Herd Culling 2026 - Single Ladies of Fashion Royalty

[EDIT:  Dusk In Bloom Luchia Zadra 2.0 was moved to the second shelf to be with other iterations of this character/mold.]

Thinning one's collection is never a minor undertaking - it takes a lot of effort, thoughtful reasoning, and courage.   Since I started collecting Jamieshow/Owensu Muses, my doll collection has truly expanded beyond storage and display capabilities.  I've tried to sell dolls every year to accommodate incoming girls, but I seem to always fall short of my one-to-one ratio goal.  When I take out a doll to consider listing her for sale, I remember where and when she was purchased.  Sometimes when there is a specific memory attached to a doll, it makes it even more difficult to part with it.

I started collecting Integrity Toys (IT) dolls in 2004.   At that time there was only one IT category, Fashion Royalty. Since the W Club didn't come into existence until 2006, the only way to get Fashion Royalty dolls was through dealers, attending a convention, or purchasing on secondary market.  Fashion Royalty was a huge success as Barbie was losing its collecting base due to over production of "limited edition" dolls and there was a movement away from the fashion model body type and mature faceups.  If you didn't have a firm financial commitment with a specific IT dealer, it was almost impossible to get Fashion Royalty dolls as secondary market prices were actually quite steep and there were more collectors than dolls.

Even with all the sales I've made over the past several years, I am still looking at a collection of 175 Fashion Royalty dolls.  That's just Fashion Royalty!   Many of them are still NRFB!  I have this lofty goal of trying to have at least one representative of each Fashion Royalty mold.   At first that doesn't sound like a lot, but there have been almost 40 molds/characters in the Fashion Royalty universe alone!  

The easiest place to begin was shelving "all the single ladies".   Here they are:

First up is 2020 Iselin LE 500 - Jason Wu Fall 2018 Collection

Next we have 2022 Alyssa (mold 1.5) LE 450 - Jason Wu Spring 2020 Collection Bridal Ensemble

And the final "single" version Fashion Royalty is from 2025 - Janay (2.5) Mother of Pearl.  Although Janay has shown up four other times as a character in The Industry, this is the only time there has been a Fashion Royalty version.

So I started with only three girls on the first display shelf.   Since I was doing "single ladies", I decided to add characters/molds for which I only had one version in my collection.  Even though other versions have been produced, only one has been able to establish a permanent place in my collection.  I am going to list them in the order in which their character was introduced to collectors.

Number 4 on the shelf will be Adele Makeda mold 1.0 introduced in 2001/2002.  There were eight versions of this mold produced before it was revised in 2004.  Mold 2.0 has been so extremely popular that we have only seen two other versions of Adele Makeda 1.0 produced in the past 20+ years; both of those were were in archival releases.  I have always struggled with warming up to Adele Makeda 1.0, until the last release, 2020 Flawless Beauty LE 400 from the Legendary Convention Style Lab Collection.  She reminds me so much of supermodel Naomi Campbell.  (She is wearing the Perfectly Decadent fashion from the same convention.)

Number 5 is another doll from the core group.  Natalia Fatale was released in 2004 as the arch rival of Veronique Perrin.  There have been eight version of mold 1.0 produced, but none have come close to the premier version, 2004 Natalia Fatale (1.0) Cosmetic Takeover LE 300 from the very first IT convention.

Natalia Fatale seems to have the opposite journey of Adele Makeda.  As Adele Makeda 1.0 was replaced with an open mouth mold, collectors didn't like the open mouth of Natalia Fatale 1.0.  This led to Natalia Fatale 1.5 where designers tried to take the Natalia Fatale 1.0 mold and simply close the mouth. Mold 1.5 was introduced in 2006 and there were only four versions produced.  Number 6 is 2011 Natalia Fatale 1.5 Go West LE 300.  This doll reminds me so much of Lana Parilla who played the character Regina Mills (aka The Wicked Witch) in the television series Once Upon A time.  

