Park Avenue Prowl was an FAO Schwarz exclusive limited edition gift set of 300, released in 2007. This is one of those sets that at first glance I thought, “Wow! So many options!” Once unboxed and put on the doll, the quantity of what was in the box gave way to the actual functionality/look of what the pieces were. The leopard coat trimmed with fox is interesting, but quite bulky on the doll. This is one of the main difficulties in designing for a 16" doll; the scale and drape of the fabric don’t hang the way that they would at a larger size. This is why most fashion dolls look so painfully thin. If these dolls were designed with normal sized proportions, any kind of clothing on top of the vinyl would make these poor little ladies look like the Michelin man. I was not crazy about the doll itself, either. For this shoot, I used Red Parasol instead. Her facial paint and hairdo are much more accessible.
Sequins are rarely a good choice on a vinyl fashion doll unless they are micro-sized. These aren’t awful, but once again, the size of the sequin make it difficult to achieve a form-fitting drape. The shoes look decent, but sparkle atop a faux leather strap do not equal fun playtime. By the time human sized fingers can get the straps in place, the shoes begin the splitting/disintegration process.
This set also comes with a very va-va-voom lingerie set. Other than the plastic clips for the hose, I really do like this look on Gene. It still amazes me how Gene can go from good girl to vamp in the blink of an eye, depending upon the outfit and pose. Mel Odom sure knew how to create a versatile character.
The last photo from this session shows our girl giving a little sass, wishing that the sequins had been smaller. Oh well, what’s a girl to do?
See more Gene Marshall fashion doll photos at my website.
