Pidgin Doll Spring 2019 collection is unveiled!

The Pidgin dolls are created by the extremely talented and wonderful Joshua David McKenney, an artist, sculptor, doll-maker extraordinaire and fashion illustrator. He just released the Spring 2019 collection of Pidgin Doll and here they are in all their glory. (Availability according to the Pidgin website at time of posting). The dolls are 16, all one of a kind and are ball-jointed 1:4 scale, made in resin. You can find their exact measurements in their website. That’s where you can buy them as well. The ones left available of course!

Pidgin Doll "Hestia" - available 

One-of-a-kind “powder pink” resin. Full set includes:

• Inset brown eyes

• Baby pink synthetic mohair wig

• Gold and pink “Maxi” gown

• Jewelry as shown

• High heeled feet only

• Silver “Power Flower” stiletto shoes

$1,200 USD + shipping.

Pidgin Doll "Elinda" - sold

One-of-a-kind Pidgin Doll cast in “light mocha” resin. Full set includes:

• Inset green eyes

• Silver blond synthetic mohair wig

• Peach tulle “Maxi” gown

• Jewelry as shown

• High heeled feet + flat feet included

• White stiletto shoes

Pidgin Doll "Nyx" - available 

One-of-a-kind Pidgin Doll cast in “Obsidian” resin. Full set includes:

• Inset green eyes

• Black synthetic mohair wig

• Pink and gold “Maxi” gown

• Jewelry as shown

• High heeled feet + Flat feet included

• White stiletto shoes

$1,200 USD + shipping.

Pidgin Doll "Andromeda" - available 

One-of-a-kind Pidgin Doll cast in “milk white” resin. Full set includes:

• Inset heterochromatic eyes (one brown eye + one green eye)

• Silver blond synthetic mohair wig

• Peach tulle “Maxi” gown

• Jewelry as shown

• High heeled feet + flat feet included

• White stiletto shoes

$1,200 USD + shipping.

Pidgin Doll "Blanche" - available 

One-of-a-kind Pidgin Doll cast in “milk white” resin. Full Set includes:

• Inset brown eyes

• Pale lavender synthetic mohair wig

• Pink brocade “Maxi” gown

• Pearlized “snow crown”

• High heeled feet + flat feet included

• White stiletto shoes

$1,100 USD + shipping.

Pidgin Doll "Bernadette" - available 

One-of-a-kind Pidgin Doll cast in “milk white” resin. Full set includes:

• Inset amber eyes

• Double “stacked” red synthetic mohair wig.

• Green brocade “Maxi” gown

• High heeled feet + flat feet included

• White stiletto shoes

$1,100 USD + shipping.

Pidgin Doll "Vivienne" - available 

One-of-a-kind Pidgin Doll cast in “cocoa” resin. Full set includes:

• Inset amber eyes

• Black synthetic mohair wig

• Pink brocade “Maxi” gown

• Jewelry as shown

• High heeled feet + flat feet included

• White stiletto shoes

$1,100 USD + shipping.

Pidgin Doll "Chloe" - sold

One-of-a-kind Pidgin Doll cast in “milk white” resin. Full Set includes:

• Inset blue eyes with brown flecks

• Baby pink synthetic mohair wig

• Pink brocade “Maxi” gown

• Jewelry as shown

• High heeled feet + flat feet included

• White stiletto shoes

Pidgin Doll "Colette" - available 

One-of-a-kind Pidgin Doll cast in “light mocha” resin. Full set includes:

• Inset green eyes

• Blond synthetic mohair wig

• Pink & gold “Bow Mini” dress

• Baby pink faux fur jacket

• White kitten heel shoes

$950USD + shipping (Full Set)

$710 USD + shipping (Doll + Faceup)

Pidgin Doll "Samantha" - sold

One-of-a-kind Pidgin Doll cast in “milk white” resin. Full set includes:

• Inset blue eyes

• Black synthetic mohair wig with micro bangs

• Pink & gold “Bow Mini” dress

• Jewelry as shown

• High heeled feet + flat feet included

• White “Power Flower” stiletto shoes

Pidgin Doll "Marianne" - sold

One-of-a-kind Pidgin Doll cast in “light mocha” resin. Full set includes:

