Gene Marshall is being retired - again!

 Gene Marshall, the gorgeous and iconic creation of Mel Odom, has had a long and tumultuous history since her debut in 1995. From her Ashton Drake decade to the short but beautiful Integrity Toys evolution to the resin reincarnation at JAMIEshow dolls, Gene Marshall has always shined as the bright star she is, bringing joy to many fashion doll collectors with her district style and elegance. Unfortunately, in the latest JAMIEshow newsletter, we got the news that next year she will be retired again. Below is the text, announcing the 2018 convention in Palm Springs, which contains the news.

Photograph and styling by Tom Logan from The Glass Of Fashion - JAMIEshow doll. Wig by Ilaria.

JAMIEshow Dolls PALM SPRINGS 2018 Convention  A Fashion Retrospective & Farewell to Gene

Join us in February 2018 for the 5th JAMIEshow Convention in beautiful Palm Springs, California.

Join us for a Fashion Retrospective celebrating the glory days of Palm Springs’ movie society.  Along with a dazzling JAMIEshow line we will be celebrating Gene and Friends in different decades throughout the 20th century.  We will also be saying a farewell for now to Gene, as she retires once again to her home in Italy.  This will be the last production of JAMIEshow Gene Dolls offered and a not to be missed event.   Although JAMIEshow will continue to produce accessories that can be worn on Gene and Friends, including wigs, shoes, outfits and accessories there will be no more regularly scheduled dolls after this event.  A planned museum retrospective in the foreseeable future might happily be the exception to this rule. 

You can visit the website for more information, like the schedule below:

CONVENTION SCHEDULE

• Registration includes, one convention doll, you will choose at registration whether you want the Gene Family or JAMIEshow Family Convention doll, the other will still be availalbe to you to purchase at the event.  It also includes.

• Cocktail Party "At the Cha Cha"  Opening night cocktail party where we will all meet mingle and dance the night away!

• Pool Party, thats right a Pool Party for those who want to take a dip or just sip a drink and mix and mingle.

• Tour of Modernism and Architecture.  This tour will be available for sign up at the event.  Participation not required. Extra fee may apply.

• Sales Room with lots of offerings including new wigs, and new dolls!  All dolls will be available to take home at event and are limtited to small quantities.

• Grand Banquet Dinner "A Farewell to Gene"  as we say goodbye to Gene, Mel Odom who will be our guest throughout the event share his thoughts on and the future of Gene.

• Breakfast in the Garden, a buffet breakfast poolside at one of the fabulous outdoor restaurants.

• As always our special guest Mel Odom will be joinging us for the weekend.

JAMIEshow photo

It will be nine years from her previous retirement, when she is retired for a third time next year. Will it be for good? I hope not. Gene Marshall is a very important part of the fashion doll,history and I would like to have her with us for many more years to come.

Just in time for the holidays, a new Gene Marshall doll: It happened on 5th Avenue

JamieSHOW dolls released a new Gene Marshall doll just in time for the holidays, and she looks magnificent. The doll is one of the most beautiful Gene dolls ever, I love her make up and hairstyle. The outfit reminds me a bit of the Silkstone Boater ensemble, it is stylish, elegant and very chic for a shopping spree down 5th Avenue. Below are photos and the doll description and details from JamieShow. Preorder her here. It will ship in mid-January 2017.

Mel Odom's 

Holiday Gene Marshall Doll

"It happened on 5th Ave"

Ltd. Edition 100

Pre Order Shipping Mid January

Note: Shopping Bags pictured are not included.

And what happened you ask?  Just the earliest breath of Spring New York City ever saw!!!  That’s all!!!  Well actually, only a few lucky people in New York City were there to see this particular breath of spring, Gene Marshall modeling a chic spring suit, standing on Fifth Avenue in freezing December weather.   Of course the photo wouldn’t show up in print for months, but they needed the picture right away. Since Gene was back east visiting her parents she was asked and accepted the assignment.  

First assignment was to find a sunny day for the shoot and then a location that wouldn’t look like winter.  Fifth Ave. in the 40s filled the bill and Gene bravely wore the lightweight suit and smiled for the cameras in between cups of hot coffee, with an assistant holding a fur coat standing off camera.  Her being a consummate actress helped with the chattering teeth and forced smile.  The fake world of a Hollywood movie studio was looking pretty good about then. 

Gene’s navy silk suit is trimmed with white and navy piping at the neckline, notched cuffs and peplum.  Full, white sleeves extend to ¾ length, beneath the bell shaped sleeves of the belted jacket.  Black, pearl-trimmed gloves and black and white spectator pumps are the accessories for the extremities, with a crisp white boater and teardrop pearls at the ears topping off this warm weather look!  Gene’s platinum hair is pulled back into a chignon of soft curls and her makeup is based on the blush of spring’s first kiss.

JAMIEshow introduces Madra Lord and Violet Waters by Mel Odom

It was obvious that the new Gene Marshall doll line from JAMIEshow would feature the well known and popular Madra Lord and Violet Waters characters since the beloved Mel Odom fashion dolls re-appeared on the scene after a small hiatus. Today the company releases the two dolls for preorder.