The third version of Natalia Fatale (mold 2.0) has been very popular with collectors, so the previous versions seem to have faded into oblivion.  (In 2020 we did get an archival version of 1.0 as Acquired Traits though.)   Even though Adele Makeda version 2.0 is the collector favored version on the character, designers decided to try their hand at another closed mouth version in 2011.  There have been ten versions of mold 3.0 released, but it hasn't been able to develop the fan base of mold 2.0.   Only one has had any staying power in my collection.  Number 7 is  2011 Adele Makeda The Faces Of LE 1180.  (She is wearing a coatdress designed and created by a personal friend, Sal Arriaga)

There are certain IT characters that just can't seem to get a footing in my collection?  One of those is Anja Christensen which was introduced in 2010.  There have been fifteen versions of this girl released but only one has been able to find a spot in my collection.  Number 8 on Shelf 1 is 2011's Anja Christensen The Entrepreneur Equation Carol Roth.  I truly love the faceup on this girl.  She was originally produced with a Nuface body, but I changed her to FR, so she could wear business suits.  The only way to get this doll was to purchase five copies of Carol's book.  Regardless, I think she is quite lovely and deserving of a spot on my shelf. 

IT introduced a new character in 2015 that we haven't seen since the last of four versions in 2017.  Number 9 is 2015 Immaculate Finley Prince LE <250.  This doll was produced with a Monogram body and is wearing the ensemble from 2011 Quiet Storm Annik.

The next doll is a quite a new sculpt that was just introduced last year and made its way to collectors earlier this year.  Since its popular introduction, we have already received another version, but I haven't added it to my collection.  Number 10 is 2025 Anais Perrin Constellation LE 800.  This girl is much more popular with collectors than her sister.

That almost makes my shelf full!   I only have two spots left, so I decided to move ahead with single versions on display.  

The next girl is another doll that was initially part of the FR2 lineup.  She was a new character introduced in 2010 and there have been 12 versions released in the past 16 years.  For some reason I struggle with committing to this mold.  There is only one other version remaining in my collection, but it isn't on display at this time.  (It's actually in my "sell" column).  Number 12 is 2018 Dasha D'Amboise Daydream LE 515.  As much as I struggle with other versions, this Daydream is one my very favorite dolls in my entire collection.  Go figure!

The last space on this display shelf is for a character that was introduced in 2011.   There have been only nine versions of this doll released and only one has made its way to my display shelf.  This doll reminds me of my collector friend Rich who convinced me to purchase her.  He was totally right; she's quite unique and beautiful.  Number 12 is 2012 Shake It Up Korinne Dimas LE 300.

So ... my first display shelf is now full.  It represents dolls for which I only have one version on display (or there has only been one version produced).   That was the easy part.  Now I have to go through the remaining 25+ molds/characters.  Stay tuned!

     

Could Integrity Toys Finally Be Getting Back On Track??

There are certain Integrity Toys (IT) sculpts for which I have a serious weakness.   One of these is the sculpt used for the Blair Twin Sisters, Eden and Lilith.   I have owned 30 of the released versions of this mold!   Some of these have moved on to other collectors when I feel the need to cull my collection, but 18 still remain on my shelves.   That makes it difficult for me to add newer versions because I am so attached to the ones I already have.

When Boheme Eden Blair was promoted by the W Club as one of their exclusive offerings, I actually decided to pass.  This was primarily due to the Boho Chic giftset which isn't one of my favored fashion trends.   I really regretted this decision when collectors started posting production photos.  Boheme Eden was GORGEOUS!   Not only that, she made a great companion to 2021 A Doll's Life Vanessa Perrin and Peace and Harmony Poppy Parker.

The secondary market prices on this giftset quickly skyrocketed.  If you are a member of the W Club, you can get on a "waitlist" for the leftovers.  In the past, once collectors had received their orders and any production issues were addressed, the W Club would contact members on the Waitlist in the order in which they were put on the list.  The member was given a window to purchase one of the leftover dolls.  Since so many collectors are impatient when it comes to their dolls, many individuals waitlisted purchase a doll on secondary market or take over another member's preorder.  This made the waitlist process quite long and arduous.   The W Club came up with a new solution:  instead of "going down the list" - they contact everyone on the waitlist and inform them of the time that the waitlisted dolls go for sale live on their digital storefront!   FEEDING FRENZY!  Fortunately, I was able to get one.

Here is my Boheme Eden Blair still in her box.  The giftset is so beautifully presented that I haven't taken her out yet.  The hair color and makeup palette are perfection.

Collecting Cycle 2026, Number 14 is Boheme Eden Blair. 

Earlier this year, I reviewed the 2026-27 W Club Upgrade Dolls: W Club Upgrade Dolls Review  .  This was the first year in a very long time that I couldn't resist getting all three dolls.   Unfortunately, the trio arrived from the factory at the same time!   Now that the price of these girls have climbed, sales tax is being collected, and shipping prices have escalated, the final cost of each has exceeded $200.  OUCH!