• Inset blue eyes with brown flecks

• Long black synthetic mohair wig

• Pink & gold “Bow Mini” dress

• Black faux fur jacket

• High heeled feet + flat feet included

• White stiletto shoes

Pidgin Doll "Ginger" - available 

One-of-a-kind Pidgin Doll cast in “Cocoa” resin. Full set includes:

• Inset green eyes

• Handmade indigo blue saran wig

• Pink & gold “Bow Mini” dress

• Baby pink faux fur jacket

• Baby pink stockings

• Silver ballet flats

$970USD + shipping (Full Set)

$710 USD + shipping (Doll + Faceup)

Pidgin Doll "Veronique" - sold

One-of-a-kind Pidgin Doll cast in “Light Mocha” resin. Full Set includes:

• Inset blue eyes

• Black synthetic mohair wig

• Holographic “Bubble” dress

• Jewelry as shown (includes pierced ears)

• White ankle socks

• White kitten heel shoes

Pidgin Doll "Amber" - available 

One-of-a-kind Pidgin Doll cast in “Milk White” resin. Full set includes:

• Inset brown eyes

• Black synthetic mohair wig

• Pink and black circle glasses

• Holographic “Bubble” dress

• Baby pink faux fur jacket

• Baby pink stockings

• High heeled feet + flat feet included

• White stiletto shoes

$950USD + shipping (Full Set)

$710 USD + shipping (Doll + Faceup)

Pidgin Doll "Mixi" - sold

One-of-a-kind Pidgin Doll cast in “Light Mocha” resin. Full set includes:

• Inset blue eyes

• Black synthetic mohair wig

• Hot pink heart glasses

• Holographic bubble” dress

• Black faux fur coat

• Black fishnet stockings

• Black kitten heel shoes

Pidgin Doll "Jasmine" - available 

One-of-a-kind Pidgin Doll cast in “Light Mocha” resin. Full Set includes:

• Inset brown eyes

• “Wheat blonde” synthetic mohair wig

• Holographic “Bubble” dress

• Blue stockings

• High heeled feet + flat feet included

• White “Power Flower” stiletto shoes

$950USD + shipping (Full Set)

$710 USD + shipping (Doll + Faceup)

All photography courtesy of Pidgin Doll and Joshua David McKenney 

Phyn And Aero dolls first release

One of the new ways that Robert Tonner will release dolls from now on is the Phyn And Aero brand, in collaboration with Andrew Yang. They just made their first official release available to order, so let's see what are these dolls all about. One of the characters, Annora Monet, is designed by Robert, while another, Kadira, who will be released later in the year, is by Andrew Yang. The dolls are resin and ball-jointed. Their styling falls somewhere between character dolls and fashion dolls. They all come with their own storyline, which you can read in the company website. The whole thing is like a revamp of their Deja Vu line, with much better sculpts and in resin. There are three dolls, three outfits and you can buy separately sets of eyes. The brand also makes an effort to give doll artists the opportunity to collaborate with Robert Tonner, releasing their doll through it.

P17AMBD01 – Annora Monet # 1

Annora comes in a cotton cami with shirred detail and matching bloomer pants.  She wears a pair of floral boots and lace tights. 
Resin ball-jointed doll with 19 points of articulation (double jointed at elbow and knee)
Deep rose saran removable wig
GR-03 Dark brown eyes
White cotton, front shirred cami with a silk floral trim
White cotton bloomers
White lace tights
Floral front lace boots
Item shown is a prototype. Final production item may vary in appearance.
$350.00/LE 100

P17AMBL01 – Resin Blank
$295.00/Open Edition

There is also an Annora resin blank doll, ready for customising.  Paired with a set of Annora’s eyes (purchased separately) Annora can be turned into the doll of your creative dream.  Annora Resin Blank has 19 points of articulation.

