The 2nd W Club doll of the year is Graceful Reign - Vanessa Perrin channels Princess Grace

I could think of many ways to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Fashion Royalty with a special doll (Jason Wu making a Veronique Perrin exclusive would have been my first thought) but I would definitely not think what IT designer Jessy Ayala did. Graceful Reign Vanessa Perrin is the 20th Anniversary tribute to the origins of Fashion Royalty with a twist. We saw Vanessa 3.0 in the Nu Fantasy comeback, so the choice of the same character again was a bit unexpected.

Item # 91526

Graceful Reign

Vanessa Perrin® Dressed Doll

Fashion Royalty® 20th Anniversary Tribute Doll

2021 W Club Exclusive Doll

Edition Size: TBD

Expected Ship Date: Spring 2022

Retail Price: $199.00

(Only $30.00 Due Now to Pre-order!)

Head Sculpt: Vanessa 1.0

Body Type: FR 6.0

Foot Sculpt: High-heeled

Skin Tone: FR White

Hair Color: Pearl Blonde

Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied

Quickswitch: No

Included:

12.5-inch articulated doll with rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes;

Intricately embroidered sleeveless gown with "gold" and "silver" detail and ribbon belt;

Gorgeous removable matching floor-length cape;

Choker necklace with "pearl" accent;

Longer "pearl" necklace with "pearl" drop;

Bracelet, earrings, and small ring;

Additional oversized "diamond" ring;

Stunning "pearl" accented crown statement piece;

Matching strappy high-heeled shoes;

Pair of long manicured hands;

Alternate pair of grip hands;

Alternate pair of painted glove hands;

Doll stand;

Certificate of authenticity.

Apart from the “Vanessa again?”, the doll is quite beautiful, her colouring one that always looks great on a Fashion Royalty doll and is very versatile. Jessy had Princess Grace on his mood-board as inspiration, which is what makes the doll not quite what she should have been. The end result is dowdy and conservative. It is how a middle aged woman would dress for a royal occasion, if she was a member of one of Europe’s royal families. Vanessa on the other hand is a fashion icon and much younger, so we would have expected her to send up the royalty part in a modern, more youthful way. I would have looked more on the work of PierPaolo Piccioli in Valentino and Richard Quinn, and also the incomparable Christopher John Rogers. This is so retro and modest, it could be worn by Princess Anne or the Queens of Sweden, Norway or the Netherlands.

Having said that, the fabric is sumptuous and the accessories appropriately royal. The choice of headgear would look better on a Southeast Asian royal than a western one. The blue gloves are not as conservative as white ones would have been (like Princess Grace wore), but then again it is something one would expect of Queen Elizabeth, not a young fashion prodigy. Just imagine the whole outfit done either in jewel tones or a bright contrasting print and it would have been so much better and desirable. Will I get her? I still have not made up my mind. Have you?

Offer Type:

W Club Exclusive pre-order;

Pre-order Deadline:

October 1st, 2021 at 12 PM/Noon Eastern Time;

Pricing (FOR W CLUB MEMBERS ONLY):

$199.00 USD + S&H

($30.00 NRD deposit due now, $169.00 + S & H due in approx. Spring 2022);

Approximate Shipping Timing:

Spring 2022;

Availability:

2021 W Club members only;

Pre-order Limit:

Up to one (1) doll per each 2021 membership only.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Prototypes shown, final product may vary. This collectible is meant for adult collectors ages 15 and up only.

All photos and information contained herein is copyrighted Integrity Toys, Inc. and Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC 2021 and may not be reprinted or disseminated without express written permission. FASHION ROYALTY and all other character marks followed by ™ or ® are trademarks of Integrity Toys, Inc. Chesapeake City MD USA 21915. All rights reserved. The W Club is a trademark of Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC. All rights reserved.