Here is my photo of Soleil Vanessa Perrin (mold 1.0) full length:

And a closeup:

This doll represents everything that originally brought me to IT Fashion Royalty.  Such a great production girl!  So beautiful!   And the ensemble truly is amazing.  Collecting Cycle 2026, Number 15 is Soleil Vanessa Perrin.

To say I have a love/hate relationship with Poppy Parker is an understatement.  I have been with this line since its initial release in 2009.  Being an older collector, I can appreciate the nod to vintage and the feel of the early Barbie girls.   I just counted and I have owned over 150 versions of this girl!   It's even more difficult to believe that over 60 are still living here!!   This has made me overly conservative in adding new versions of Poppy to my collection.   But the upgrade Poppy was truly a no-brainer.

Collecting Cycle 2026 - Number 16 - Off We Go!  Poppy Parker.  I've not released her from her box yet either.

Another sculpt that is a personal favorite is IT NuFace Nadja Rhymes (2.0).  I own EVERY version of this girl!  This sculpt is one of the most versatile, having been released in nine different skin tones!   

The W Club upgrade version came in an incredible ensemble!  

Here is a closeup without the extremely nice khaki jacket on.

Collecting Cycle 2026 - Number 17 is Sakura Season Nadja Rhymes.

If these last releases are an indication of what IT is producing right now, I am very excited to see what the future brings.  I believe, with the release of so many competing brands in 1:6 scale within the last few years, IT has realized it is time to step-it-up and they truly delivered!

Muses The London Season Is Open For Business

[EDIT:  The pre-order window for The London Season is now closed and the link is now broken.  I hope everyone was able to acquire something their heart desired.  I'll post a review of my purchase sometime this winter when it arrives.]

Owensu never fails to impress!  The latest 12" collection, "The London Season", is now available for pre-order.  Here is the promo of the collection ...

There are five dolls offered this time around:

1. The second version of Valentina that was last seen in 2023 (Moment of Joy Valentina has become a grail among Muses collectors.)

2 and 3.  A pair of sisters in different skin tones named Elodie and Eloise

4. The fifth version of collector-favorite male character Gabriel but this time with a ginger beard!

5. The second release of male character Christian but with freckles!

The dolls are resin (a proprietary, patented blend that ages well), are ball-jointed and strung with elastic cording, and are hand painted and blushed.   Each nude doll comes with a stand, dressing hands, and a wig cap.  The males are limited to an edition size of 150 and the females are limited to 250.  The cost is $475 each.

Pre-orders are currently being taken until 10:00 p.m. EST on August 15.   Collectors must pay a 30% deposit with the balance due when the collection is ready to ship.  The price of items includes the tariffs and shipping is free if you spend at least $1500.

The collection includes 15 ensembles (11 for females and 4 for males) priced from $200 - $250, 10 accessory sets (8 female at $110 each and 2 male at $95 each), and various wigs in different colors and various prices.

The ensembles are inspired by designers Vivienne Westwood (4 Looks), Chanel, Christian Dior, Simone Rocha, Kenzo, etc.  They are meticulously detailed and come with incredible accessories.  I'm not going to lie, this is one of my very favorite collections Owen has released.  The ensembles fit Integrity Toys dolls (may be a little snug on the upper torso of Fashion Royalty) and other similar size/shape 12" dolls.

EDIT:  In response to a comment from a follower, here are the "inspired by" photos of the fashions.

Four Looks Inspired by Vivienne Westwood:

Look 5 (Fall/Winter 1995)

Look 8 (The Puppy Corset With Different Skirts/Different Color Palette)

Look 12 (Westwood Personal Wardrobe but worn by Sarah Jessica Parker in "And Just Like That" Season 3)  More an "inspired by"

Look 14 (another Westwood Personal Wardrober worn by Sarah Jessica Parker at a red carpet event for "And Just Like That")

Look 13 Dior Spring 2010

Look 3 Chanel Spring 2018

Look 6 Kenzo Fall Winter 2007

Look 9 Simone Rocha Spring Summer 2017

Look 10 Simone Rocha Balconette Midi Dress (Changed to black)

Look 1 - everyone probably recognizes the Christian Dior newsprint dress worn by Carrie on Sex and the City.

If you've been on the fence with resin ball-jointed dolls or need some new ensembles for your 12" guys and girls, take a look.  You will definitely be impressed.  And you won't be disappointed when you receive your order in a few months!

Jamieshow/Owensu Muses "The London Season" Link

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!