P17AMBD02 – Deluxe Basic

Resin ball-jointed doll with 19 points of articulation (double jointed at elbow and knee)
Long black saran removable wig with bangs
B-09 Topaz eyes
Second head with face up has removable wig - red with black undertones, cropped with bangs
CC-10 Chestnut brown eyes
Third set GR-01 Dark blue eyes
Soft yellow satin slip with pleated demi-skirt and silk floral trim
Matching knit striped over-the-knee stockings
Gold silk slides with silk floral trim
Item shown is a prototype. Final production item may vary in appearance.
$550.00/LE 75

P17AMDD01 – Strength of Character

Annora steps out in a romantic/gothic inspired rouched dress of black taffeta with soft suede boots.  A spray of ebony silk roses and a lace bow are around her neck.  
Resin ball-jointed doll with 19 points of articulation (double jointed at elbow and knee)
Bleached white crop removable wig
CB-01 Ice blue eyes
Black rouched dress with knit lace sleeves, ruffle trim and rhinestone pin at belt
Black suede boots (not as shown)
Black lace choker
Fabric rose head band in black
Item shown is a prototype. Final production item may vary in appearance.
$475.00/LE 100

P17AMOF05 - She Persisted/Outfit Only

Modelled on Deluxe Basic
Dotted peach net dress with black lace trim and embroidered, sequined emblem decoration
Black knit lace tights
Black ankle boots
Item shown is a prototype. Final production item may vary in appearance.
$75.00/LE 75

P17AMOF02 – Fantasmagoria/Outfit Only

Modelled on Deluxe Basic
Three Separate Pieces Only, modelled on a dress sold separately (see below)
Printed “tweed” coat with velvet trim and contrast lining
Inverted bag velvet hat with vintage look brooch accent
Black vintage look fur stole
Item shown is a prototype. Final production item may vary in appearance.
$75.00/LE 75

P17AMOF01 – Kaleidoscope/Outfit Only

Modelled on Deluxe Basic
Black fishnet t-shirt
Multi-colored sequined tank
Tiered multi-color metallic print skirt
Black lace knit tights
Black lace up ankle boots
Item shown is a prototype. Final production item may vary in appearance.
$89.00/LE 75

All Annora Monet items are expected to begin shipping in late July, 2017.  You can pay in full at the time of ordering or you can request a layaway plan with a series of three payments.  You can contact Phyn And Aero at 844-361-8429 (domestic), 845-802-5552 (international) or via email at info@phynandaero.com. All photos courtesy of Phyn And Aero.

Emiliacouture - creativity in new heights

Emiliacouture is run by the extraordinary talented Emilia Nieminen. She began with creating fashions for dolls but she kept on trying to create her own doll, one to match her own aesthetic. She has the Inamorata dolls, who have a ball-jointed body (BJD) and are 16" tall, made of polyurethane resin and have 21 points of articulation. They have two sculpts up to now, Miao and Nnaji, who share six different skin tones. She releases limited editions of dolls and fashions every now and then, which all sell out almost immediately. She also does one-of-a-kind commissions. 

Vertebrata fashion by Emiliacouture - copyright 2013 Emilia Nieminen

The Vertebrata fashion is extraordinary and is a dress that Tierry Mygler would kill to have in one of his collections - even though it is somewhere between Mygler and something Alexander McQueen would make. There were two colour variants: Dust in a Limited Edition of 20 and Nude (already sold out) in a limited edition of 10, each at  US $199.

Vertebrata fashion by Emiliacouture - copyright 2013 Emilia Nieminen

Dust is a 2-tone cross weave silk of powder pink and black making the fabric an elegant dusty grey with a mauve hue. The Dust silk is coarse dupioni with a raw feel to it and the trail of the gown is a matching colour soft netting. The Nude is a luxurious silk satin in toned down shade of pale powder beige. The trail of the gown is a matching colour soft netting with golden hue.

Vertebrata fashion by Emiliacouture - copyright 2013 Emilia Nieminen

The colour variation share accessories in beige leatherette: three strap pumps with golden edgy spine heels and a clutch with metal corners. Amazing detail and design.

Vertebrata fashion by Emiliacouture - copyright 2013 Emilia Nieminen

The focal points of the Vertebrata gowns are the metal ornaments on the shoulders and a pale gold spine snaking down the naked back. The detail is incredible and looks extremely well made and thought. The Vertebrata also fits Numina Devon and Ajuma.