Doll Photography by Jayme Thornton ; Layouts and graphics by Alain Tremblay, Marketing

Smoke and Shadow Vanessa Perrin is the first doll of the Nu Fantasy Coven Couture collection

Nu Fantasy, the Integrity Toys line that translated dolls from all their other lines into fantasy inspired dolls just made a comeback. A new collection (one doll from it to be precise) was unveiled in a W Club event presentation, for the Coven Couture NU. Fantasy collection, designed by IT designer Mark Tinkey. There will be four dolls in total to be released, with the next one presented in the next months. The event alsio informed us that the first W Club doll is just around the corner. IT has secured a licensing deal for a new line of dolls that got Alain and Carol very excited, but they did not divulge any details about that. They also talked about the delays of doll production that are doggin Integrity again this year (as well as otner companies all over the world) and the effect they are having on pricing (which manifested in the price of this doll). Seeing the priced steadily rising this year in everything from groceries to clothes to services, and the delays in materials moving around the world, it’s not hard to imagine how it can affect a company like Integrity Toys that is small in size and does not own big factories and raw material production sites like other larger corporations do (hello Mattel). So you have to accept that this year and for at least the first half of the next one, everything will be late and expensive. One more worrying thing is that they cannot travel to China to supervise production like in previous years. Fingers crossed the situation improves soon.

Let’s get back to the doll. Here's an introduction about the Coven Couture Collection's inspiration directly from Mark Tinkey:

"I was inspired by myths, fairy tales, and some of my favorite couture designers to create the dolls and fashions for the Coven Couture collection. It is a series of four dolls each meant to stand out on their own or fill out a shelf in your collection with drama and color. The images conjured when I think of dark castles, magic spells, and fabulous witchy women helped to define the look and mood of these dolls. They are decadent and darkly romantic and I hope you love them as much as I do!"

Item # 75029

Smoke and Shadow

Vanessa Perrin™ Dressed Doll

NU. Fantasy™: The Coven Couture Collection

Edition Size: 1500

Expected Ship Date: Late Fall / Early Winter 2021

Price: $199.00 + Shipping & Handling

*W Club Right-to-buy Lottery Offer*

Head Sculpt: Vanessa 3.0

Body Type: FR 6.0

Foot Sculpt: High-heeled

Skin Tone: Cream

Hair Color: Ash Blonde

Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied

Quickswitch: No

Included:

12.5-inch articulated doll with rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes;

Black tulle and satin gown with extravagant embroidery designed by Mark Tinkey, rhinestone detail, and multi-layered skirt;

Removable tulle sleeves:

Ornate metal headpiece with separate tulle veil;

Dangle earrings with rhinestone drop;

Stud earrings for a simpler look, if desired;

3 finger rings, 2 with "stone" detail and 1 geometric "gold";

Black open lace-up platform boots with zipper in back;

Small black satin clutch with attached bracelet and skull charm with rhinestone eyes;

Pair of long manicured hands;

Extra pair of "hand on hip" hands (also perfect for spell-casting!);

Doll stand;

Certificate of authenticity.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Prototypes shown, final product may vary. Acrylic blocks in the accessory pictures are display props only and are not included with the doll. This collectible is meant for adult collectors ages 15 and up only.

Offer Type:

Members-only right-to-buy lottery;

Right-to-buy Lottery Participation Deadline:

August 2nd, 2021 at 12 PM (Noon) Eastern Time;

Pricing (Only If You Are Selected in the Right-to-buy Lottery):

$199.00 + S&H (payable in two installments of $99.50 each);

Approximate Shipping Timing:

Late Fall / Early Winter 2021;

W Club Right-to-buy Lottery Participation Limit:

Max. one (1) lottery ticket per each 2021 membership only.

Having a new doll presentation from IT is exciting, even if it is only one doll and not a whole collection, which is the thing usually featured in a live event. Mark was there to present the doll as well and I got the impression that they did this to placate collectors, who are still waiting for preorders to ship. My guess is that instead of waiting to have all four prototypes to present the collection, they decided to showcase this one in order to generate excitement sooner and fill the gap that delays have caused to new dolls arriving. The doll is a beautiful version of Vanessa 3.0, with sexy, vampy make up and lovely hair, which will be gorgeous in other Fashion Royalty clothes as well.

