Suits Me Fine

Mel Odom's Gene Marshall as produced by JAMIEshow continues to evolve and in so doing enchant collectors and fashion aficionados.  With J'adore, an exclusive dressed doll offered by Fashion Doll Quarterly, Dolldom ensues its exploration and enjoyment of the most iconic in mid 20th century fashion as modeled by this most recent iteration of the famed star of the Golden Age of Hollywood.

J'adore Gene features left side glancing eyes and an enhanced treatment of her eye make-up with high color blue on the brow bone and a touch of gold to the lid. The lips are a deep red luscious and her titian tresses, elegantly coiffed in a chignon wig cap, impart a different feel from the first issue - Phoenix- offered at IDEX 2013 at a special luncheon with Mr. Odom.




Patricia Henry, editor of FDQ, chose to dress Gene in a suit. Miss Henry explains: "I immediately thought of Dior as inspiration for the fashion. JAMIEshow, did, too, so it seemed an organic step to move from Phoenix Gene, a cool blond in ice blue, to J’adore a fiery redhead with a suit to match." Lucky Gene once again is dressed by master designer and doll creator Doug James in this immaculately executed suit.





Dolldom's exclusive photos of J'adore aim to highlight her exquisite beauty and personality. If Phoenix Gene comes across as ethereal, J'adore, with her slightly higher-arched eyebrows, communicates a bit more temperament and attitude.  The fact that JAMIEshow dolls are hand painted by artisans, it is possible to anticipate that no two J'adore or Phoenix Gene dolls look exactly alike.


To expand on the theme of the suit that Miss Henry chose for her exclusive Gene, Dolldom gathered the very best in suits for this exclusive spread -from Ashton-Drake fashions to the very best by Retros. Styled to enhance the cut and fit of this sartorial staple, these suits allow us to examine a woman's allure and power in what used to be considered male-only fashion.

Let the adoration begin!


Ashton-Drake's The Perfect Gift, circa 1947, was designed by Regina Ganem.  Dolldom's stylists traded the flower bandeau for a silk turban by Liz Cole for Retros and a long faux fur stole by Tonner Doll Company. 


The corsage was originally intended as a pin for the suit's lapel. Now, it adorns the turban. Notice the gold drop on Gene's upper lid.


Following the Barbie doll's suit, Gene wears Gold and Glamour, a Charlotte Johnson design from 1965.


Gold and Glamour reproduction photo courtesy of Mattel.



Juli in the United Kingdom designed the set using vintage textiles to match the patina and feel of the vintage original. 


The 1940's film noir vibe is the realm of fashion maven Liz Cole whose Retros line of clothing graces many Gene collections. Only Retros will hand bead a suit with such artistry. The kimono sleeves and functional buttons exemplify the talent of the artist. The turban is made of knit fabric with Lurex threads. Earrings by Chez Manu, Dolldom's exclusive joaillier.


To top the suit, Retros crafted a full length mink coat using recycled mink. Even the lining is recycled from the original garment. Gene's attitude fits the mink crown hat perfectly.


A coquettish silhouette for a suit?


Why not!


Pink with Envy, circa 1952, was designed by Bob Lange for Madra Lord's debut collection. J'adore owns it now.


Of course, Dolldom had to revisit Love, Paris, produced by Ashton Drake. The very first New Look look for Gene was released in 1999 and was accompanied by a sweet storyline: the master himself, Mr. Christian Dior, was a Gene Marshall fan and gifted her with the luxurious ensemble.

Love, Paris, circa 1947, was designed by José Ferrand.

In the movie Montage, Gene is spectacular in a Balenciaga inspired dress and jacket wonder crafted in red wool and silk jacquard lining and cravate. Gene's painting is an original artwork by Mel Odom and was part of the ensemble.


Smart Set, circa 1948, was designed also by Mr. James.