Vertebrata fashion by Emiliacouture - copyright 2013 Emilia Nieminen

The Cherub is a new doll from Emiliacouture. She has the Inamorata Nnaji sculpt in Chocolate skin tone and comes with flocked hair and basic lingerie. She wears a strapless under-wire bra in intricate white lace and matching panties. Her shoes are white leatherette between toe sandals featuring the Art Nouveau serpent heels in glossy black.

Cherub doll by Emiliacouture - copyright 2013 Emilia Nieminen

According to her angelic origins Cherub wears a gold leatherette harness with a pair of metal wings. Cherub has brown eyes with with a gentle expression with subtle amusement. Her make up has a black cat's eye eye-liner, warm brown hues on her top lid and smoky hue eye shadow below the eyes, and coffee coloured lips parted to reveal upper teeth. Her applied lashes are medium length and nail polish is coffee black.

Cherub doll by Emiliacouture - copyright 2013 Emilia Nieminen

The flock hair is great with traditional wigs as it gives a good grip to hold the wig firmly in place. However, this means she cannot share Inamorata size hard cap wigs. If you want to wash the flock off email Emilia for a safe tutorial. She also had 2 Cherubs bald.

Cherub doll by Emiliacouture - copyright 2013 Emilia Nieminen

The doll is a limited edition of 20 and costs US $475. She is sold out. And how could she not be? Emilia's dolls and fashions are of exquisite quality and a particular aesthetic that makes certain of their popularity. Just like my favourite fashion of hers, on the Mirrorball OOAK doll below, who received a DOLLS Industry Award of Excellence at IDEX 2013 - well done Emilia!

Mirrorball OOAK doll by Emiliacouture - copyright 2013 Emilia Nieminen

Living a Sybaritic life: Venus part one

Superfrock are two English doll creators, Charles and Desmond, who create what has come to be considered as the crème de la crème of fashion dolls: The Sybarites. A collection of resin 16" dolls released in small quantities that are so eagerly anticipated that almost every edition disappears from their online store minutes after it hits the website. The dolls have unique looks, and up until now, shared almost the same sculpt (the second generation, 2006 onwards dolls, called clone 0104). In the end of 2008, Superfrock released the three IT girls, dolls that were a kind of basic Sybarite, if that term can be applied to these dolls. One of them, Inque, a brand new sculpt, was released as an exclusive to a US doll shop, ANGELIC DREAMZ. Another, Raja, also a brand new sculpt, was an exclusive for Haute Doll magazine. The third one, Venus, was sold directly from Superfrock. I do not know if it was the timing, or the economic crisis, or the basic concept, but her price was almost half of what these dolls usually go for. And of course, I could not resist - it is now or never, I thought. And Venus arrived.


Let's see what the creators say about their dolls:

These 17 inch resin, ball jointed dolls are for the adult collector who wants a true haute-couture, contemporary, fashion doll with an exquisite up to the second wardrobe and plenty of attitude. They are not intended as toys for children.
The name "SYBARITE" means "a person devoted to luxury and pleasure" . The creators of THE SYBARITES are Charles Fegen and Desmond Lingard who began SUPERFROCK LTD. in London about ten years ago. At first the artists created beautiful one of a kind couture for Barbie, Tonner and Gene yet they longed for their own fashion doll to reflect their own aesthetics. Their dream became a reality in 2005 with the release of the first Sybarites.

Indeed. So let us see what's all the hoopla about. The box that Venus arrived in is a black nice one, bigger than your usual vinyl doll box (unless you get a Tonner Scarlet O' Hara dressed doll). That is because: a)Sybarites are 17 inches tall, slightly taller than the vinyl fashion dolls currently on the market, and b) due to the material they are made of, they have to travel into a protective casing, so the box is made to hold them firmly in place and all lined in satin, to minimize damage to the sensitive material. And what is this material? A resin which is strung with elastic. The joints are engineered to rotate (with 15 points of articulation) and this, along with the elastic, gives the doll a wonderful 'live' quality when you hold her. While the dolls will not stand without some help (such as a stand, or careful posing in the right pair of shoes), they can assume many lifelike poses, far more than the average vinyl fashion doll.