Alexander McQueen Pre-Fall 2012 Collection - photo courtesy of Alexander McQueen

Even though I love having miniature versions of real life designer fashions, especially from my favourite designers, like Alexander McQueen’s Sarah Burton, it irks me when it is not mentioned at all in the emalis or the presentations. This one is not even inspired by the actual dress, it is an identical copy, with only the embroidered motifs being different. That is not designing a doll, it is simply styling. It is not the first time Integrity is doing this and it will not be the last - and I will pin-point it every single time. If Integrity are afraid of legal issues, then they should stop doing it and get their talented designers to make some original fashions. That being said, the accessories are magnificent, especially the headpiece, the earrings and the bag combined with a bracelet.

W Club members only can enter the lottery. While lottery tickets are free, if your entry is picked, you will be expected to pay the first instalment ($99.00) only for each doll that you win by August 20th, 2021, and then the balance and the shipping fees will be due approximately in late Fall / early Winter 2021 once the item is in stock. Let me know in the comments what you thing about the doll and if you are entering the lottery.

All doll photos and information contained herein is copyrighted Integrity Toys, Inc. and Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC 2021 and may not be reprinted or disseminated without express written permission. FASHION ROYALTY, and NU. FANTASY and all other character marks followed by ™ or ® are trademarks of Integrity Toys, Inc. Chesapeake City MD USA 21915. All rights reserved. The W Club is a trademark of Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC. All rights reserved. Doll Photography by Bill Peck and Shaunessey Smith ; Layouts and graphics by Alain Tremblay, Marketing.

Under the Malibu Sky: the open edition Agnes Von Weiss is revealed!

Fashion Royalty collectors were wondering which of the characters from the line would be the first to get an open edition basic doll version. Veronique, Adele and Vanessa were the names dropped more often but it is Agnes that gets the treatment first. Surprisingly so, as she is supposedly an club/event only doll - i.e. she is offered either as a club doll or during online presentations or conventions. The difference to previous open edition dolls is that Agnes will be first available to W Club members, and once the process of ordering has finished for them, the doll will be available to the public. The information is that one 2000 doll batch will be available late June (and not immediately as with previous open editions), the next will be approximately late November, a third batch for late winter 2021-2022 and, if a fourth one is needed, it will be later in 2022. So I am guessing the other open edition dolls will follow a similar pattern.

Item # 91523

Malibu Sky

Baroness Agnes Von Weiss™ Basic Doll

The Fashion Royalty® Collection

Edition Size: Open Edition

Price: $99 + Shipping and Handling

Expected Shipping as noted above, but may vary

Head Sculpt: Agnes Von Weiss

Body Type: FR 6.0

Foot Sculpt: High-heeled

Skin Tone: Hungarian

Hair Color: Platinum

Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied

Quickswitch: No

Included:

12.5-inch articulated doll with rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes;

One-piece swimsuit;

Stud earrings;

Criss-cross cuff bracelet;

Oversized sunglasses;

Delicate strappy high-heeled shoes;

Pair of long manicured hands;

Doll stand;

Certificate of authenticity.

What a beautiful Agnes! Anything but basic! I bet this will be the most popular open edition of all so far - the combination of the character and the perfect execution will be a smash. I’m curious to see the Malibu Agnes photographed with the Miami one. She reminds me of Fresh Perspective Agnes - same youthful energy, but better colouring. Let’s hope the process of ordering her will be problem-free.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Prototypes shown, final product may vary. Small production differences between the batches may be present. For adult collectors ages 15 and up only.

All photos and information contained herein is copyrighted Integrity Toys, Inc. and Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC 2021 and may not be reprinted or disseminated without express written permission. FASHION ROYALTY, and all other character marks followed by ™ or ® are trademarks of Integrity Toys, Inc. Chesapeake City MD USA 21915. All rights reserved. The W Club is a trademark of Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC. All rights reserved.

Photography by Jayme Thornton, Layouts and graphics by Alain Tremblay, Marketing.

W Club 2021 registration period is open NOW and until March 8th!