Dolldom congratulates Fashion Doll Quarterly and JAMIEshow for giving collectors yet another dreamy take on the legend of Gene Marshall.

Now, the anticipation begins for JAMIEshow's White Orchid!

Summer Bounty

Just as summer starts to wind down and the prospect of fall becomes ever present in the morning air, Good Old Summertime Amber by Wilde Imagination takes us back to the pleasant sensations of a summer picnic. Good Old Summertime Amber immediately caught the eye of Dolldom's editors with it's 1930's style flower print dress, raven bob, and piercing blue eyes framed in lush black eyelashes. The straw hat adds a touch of Mary Emmerling to this sophisticated gal - not to mention a necessary respite from the harsh sun rays.

Amber is a sensational sculpt. Ellowyne's beautifully serene face with a hint of smile betrays her mood swing syndrome. Amber's pout, on the other hand, does not hide her attitude. Even in the midst of a peaceful secret garden with friendly insects and petrified birds, Ellowyne's nemesis still has an air of temperamental volatility.  But such is the world of Ellowyne Wilde.

Wig du Jour

Mel Odom's Phoenix Gene Marshall by JAMIEshow models "Personal Secretary" designed by Tim Kennedy. The circa 1957 silhouette is a perfect choice for Gene's role as a personal secretary in the film of the same name. For this Dolldom exclusive, Miss Marshall wears different coiffures in varying shades so that you the readers may decide on the final look. The wig caps, created by JAMIEshow, allow Miss Marshall to become a brunette or a blonde with ease as each wig cap is rooted and adjusts securely with a magnet.

Which one will be your choice?


The look evokes Christian Dior. Purse by Hee Hung Park for Bambola Doll.


"Personal Secretary" is accessorized with a pert hat and purse of chenille violets and a pearl choker.


Style Number One: Raven chignon. Simple and classic. And severe.


Style Number Two: The brunette triple chignon is luxuriously elaborate while retaining the sedate look of the first one.


Style Number Three: The cool blonde has a long history in film. Almost every Alfred Hitchcock film revolves around one.


Style Number Four: A more coquettish auburn up-do adds a tad of playfulness. Would a personal secretary wear it to the office?

Tamed But Still Wild

Tonner Doll Company's recently issued Precarious Tamed model comes out of the wilderness to pose for Dolldom's photographer. This knock-out design is in our editors' opinion a superb example of a total look - fashion, make-up, and hairstyle. Her hand painted face has vivid green eyes and a rich mink colored wig in the timeless bob style. The company proves that the technology exists for creating perfectly to scale wigs in this scale.



The fashion is luscious. Burnout velvet blouson jacket and mini skirt in a multitude of shades or green and blue evoke a lush jungle in the evening. The super chunky necklace reiterates the color scheme. To complete the tropical forest fantasy, a shiny, scale-like midnight blue material used for the gloves evokes the thriving fauna found in tropical jungles.



Precarious Tamed is also a perfect doll for redressing. She will look grand in Antoinette's fashions as well as in Cami and Jon's styles. And do not be surprised if she makes an appearance in Dreary Manor visiting the Dreary Twins.



A quality offering from Tonner Doll Company, Precarious Tamed is limited to three hundred models.

Hybrid Bombshell

When Dolldom heard about artist Joey Versaw's plans to create the first digitally-printed doll, we were intrigued but also somewhat wary. How could a doll come out of a computer printer? With our emphasis on vintage design sensibilities, the last thing we desired was a techno-micro-chipped-babe. So much to our delight, the newest iteration of Mr. Versaw's Mary Magpie is a harmonious mélange of tech and craft. She may come hot off a printer but her visage and body are one hundred percent hand painted giving her a beautiful mid-20th century feel and style. 

