Poor Taste

I hadn't heard anything from the pipeline, so the announcement that Integrity Toys was doing a "Mommie Dearest" gift set took me by surprise. When I saw what it was, I could not believe the poor taste that was being shown with this release. First, I am guessing that they were able to bypass any royalties or approval needed from the Joan Crawford estate by making this a Paramount Pictures "Mommie Dearest" product (wonder if Christina will get a cut?). In most of the retailer sites I've seen, Joan's name isn't even mentioned.

The most tasteless part is that one of the outfits represents the child abuse scene where daughter Christina gets it good with a wire hanger and a can of cleanser. I'm all for campy fun, but to create a doll with a face covered in cold cream and a hand gripping a wire hanger seems beyond the limits of good taste. Call me a party pooper, but this one leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Still, I am sure this one will sell quickly, so if you are so inclined you better hurry and reserve yours from a reputable dealer!

See more Gene & Marilyn doll photos on my doll web pages.

Gene Marshall and Vanity Fair

When I saw this photo in Vanity Fair, I immediately thought it would look much better on Gene Marshall (no offense to Amber Heard!). I sent the photo to Diane Wagner, and the results can be seen here. I knew it would be good, but was thrilled with the final results. She knocked herself out, making sure the fit was perfect.



The suit itself is even lined, which most people probably wouldn't have bothered with.



Phoenix wears this outfit pretty well, don't you think?



She looks like she just stepped out of the pages of Vanity Fair!



To see more of Diane's amazing work, visit her blog.

See more Gene & Marilyn doll photos on my doll web pages.

Do You Adore "J'Adore"?

Even though there has been no official announcement yet, Fashion Doll Quarterly has SOLD at least 62 72 82 OUT! "J'Adore" within the last hour out of the 100 that are available. On top of that, there is no official photo accompanying the PDF text on the FDQ website. It would not be a stretch to say that this doll will be sold out by the end of the day if not sooner. I think this speaks volumes for the demand for Gene Marshall. The photo in this post was skillfully hidden in the background of the PDF on FDQ (oh, the acronyms!). However, as Pat Henry from FDQ told me, "It's an early sample on an IT Gene." Please do not think that this is the exact doll or outfit that you will be purchasing if you got one. Here's the description, which fits the photo:

For day, Dior presented a chic wool suit, along with a fabulous chapeaux that framed her heart shaped face, along with slender pumps and black gloves.

The cocktail dress whispered Dior with the subtle detail of his signature bows and the fabulous fur wrap could be buttoned up into a muff for daytime wear.

On the FDQ order section of the site, the description reads:

Now is your chance to pre-order this amazing new giftset from JamieShow and Mel Odom! This giftset is designed by original Gene Team member Doug James, inspired by the master himself, Christian Dior. Set includes doll with new facepaint, alternate hands, wig cap, two ensembles and accessories.

NOTE: This doll is a resin, ball-jointed Gene doll. LE100

The photo looks more like an Integrity doll than a Jamieshow one, which is probably why it was used as a faint background image. What do you think of "J'Adore" so far? BTW: if you are attempting to purchase "J'Adore," I recommend skipping the paypal option vs. the credit card one, as it appears the site gets buggy with paypal. UPDATE: Pat Henry from FDQ has sent out a message stating that she has held back some "J'Adore"s for when the magazine is published this summer.

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