  For some reason, a lot can change between promo and production doll presentation.  I have ordered a doll that I really loved from promo photos to only find myself lukewarm when I had her in hand.  I have also skipped purchasing a doll to find myself feverishly seeking it on secondary market.

The 7 Deadly Sins dolls are nice.  They are attractive dolls.  Unfortunately, I feel disappointed though.  This collections reminds me so much of my feelings from the Obsession Virtual Convention.  The designers interpreted and produced dolls that weren't what I expected.  The 7 Deadly Sins is an amazing theme!  I was expecting truly over-the-top designs pushing the envelope.  Like so many collectors that have been with IT for many years, I was anticipating character backstories to be represented in the topics.  Where is Natalia as Envy - I mean her jealousy is the root of the rivalry with the dueling cosmetic companies.   Kyori's feud with the Perrins would have made her the perfect character for wrath.  And why oh why wasn't Agnes there as either vanity, gluttony, or greed.  Another missed opportunity by IT designers and a disappointment for many collectors.

I know a lot of collectors had been saving money for this collection in anticipation of some amazing dolls.  Many collectors have expressed how let down they were.  I've read on social media many comments from collectors that they migrated over to another 12" doll line that had just released its 2023 Fall/Winter collection.  On November 10, Jamieshow/Owensu released their promo for the Muses Legends Collection.    

Of course Muses are quite a bit more expensive than Integrity Toys dolls.  They are made of resin with hand blushed ball-jointed bodies.  The faces are handprinted.  They do not use stencils like IT.  Each face is completely painted by hand so they are almost like OOAK dolls.  They come with simple ensembles, but there are several Fashion Looks available in each collection.   Here is what the Muses were offering.  (And since these dolls are made-to-order, there was no silly lottery to enter for the "right-to-buy" them.  That means there was no anxiety or disappointment involved in your purchase.)

Here are the dolls.  Each retails for $475 + S&H.  Collectors pay a 20% on pre-order and the balance when the collection is ready for shipping.  (It's usually a few months, so collectors  have time to save up.)

First up is a new Muses character, Legends Daphne.

Next is another new Muses character, Legends Thea.

The third female doll is the second release of a very popular sculpt, Legends Eshe.

There was one male doll, Legends Gabriel.

The dolls come bald with a separate wig cap.  The stands are amazing.  They have shoes, an ensemble, jewelry, and dressing hands.

Also included with the collection was sixteen different complete ensembles.  Here are a few of my favorites.

Look 6 for the males (does anyone else see the rockstar Prince here?  (Price $175)

Look 9, $175.  How about Alexander McQueen for Givenchy?

Look 11, $225

Look 12, $225

Look 13, $250

In addition to the ensembles, there are foot wear choices, headpieces, wig caps in various styles and colors, armor.  Just so much to choose from.  This collection can viewed by clicking on the following link:    Jamieshow/Owensu Muses Legends Collection.  The pre-order window is open until midnight, November 20.

Integrity Toys has been noted as stating that they do not consider Muses a competing brand.  They have relied on the devotion of their collectors for almost two decades now.  They are constantly adding new collectors crossing over from Mattel (Barbie).  I remember how I felt when I purchased my first IT dolls.  I was a little nervous about spending more for Fashion Royalty dolls than Barbies.   But the quality made it so worth it.

I got the same feeling when I purchased my first Muses after collecting IT dolls for over 15 years.  I was nervous about the price, but the quality is so worth it.  

I have read posts on social media by several collectors who will be buying their first Muses doll from the Legends collection.  A lot of 12" collectors have already discovered the quality of the ensembles and have started cross collecting.  I don't know if Muses is competition for IT, but I do know that I spent $75 on the 7 Deadly Sins Collection.  My pre-order for Jamieshow/Owensu Legends was approximately $2400.   I know where I am spending my doll budget.  I didn't put in my pre-order until I saw the 7 Deadly Sins offerings.  Had there been a Natalia, Kyori, Agnes, Adele, or Vanessa the numbers may have been different.

Good Doll Friends Can Get You Into Bad Trouble - Numbers 40 and 41 of Collecting Cycle 2023

It's hard to believe I have been collecting dolls for more than half a century!  When I was a little girl, my cousin introduced me to Barbie back in the 1960's.  I still own one of my original dolls from my childhood and she holds a very special place in my collection.

As an adult, I collected "vintage" Barbies and "collectible" Barbies.  Siltstones came alone and changed the game for me.  They were my "gateway drug" to Integrity Toys dolls.  I added Jamieshow/Owensu Muses to my collection in 2021.

I have also owned many 16" dolls.   I owned several Gene dolls, Robert Tonner dolls, and even the 16" Integrity Avant Gard girls.  The only 16" line that has managed to stick around are my dozen or so favorite Ellowyne Wilde versions.  

Since I live in a suburban area outside a big city, I don't have convenient access to a doll collecting group.  Social media is the only available way I have to connect with other collectors, and I have made some wonderful friends that I hope to meet some day when conventions are once again organized.