It’s the W Club registration period! From today and until the 8th of March 2021, you can register for membership (one or many) of the W Club and join in! If you read the blog regularly, you already have a good idea of the variety of offerings and privileges that the Club confers to members. This year again the basic fee is $50.00, which is very good, especially considering that half of it is reimbursed as a coupon that can be applied towards any purchase from Integrity Toys from $99.00 upwards. I have been a member for over a decade now and it really is worth it even if you only collect one of the lines that Integrity Toys releases - you get the release information first, you get exclusive dolls, many made to order for the club members and lotteries only available to them. This, along with a relationship with a dealer that you must cultivate (I know it is difficult for new collectors but it is a must), will help you get the dolls you want in retail prices. And, if that does not work (we do not get the dolls we want always as the quantities are finite), there is always the W Club forum which is a great way to meet other club members, get help from more experienced collectors and find opportunities to purchase dolls from members in prices much lower than ebay).

There was, for the first time ever, a live presentation online, with Carol Roth (who owns and runs the club) and Alain Trembley from Integrity Toys (creative man extraordinaire) - you can see the reveal video here at any time.

Joining the W Club gives you the following perks:

• First-to-know Information & Sneak Peeks: Find out information ahead of the general public, get sneak peeks at upcoming dolls and more.

• 5 Guaranteed W Club Exclusive Dolls: Get guaranteed opportunities to purchase at least *5* additional exclusive W Club-only dolls during the year, including 2 Fashion Royalty/NU. Face dolls, 2 Poppy Parker dolls and 1 additional exclusive doll.

• Members-only Forum: Get exclusive access to the W Club members-only forum to meet and chat with other collecting enthusiasts.

• $25 Coupon: Get one $25 coupon per membership to be used towards any future purchase of $99 or more in the IT Direct Shopping Cart (Note: it can’t be used on memberships).

• Special Offers, Right-to-buy Lotteries & Contests: Get so many other W Club perks, like special offers, discounts, priority ordering windows, opportunities to enter right-to-buy lotteries, contests with real prizes, and more.

• Club-only Opportunities to Purchase Dolls & More: Get additional opportunities to purchase exclusive and limited dolls and more, beyond the 5 guaranteed W Club exclusive dolls and 3 upgrade dolls.

• Online Videos and/or Events: Get special access to any W Club only online event videos, special interviews, and events from the comfort of your home.

• Priority Convention Registration: Get a priority W Club-only registration window for the 2021 Integrity Toys Convention, ahead of the general public.

• Private Q&A Sessions: Get access to participate in private Q&A Sessions with Integrity designers.

• VIP Customer Service: Get special VIP email access directly to the W Club Liaisons for your collecting comments, questions and concerns.

• And of course there are always the upgrade dolls: you can get one, two or all three of them with your membership - let’s check them out!

Item # 82148

Fit To Print

Nadja Rhymes™ Dressed Doll

The NU. Face® Collection

2021 W Club Upgrade

*$140; (This doll will have a $25 non-refundable deposit due immediately, with a $115 + shipping/ handling/ taxes balance due at shipping time, approximately in Summer 2021).

Edition Size: TBD

Head Sculpt: Nadja 2.0

Body Type: NF 3.0

Foot Sculpt: High-heeled

Skin Tone: Hungarian

Hair Color: Cinnamon

Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied

Quickswitch: No

Includes:

12.5-inch articulated doll with luscious, fully rooted hair and hand applied eyelashes;

Fashionable perfectly matched three-piece outfit, composed of a pair of slim pants, a bustier and a long-sleeved shoulder shrug;

Matching NU. Face carry-all;

Matching platform heels;

Lavendar pleather belt and matching purse;

Sunglasses;

Houndstooth earrings and cuff bracelet;

Ring;

Pair of long manicured hands;

Alternate pair of grip hands;

Doll stand;

Certificate of authenticity.

What a gorgeous Nadja! She brings to mind a reworked London Show and this will be one of the reasons she will be popular with collectors. Another will be the lovely Alaia Tati Collection inspired outfit and accessories. And a third will be the two bags she carries: miniatures versions of the Dior Book Tote Bag (done in the Tati print to match the outfit) and Jacquemus Le Chiquito bag - one of the most popular designer bags lately. Her face is gorgeous, reminding me a bit of Rihanna. She’ll be coming home.

Item # 91525

Bijou

Elyse Jolie™ Dressed Doll

The Fashion Royalty® Collection

2021 W Club Upgrade Doll

*$140; (This doll will have a $25 non-refundable deposit due immediately, with a $115 + shipping/handling/taxes balance due at shipping time, approximately in Summer 2021).