The 3-D printed Mary Magpie is an all original sculpt that pays tribute to the grand Barbie doll of 1959 and to über sexy goddesses like Bettie Page and Dita Von Teese. And with her evocative molded wigs, Mary is a chameleon supreme who never has a stray hair. Being in the same scale as other dolls in the eleven to twelve-inch scale, Mary will provide to be the ultimate transformer. One doll, one hundred different looks. Not bad for the pocketbook.


The debut collection of Mary Magpie dolls. To fee like a kid in a candy store!

Dolldom celebrates Mary Magpie with an exclusive fashion showand an interview with her creator, Mr. Versaw. And who best to dress retro-vibed Mary Magpie but Liz Cole of Retros? Add a couple of vintage Barbie fashions to Mary's exclusive and ultra limited debut fashions (editions of five) and Miss Magpie is ready for a fantastic fashion show. We hope that you enjoy it and also welcome Mary Magpie to your homes too.


Mary Magpie's box illustration designed by artist Brani Mladenov.

Dolldom: Who is Joey Versaw? Explain your journey as a doll maker and illustrator? 
JV: From the age of three I started drawing the female figure, Among to scraps of papers my grandmother saved from my childhood I found drawings of Alice in Wonderland and Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. Both of these characters had something in common besides just a magical adventure. They were different and misunderstood just like me. I found myself at a young age living in my own fantasy land of imagination through art and design. At seven, my grandmother taught me to sew and to pattern using a Pink and Pretty Barbie doll. This world of fashion creation only existed at Grandma's, when I went home it was back to He-Man and GI Joe. I started sculpting and making my own dolls at the age of ten. I was obsessed with Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal and wanted to make dolls inspired by these characters. When I turned sixteen,  I rebelled and started collecting dolls. By this time I think everybody was aware there was no changing to things. Since then I have been designing and sculpting as if I were being led to the other side of the rainbow by a force.


Mary's bar is well stocked. And Mary is all decked out in vintage Barbie doll's satin separates. Belt from Dusk to Dawn set from Barbie Fashion Model Collection. Rolling bar and furniture by Morrison's Furniture Studios.

Dolldom: Where does the name Mary Magpie come from? What is her storyline?
JV:  I will just tell you the whole truth. I started sketching Mary when I was about thirteen.  She was originally a beautifully sad and sullen girl but as I evolved into adulthood she took to more of a pin-up look inspired by Dita Von Teese, Bettie Page, and even a little Olivia from her Xanadu days. The name Mary actually comes from many places of inspiration: the character Mary from The Women and even my favorite character from my childhood cartoon favorite Jem who was called Stormer but her real name was Mary. Magpie came from my obsession with crows and black birds. My original sketches of Mary had almost bird like eyes, so Mary Magpie was born.

Dolldom: Take us through a brief tour of Mary's evolution.
JV: From sketches, Mary was first sculpted and cast as a boudoir type doll with a cloth body, using techniques of the old world taught to me by my mentor and friend Andy Meyers. I first sculpted all my original parts for casting out of wax. Once cast, I used Fortin (a ceramic like material) to make Mary. After about a year making her this way I decided to step up my game and take Mary to where I originally wanted to go -  a fashion doll. Still made from Fortin, Mary now was a 11 1/2 inch fashion doll. After about a year in the Fortin material, I started pouring her in resin at home and she also became fully jointed. Sadly doing this at home had many issues like tiny air bubbles in the plastic and also causing me health problems. So I went on a search for a new way to make my dolls. One day I was talking to a good friend who had mentioned making a toy figure through 3-D printing. At the time I thought "What is 3D printing?" My friend described it to me and now we have Mary!


Leopard and magenta? Absolutely. Mary revels in such lively combinations by Retros. Emerald necklace by Joy Jarred.

Dolldom: Mary is the first ever digitally-printed fashion doll. Would you explain the process for creating a digitally printed doll?
JV: The first step is to either invest in an extremely expensive program to sculpt the 3-D doll yourself or to find a artist to take your sculpt and create a 3-D file of it for you. After this is done there are many trial and errors to perfect your jointing and other details because as precise as this computer art is, we as humans can easily make flaws in the design. Once you have your 3-D sculpt file, it is as easy as pie! Just send your file to the company and order away!

