Happy Birthday, Gene Marshall!

Gene's birthday was April 17; although I am late to the party, hopefully readers will not care! Here's J'Adore Gene, arriving at the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans for her gala celebration, wearing a Chris Stoeckel gray suit. Below is an official portrait taken at the hotel before she changed into her gown for the festivities.



Decked out in Toast at Twelve, Gene (with hair by Kathy Johnson) is a knockout!



Closing out the post are two more official birthday photos; she was given a special orchid corsage for the occasion!



Dripping in diamonds, wrapped in fur…what a wonderful birthday!



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Chris Stoeckel & A Star is Born!

Thanks to Kathy and her fantastic doll salon, this Gene is my new fave! The newest outfit she is modeling is a faithful recreation of a design worn by Judy Garland in the 1954 classic “A Star is Born.”

Gene looks amazing in this beautiful gown, don’t you think? Many thanks to the talented Chris Stoeckel who did an outstanding job of making this dress come to life for Gene.







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Gene, Chris Stoeckel, & Vertigo

From the moment I saw his work, I wanted to have a Chris Stoeckel design; perfect tailoring on authentically vintage outfits. This guy is a talent. Here you can see photos of my first commission, which was inspired by the Edith Head designs for Hitchcock’s movie “Vertigo.” If you are a Hitchcock buff, then you'll know that Hitch often put his blondes in gray, even though gray is not typically a great color for them. Especially in this movie, it worked well for the mysterious character of Madeleine Elster, expertly played by Kim Novak. Chris did a fantastic job of not only creating this outfit, but in picking out the perfect fabrics as well.



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OOAK Couture: Chris Stoeckel, Pt. 3

For those of you who think Gene is ending and no more outfits will be available, just feast your eyes on these custom creations by Chris Stoeckel. As long as there are talented designers out there like Chris, Gene’s (and her friends'!) wardrobe will never end!











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OOAK Couture: Chris Stoeckel, Pt. 2

A few more fantastic creations from the talented Chris Stoeckel—enjoy!







This one is just waiting to be worn by Lana Turner!



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OOAK Couture: Chris Stoeckel, Pt. 1

Within a few months, there will be no new Gene Marshall outfits to purchase. Once the Convention in Philadelphia is over, it will signal the end of the line for anymore official Mel Odom ensembles for our favorite Fashion Doll Icon. Eventually, Gene and her friends will get bored wearing the same tired outfits over and over again, but what else can she do? Fear not, Gene admirers! There are a number of very talented designers out there who will keep the dream alive. One such talented person is Chris Stoeckel. Today’s post (and a number of future ones) will feature his fantastic creations. They fit Gene like a glove—both physically and visually, capturing the eras that Gene stepped out of. While some “ooak” designs I see look like something from a bad craft sale, Chris’ truly shine. See for yourself!









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