Edition Size: TBD

Head Sculpt: Elyse

Body Type: FR 6.0

Foot Sculpt: High-heeled

Skin Tone: A-Tone

Hair Color: Deep Sable

Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied

Quickswitch: No

Includes:

12.5-inch articulated doll with luscious, fully rooted hair and hand applied eyelashes;

High-contrast, pink and black gown (one-piece);

Elaborate "pearl" encrusted necklace;

Star shaped earrings with "pearl" detail;

"Pearl" Ring;

"Jewel" clutch;

Pink heels;

Pair of long manicured hands;

Alternate pair of "grip" hands;

Doll stand;

Certificate of authenticity.

Elyse is back after a hiatus that lasted all of 2020 - and as an upgrade doll, which is a first for this character, as for Nadja. The skin tone used is a first for Elyse too, she has never been released as an A-tone doll. Jessy said she is an homage to the famous supermodel Iman. She does remind me a bit of her, but her features are quite different. Previous dark skinned Elyse dolls were the second Net-A-Porter 10th Anniversary Jason Wu doll, Seduisante and Luminous, but this one has the darkest skin tone of all. The outfit has been hard to pin down regarding inspiration - many people were reminded of the Fall 2020 Oscar De La Renta collection but there is no dress there that matches Elyse’s. The accessories are beautiful - the bag is like the one Legendary Status Agnes has. I am on the fence about this one, but will probably cave in.

Item # 77209

Pink Lemonade

Poppy Parker® Dressed Doll

Poppy Parker® in Palm Springs Collection

2021 W Club Upgrade Doll

$140; (This doll will have a $25 non-refundable deposit due immediately, with a $115 + shipping/ handling/ taxes balance due at shipping time, approximately in Summer 2021).

Edition Size: TBD

Head Sculpt: Poppy Parker

Body Type: PP 1.5

Foot Sculpt: High-heeled

Skin Tone: Japan

Hair Color: Pink

Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied

Quickswitch: No

Includes:

12-inch articulated doll with luscious, fully rooted hair and hand applied eyelashes;

Vibrant, bold, lemon printed dress;

Wide brimmed pink hat with printed scarf detail;

Hot pink pleather purse;

Matching pleather open-toe heels;

Oversized sunglassed with pink tinted lenses;

Beaded dangling earrings;

Two bangle bracelets;

Ring;

Pair of Poppy Parker hands;

Alternate pair of grip hands;

Doll stand;

Certificate of authenticity.

This Poppy, apart from being an upgrade doll, is the first to be released from this year’s Palm Springs Poppy collection. She has the same screening as the Heads Up yellow haired Poppy from the 2019 convention Style Lab. She is the second Poppy with pink hair, after Ciao! Poppy, but this one has a lighter shade of pink. Many people commented that they did not have pastel coloured hair in the sixties - which is completely wrong! You can check some examples here, here and here - or just google it! She gives me Kim Novak vibes - but in an innocent, fluffy way, in contrast with the dark, ominous style of the famous actress. Even though I am still thinking about getting her or not, I most probably will.

Please click here to get additional information and purchase your 2021 W Club memberships and upgrade dolls.

Below you can find answers to some of the W Club’s most frequently asked questions.

How do I become part of the W Club?

From now until March 8th, 2021 you can qualify for the 2021 W Club by submitting a registration form and completing your payment. You can start your registration by clicking the “Agree/Join” button at the top or bottom of this page. No registrations will be accepted after March 8th, 2021 at 5 PM Eastern time (New York time). No exceptions.

For how long is my 2021 W Club membership valid?

Memberships are valid until the latter of January 1, 2022 or when the 2022 W Club membership registration period begins.

As a member, will I be guaranteed every exclusive item from the W Club?

Every member in good standing will be guaranteed the right to purchase at least 5 exclusive dolls, which will be offered at various times throughout the Club year, including the 2 Fashion Royalty / NU. Face exclusive dolls, 2 exclusive Poppy Parker dolls, and 1 additional exclusive doll during 2021.