So you start getting the doll out of her trappings: wraps, stitches, rubber bands etc. The box included her lingerie (we are talking basic doll after all, so no elaborate gown the way a Sybarite usually is dressed), a box with her high heeled Sybarite logo-ed slippers and her stand and wig (excellent quality fiber and a lovely "dirty" blond colour, also has an elastic band to help keep it in place, at is is removable). Sybarites are all wigged dolls. Some of the Sybarites are designed so that their wigs may be removed. Others have more elaborate hairstyles and those wigs will be firmly glued on.

First impressions: Quality overall. Attention to detail. Even on this basic doll. And the doll? Her figure is gorgeous and very womanly . The dolls are anatomically suggestive (very suggestive, trust me). The hip joints are not meant to be on view and all Sybarites originally came with hose, but not Venus. The truth is those joints look very strange, but you get used to them. I really liked the feel of the resin when I touched it. It feels warm and soft, unlike vinyl. But, like fine porcelain, the resin can be breakable and some ordinary sensible care should be used when handling a Sybarite, such as dressing her on a padded surface and preventing falls.

There are three body types: the handmade early dolls made in England (such as Tattoo, Cosma and the Chalk Whites), marked on the small of the back SDMDR © 2004/5, the original factory body in a lighter resin, made in Asia, marked SYBARITE ©2004/5, and the revised factory made dolls which debuted in 2006 marked THE SYBARITES ©2006/7 . The later dolls are slightly larger in the bust and hip, but the difference is not very great. The body has articulation on the neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, chest (under the breasts), waist (below the belly button), hips (those strange ball joints) knees and ankles. Since mid-2007 all Sybarites have felted joints: i.e. the joints are lined with a material which provides an improved handling quality and helps with posing. Her hands and feet are very nicely sculpted, with beautiful fingers that look very realistic (for a fashion model at least). Her breasts are amazingly sculpted too, looking very natural and feminine, unlike most fashion dolls in the market these days.

The doll's face is a dream: she has an airbrushed make up, in tones of pink, with matte painted eyeshadow over those gorgeous electric blue eyes and attached eyelashes (the eyes are painted). Her lips are a warm glossy pink, with matching hand and toe nails. Her sculpt is amazing and very photogenic, with high cheekbones, a nice clear jawline, a long small nose and beautifully arched brows. Venus has a make up that is not as extreme as Sybarites usually have: that results in a very versatile doll, that can have many incarnations in a variety of styles. And that is the definition of a basic doll, isn't it? Unfortunately, due to the material's nature, Sybarites do not have ear holes for earrings. Some collectors have corrected that with miniature drills but I know that most of the people that own one of these dolls would squirm in the thought of a drill coming anywhere near their resin goddess.

What about her clothing - ahem, lingerie? A basic set of bra and panties, in vibrant pink satin with black ribbon details and yes, lined in white. Exquisitely made and perfectly fitting, with the dainty high heeled slippers being the icing on the cake, they match her face paint. Unfortunately no hosiery is included, which makes posing Venus in her underwear a bit uncomfortable, as the big hip joints show in all their garishness. Her stand is well made but I would prefer the saddle to have a better grip on the doll, for stabilizing her through poses and also give the owner a sense of security - these are not vinyl dolls and will be damaged with a fall.

Her poseability is not easy to manage. Being a heavy doll, she need to either stand on her stand or sit on a chair. The stand thing is a bit tricky: new strung dolls are notoriously difficult to handle, as the strings are not loose enough and can be difficult to pose, especially in more demanding poses. The sitting options always works better, as the weight issue is eliminated, and the doll can take very sultry poses. Her face helps a lot - her overall face paint and style help give to photos an ethereal almost life like quality, so missing from most vinyl dolls. And of course, one has to be careful posing this doll - the nature of the material means always having clean hands (wash wash wash) and taking extra care handling her to avoid any cracks. Of course, after posing Venus in her lingerie, I decided it was time she stepped into some other clothing, to see how versatile she is as a model - and believe me, she's a regular clothes horse. But more about that in the next post.

Information about the dolls and their makers taken from the very helpful Idiot's Guide To The Sybarites by Lauri Guardi.