Dolldom: What is the material used for Mary? Paper? Wood? She feels like a Lenci felt fashion doll!
 JV: Mary is made of laser sintered nylon plastic.

Bare essentials. Mary models vintage Barbie doll's delicate petticoat and pearls, two essentials that will give any outfit stature and class.

Dolldom: Explain Mary's articulation. We noticed that she can sway from side to side due to the way her hips are sculpted.
JV: Mary had evolved to a fully articulated doll but I felt it took the beauty away from the sculpt and I wanted to take her to a more classic and beautiful time. So I decided simplicity was best. But I made the shoulders and hips ball jointed to give her much more movement than a regular vintage fashion doll.

Dolldom: What does Mary bring to the fashion doll arena?
 JV: I feel Mary is a mixture of many beautiful things brought to the table. She is advanced in technology yet carries the vibe of a more simple time. There are countless beauties on the market today but most feel soulless to me. I wanted to give Mary soul. I want Mary to be the doll that gets to travel and sit by the side of your bed so you can whisper secrets in her ear. She is not just a fashion doll, she is a friend.


Once upon a time there was a beautiful gal in a beautiful tulle and satin gown at a senior prom...Barbie's vintage wonder gives Mary an excuse to dance the night away. Semiprecious stone necklace by Mode de M.


Nurse Mary will take care of your blood test. Uniform in white linen by Liz Cole for Retros. Jewelry from the Barbie Fashion Model Collection.


In Betty Draper's bubble dress from the Barbie Fashion Model Collection, Mary exudes 60s charm.


Kindred Spirit is a limited edition fashion of only five. It's a must for those nights at the disco dancing to Donna Summer's Last Dance.


At the Retros Lounge (with furniture designed by Darren Cole) Mary hosts a cocktail party in a Retros strapless sheath with scarf. Mary sports a raven "waves" wig.


Who's the boss? Mary is! In her career girl fashion by Liz Cole for Retros, Mary rules the boardroom thanks to a green silk shantung jacket and a precious vintage flower print sheath. Jewelry by Joy Jarred.


Grande dame. Liz Cole created a beaded turban to go with a classic white faux fur stole and diamond and freshwater pearl necklace by Joy Jarred.


Debutantes the world over will want to follow Mary's lead wearing tulle and silk party dresses by Liz Cole for Retros. Necklace by Joy Jarred.


In Retros' interpretation of the famous Bild Lilli dirndl, Mary's ready for a Sunday excursion to the Catskills. Necklace by Joy Jarred.


Poodles on parade. Mary celebrates her pooch's win in Retro's big checked knit dress, coat, and cap. Enid Collins reproduction purse also by Retros. Necklace by Joy Jarred.

For more on Mary Magpie, visit her website or pick up a copy of the fall issue of FDQ or the August issue of Dolls magazines.

A la plage, circa 1946...

The first war-free summer of the decade and the bikini makes its debut. But stylistically far from such a news making event, there were others who enjoyed the sun and the shore in less revealing yet more elegant attire.

From Woman's Sphere July 1940.

Ivy Jordan, actress and director and dear friend of Gene Marshall was one of the latter. In her summer fun set designed by Gerry Broerman, Ivy goes from cabana to cocktails on the terrace effortlessly.

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Reminiscent of a Maggy Rouff ensemble featured in Le Théâtre de la Mode, the set is pure beach glamour.



A buttoned bolero jacket with puff sleeves, a bare midriff, and an ample skirt to go over shorts create a look both versatile and complete. The beige espadrilles are by Tyler Wentworth Couture.



Following Vogue magazine's "Beauty Issue" lead, Ivy's make-up is elementally summery. Her jewelry by Joy Jarred adds that golden touch of the sun.