Members that added upgrade dolls during registration are guaranteed those upgrade doll(s), as well. There will be other limited items which will be available by lottery or first-come, first-served opportunities. Please note that membership in the W Club does not guarantee access to Integrity Toys’ non-Club exclusive dolls and accessories. None of the dolls available through the Integrity Toys’ authorized dealers can be purchased through the W Club and are not W Club exclusive items.

How many 2021 Club memberships can I purchase?

The club is not restricting the number of memberships by collector or household. However, memberships are non-transferable and cannot be shared.

I live outside of the US. May I still become a member?

Absolutely! Membership is available to residents of all countries worldwide. Please note that all news releases and information will be released in English only.

I would like the W Club information sent to me via regular mail; can the club do that?

This is an online only Club and all members must have access to a valid email address.

What forms of payment does the club accept?

All payments are processed through Integrity Toys’ online shopping cart system. They accept Credit Cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover). They also accept PayPal. If you don’t have a PayPal account or a credit card, you might want to get a prepaid credit card, as it makes it easier for you to take advantage of their many offers.

Can you tell me more about the purchasing of exclusive W Club dolls?

2021 W Club members are guaranteed the right to purchase the exclusive W Club doll(s) from 2021 only (these dolls are separate from and in addition to the 3 upgrade dolls that you can purchase at registration). The number of W Club exclusive doll(s) produced is based on the number of pre-orders paid. If you do not pre-order the W Club exclusive doll(s) by the designated cut-off date (there is usually about a week-long ordering window), you forfeit your right to purchase that Club doll through the W Club. Also, Club doll(s) from previous years are NOT available to 2021 members- Club dolls are only available during that specific membership year.

Can you explain more about the W Club coupon?

Each W Club membership that you purchase will automatically add a special $25 coupon to your IT Direct Coupon Wallet that can be used towards ANY IT Direct shopping cart purchase of $99 or more online only during the 2021 W Club year! As long as your order is above $99 before shipping and tax, you can apply your coupon towards any order of your choice! Note that only a one coupon limit per order will be allowed.

Important exclusion: Coupons cannot be used to purchase additional memberships or gift certificates.

When will I be able to log into the W Club forum?

Once your membership has been processed, you will be emailed the “Welcome to the 2021 W Club” notice. This notice includes information on how to register and be approved for the members-only forum, contact emails, email information and more. Due to the number of registrations that they expect to be receiving at this time, it can take up to a week or more for the welcome email to be sent out and the club appreciates your patience until you are sent the notice.

For answers to any additional questions, please contact the W Club Liaisons at:

wclub@integritytoys.com

For the W Club Rules and Protocol page, please visit:

https://www.wclubforum.com/wclubrules.html

Please click below to begin your registration process.

Ready? Join The Club!

NOTICE: The W Club Is Now In Transition

Until registration is finished, the club is in transition, so they will be sending updates to both 2020 members and new members. You may therefore receive emails twice.

But, even if you don't re-register, the club will keep you posted on any 2020 W Club exclusive dolls that you have pre-ordered when they arrive in 2021.

For the forum, your registration remains active until the 2021 membership registration period ends. They may also be cleaning up old threads and deleting old topics, etc., to freshen the forums for next year.

Anyone not re-registering will be removed from the forum immediately following the 2021 registration deadline.

It is possible that if the club system does not recognize your email, user name, etc., you may be accidentally deleted during their forum cleanup. If this is the case, just email the liaisons and they will get you reinstated ASAP.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Prototype shown, final product may vary. For adult collectors ages 15 and up only. All photos and information contained herein is copyrighted Integrity Toys, Inc. and Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC 2021 and may not be reprinted or disseminated without express written permission. FASHION ROYALTY, POPPY PARKER, NU. FACE, EAST 59TH, THE INDUSTRY, THE MONARCHS HOMME, METEOR, and all other character marks followed by ™ or ® are trademarks of Integrity Toys, Inc. Chesapeake City MD USA 21915. All rights reserved. JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro and are used with permission. ©2021 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved. Licensed by Hasbro. The W Club is a trademark of Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC. All rights reserved.

Photography by Jayme Thornton, Layouts and graphics by Alain Tremblay, Marketing.