One of these friends showed me some photos of his personal favorite doll line, Dominion Doll.  The more I saw of his beautiful Dominion Doll collection, the more I wanted one.   These dolls are the brain child of Russian doll designer Petr Tishkov and his business partner Elena Kostina.   Each doll is carefully created by hand at the direction of the collector!  

Dominion Doll started with one mold character in 2017.  It has grown into nine female dolls in the mainline.  These are presented as "blanks" without any makeup.

There is also a "curvy" doll with an original sculpt called "Posh", and a male line was introduced this past spring called "Dominion Kings" with three character sculpts.  All of these are offered in 9 skin tone options.

There are 27 "stock" makeup versions to choose from.  You can also combine different aspects from different photos to get a unique look or send Petr a photograph to use as inspiration, essentially creating a one-of-a-kind doll. 

So, that's nine female character molds, nine skin tone colors, and 27 stock makeup versions.   Are you comprehending the possibilities here? 

Now for the articulation.  What is not to like here?

Dominion Dolls are very similar in size and shape to Jamieshow/Owensu Muses and Integrity Toys Fashion Royalty/Nuface.  They can share the same clothes and shoes!

As anticipated, these dolls are not cheap!  They are resin "ball-jointed" strung dolls.  Everything is offered a la carte.   The blank body and character head costs $510 for the lighter five skin tones.   If you want a doll in one of the four darker skin tones, it is an extra $35.   The makeup choice adds $80.  If you want the body blushed that runs between $30 - $50.  The manicure/pedicure is another $30 - $45.   Then there is a selection of wonderful wigs on the website priced from $60 - $110.   If you've been running a calculation, you can see that the most basic of Dominion Dolls will run you between $700 - $850 with a wig.  But the doll is completely finished by hand and the quality is actually quite exceptional.

I started saving my money from doll sales last year and placed an order this past January.  I decided that I wanted my first doll to use the Aura mold.   I wanted it in the Caramel skin color.  Dear follower, you cannot imagine the hours I spent looking over the makeup options!   I wound up choosing makeup #2 with several changes: 1. Lips from makeup #13 (I wanted more natural lips rather than pink since the skin tone was caramel),  2. Brown eyes (also influenced by the skin tone color), 3. White sclera, and 4. Added small lower lashes.  I e-mail Petr and asked his opinion.  I got thumbs up.   

There was a delay in production of my doll.  Somehow I misunderstood how Petr creates the dolls.  It seems that he has two deadlines each year.  He has a January deadline for dolls produced the first half of the year and a summer deadline for dolls produced the second half.  When I contacted him, he offered to produce a second doll to save on shipping costs and produce both dolls together!  So I placed a second order - this time for a Rei (his Asian mold and one of the best Asian characters on the 12" doll market).   There were several unforeseen problems with getting the body in the skin tone I ordered, so he offered me any blank he had in stock.   One of those was my second choice, Nika in cream skin color.   I found a photo for the makeup.

Here is how the Dominion Dolls were packaged:

It was just like Christmas here!  Here is my Aura wearing the wig I selected for her.  She is wearing a dress from the Jamieshow/Muses enchanted line.  I am truly blown away.  The bodies are quite substantial, even heavier than Muses.   They feel quite sturdy.   

Number 40 of my 2023 Collecting Cycle is Dominion Doll Aura in Caramel Skin Tone.

And here is Nika! I really wanted a doll with freckles!  I had originally planned on her being a redhead, but this blonde wig just totally suits.  

Number 41 of my 2023 Collecting Cycle is Dominion Doll Nika in Cream Skin Tone.

Once I got these dolls in hand I was able to make an educated comparison.   The articulation is just beyond anything I could've imagined.  Dominion Dolls' joints actually "glide" smoothly.   There is no pulling or pushing necessary.  You don't feel like you are forcing a pose.  As far as my personal experience with 12" dolls goes, this is the best body on the market for posing.   

The areas in which Jamieshow and Integrity Toys have an edge would be interchangeability at the wrists and ankles/lower legs.   You can change out Jamieshow Muses' hands and feet.  You can also put on dressing paddles for hands to get the doll's arms through sleeves.   Integrity Toys allows you to change out the lower legs to flat feet and the hands come out of the wrist socket so you can put on sleeves.   The hands and feet on Dominion Dolls, although quite graceful, are permanent.  They are actually riveted into place.  

The wigs sold at Dominion Doll can be worn with Jamieshow Muses, but they fit better with a silicone wig cap.   The Dominion Dolls wigs are expensive but are very well constructed.  They don't look the way cheaper stretch cap wigs look.  I actually prefer the magnetic wig caps of Jamieshow since they just snap in and out and are actually rooted onto the skull cap.

One other very slight difference of note is that the Dominion Dolls have natural earlobes.  They are like a human's earlobes in that they stick out from the head.  This causes a problem with earrings since the posts can't just stick into the head like Muses and IT dolls.   Dominion Doll earrings have to be looped which is a little complicated to achieve.

Overall, Dominion Dolls are quite amazing and actually merit their price point.  I will be purchasing more and have even started planning for my January order!