Madra & Violet will both go on sale tonight Friday April 4Th at 6:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. A clock with the local time in New York has been placed right under our phone number on the top left side of the website so you can tell what time it is here locally. The Edition sizes are 150 for Madra and 50 for Violet. The link to shop for the dolls: CLICK HERE - UPDATE - All sold out on pre-orders

The price of each doll is $525.00. There will be 3 payment options available, you can choose to pay 30% Down (157.50) , 50% Down ($262.50) or Pay in Full at the time of ordering. The dolls are expected to ship in two waves, first wave at the end of April and the rest by mid May. Paid in full orders will ship first. You can contact JAMIEshow Dolls at 800-557-5939. Have in mind though that the lines tonight will be busy. You can also email them here.

Madra Lord makes her comeback premiere to JAMIEshow dolls in a Dior look, an off white silk dress with faux animal print, and a belt. Her heels are also made of animal print fabric with one strap. Her jewellery comprises of emerald green Swarovski crystal earrings, necklace and bracelet.

Her wig cap is a red updo. She also comes with a hard cap for regular wigs, and a doll stand. She is the same skin tone as Gene and Grace from JAMIEshow. All JAMIEshow dolls are hand made and hand painted in their exclusive J-Resin. Madra is lovingly sculpted from the original sculpt by Mel Odom. Madra will not be produced again. This will be her only incarnation.

Violet Waters makes her comeback premiere to JAMIEshow dolls in a satin silk dress with peplum, with an violet in her updo rooted wig cap. She wears violet strappy high heel shoes and soft pearl earrings and necklace. She also comes with hard cap for regular wigs and a dolls stand. She is the Lena/Sabina skin tone from JAMIEshow. Violet is lovingly sculpted from the original sculpt by Mel Odom. Violet will not be produced again. This will be her only incarnation

Photos and information courtesy of Jamieshow Doll USA

My instagram dolls

I have an Instagram account and only post doll portraits from my collection, plus the first photos I shoot when unpacking my newly arrived dolls. Since many blog readers do not have an account there, I thought I would post some of them here for you to see. Playing with filters and effects there is not as complex as Photoshop but it is fun and I love people's reactions to them as many who see them are not collectors. Hope you like them.

Ghost Of Christmas Future by Tonner Doll

Irresistible In India Poppy Parker by Integrity Toys

DAE Dolls Glamour Gal Vivien wearing Portrait by DAE

Reluctant Débutante Poppy Parker by Integrity Toys

Holiday Grand Brenda Starr by Effanbee Dolls and Tonner Doll (no filter used)

Pas De Deux Gene Marshall by Mel Odom and Ashton Drake

Versace Barbie by Mattel

Ready For Wardrobe Joan Crawford by Tonner Doll

Star Of The Red Carpet Daphne Dimples by Effanbee Dolls and Tonner Doll

Take The Picture Jo Stockton by Integrity Toys (here still in her box)

Think Pink by Integrity Toys

Manhattan Grand Sydney Chase by Tonner Doll

Grace Kelly by Franklin Mint

Poppy Parker "The Happening" by integrity Toys

Mel Odom unveils a new Gene Marshall doll at IDEX 2013 - Phoenix

Mel Odom is a living legend in the fashion doll world. His Gene Marshall doll actually established the niche, when it first came out back in 1995. It was Aston Drake that manufactured the dolls then, and quickly Gene was a collector's favourite. Years later, in 2005, Gene and Mel moved on to Integrity Toys. Gene was improved in many ways and the flame kept on for a while until, again, the life cycle of the doll came to an end in 2010.

Now Gene is back, in her third incarnation, a Phoenix (the doll's name) rising from the ashes. Mel collaborates with JAMIEshow to bring us a mew Gene, as a resin BJD (ball-jointed-doll) in a very limited edition. So limited in fact that the doll is sold out. There was 100 dolls ready for sale at IDEX, where she was presented in a special event by Mel himself. another 50 dolls were available on-line after the presentation at the JAMIEshow website but no more. These 50 will be ready to ship in early May.

The doll looks a lot like the Gene we know and love, maybe a bit softer.She is a 16" ball-jointed resin doll, with an interchangeable rooted wig cap system (hence the different hairstyles and colours you see in the photos). She is dressed in a powder blue silk gown, wearing gloves and special gloved hands. She comes with an extra pair of regular skin tone hands as well. Her accessories include a blue Swarovski pendant necklace, earrings, and a bracelet; blue matching shoes; an adjustable JAMIEshow stand; and two rooted wig caps in differing styles and colours, one platinum short cut and another brown chignon, as well as a hard wig cap so she can wear standard doll wigs. She is a collaborative effort designed by Mel Odom and JAMIEshow, with the dress designed by Maddie Rose Couture.

The doll looks amazing, a gorgeous Gene to be added to all the rest. It is very expensive but so are most resin dolls at her size and quality and edition. I love the dress, fabric and colour are exquisite. I would like to see the hands up close to see how they look in their gloved version. Welcome back Gene and Mel, we missed you!

Update: You can see the gloved hands in this post by Terri - and also more photos of the doll with various outfits and wigs in that and other posts.