The eagerly anticipated Integrity Toys 25th Anniversary Agnes Von Weiss does not live up to expectations

The official banner of the Integrity Toys 2020 25th anniversary Legendary convention, held virtually this year, and also the image on all doll boxes for the event, was a beautiful Agnes Von Weiss doll, which drew admiring comments from most participants and was expected to appear in some form during the event. It was announced instead that the doll would be produced as the company’s official 25th Anniversary doll for all club members. Everyone was delighted and people started speculating on when and how the doll would be making its debut. Yesterday, the W Club sent the email announcing the beginning of the preorders for the doll, along with a series of promotional photos of the prototype. The collectors’ reactions: legendary!

Item # 91503

Legendary Status

Agnes Von Weiss™ Dressed Doll

Official Integrity Toys 25th Anniversary Doll

Limited Edition: TBD

Estimated Arrival: Late Spring 2021

Retail Price: $175.00

**IT DIRECT EXCLUSIVE PRE-ORDER**

Head Sculpt: Agnes

Body Type: FR 6.0

Foot Sculpt: High-heeled

Skin Tone: FR White

Hair Color: Mahogany

Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied

Quickswitch: No

Included:

12.5-inch fully articulated doll with rooted hair styled in an intricate ponytail, as well as hand-applied eyelashes;

Ultra-luxurious mirror "jeweled" gown with dramatic golden yellow asymmetric overskirt and draped accents;

Bespoke "jewel" clutch purse;

Especially designed "stocking-shoes", micro-crystal covered stockings with built-in shoes;

High-contrast faux-sapphire adorned jewelry set (earrings and two assorted rings);

Pair of hands with modern French manicure;

Alternate pair of grip hands;

Doll stand;

Certificate of authenticity;

There’s a huge reaction to the doll and most of it is not positive. People feel disappointed from the reveal, saying that the make up of the doll is not as vibrant as the convention promo, that the hairdo is too severe, that the dress is a mess and so on and so forth. I would say that it is only natural to have all these reactions: when you build the anticipation for a doll with a heavily retouched photo (see below) for such a long time and then present the same doll in a different lighting and by a different photographer (as the doll designer Jessy Ayala mentioned on his Instagram post about the doll), it is not a good business practice and will surely cause a negative reaction. If people had seen these promo photos first and then the one retouched and used for the convention promotional material and packaging, it would have been quite a different beast altogether, aesthetics notwithstanding.

I find the whole look a bit of a mess actually. Too many different things vying for attention and trying to fit together. The mix does not work for the most part. It takes a special talent to juggle so many different elements together successfully and frankly, it is missing here. And with an asking price of $175.00, I’m not so sure I want to give in. The doll is actually beautiful and I think the make up colours and hair colour all work together well. The dress is garish and over-designed. It looks like someone took two or three different dresses, cut them up and sew them together - Galliano can do that with a varying degree of success, Rei Kawakubo usually does it even better. But here it falls flat, no matter how many rhinestones are used to blind one in submission. Ralph and Russo designs are already overboard by themselves, let alone combining two looks (here and here) together.

And then, there’s the price. This is not a mini gift set and yet it retails more than any convention doll, most of which are way more stylish and accessorized than this one. Is it the crystals? I will just end with this: NAP Aymeline is a doll worth her $295.00 - this one does not look like it does justify her $175.00, And if this is going to be the price of FR dolls come 2021, with the pandemic going on and people trying to control expenses, it might not be such a good business move at all.

Offer Type: W Club open pre-order.

Participation Deadline: December 4th, 2020, 12 PM (Noon) Eastern Time.

Pricing (FOR W CLUB MEMBERS ONLY): $175.00 USD + S & H.

($25 NRD deposit due now, $150.00 + S & H due upon arrival).

Final Edition Size: To be determined (will be based on all orders received).

Shipping Timing: Approximately late Spring 2021.

Availability: 2020 W Club members only.

Pre-order Limit: No limit!

The deadline to pre-order Legendary Status Agnes Von Weiss is Friday, December 4th, 2020 at 12 PM/NOON North American Eastern Time.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Prototype shown, final production may vary. For adult collectors ages 15 and up only.

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