DollSociety
As Dusk Falls Eugenia: 2014 Design Competition Award Doll by Julia Leroy
As Dusk Falls Eugenia is based on Julia Leroy’s winning entry from the 2014 Integrity Toys Design Competition from last year’s Gloss Convention. I have been looking forward to seeing the preview of this doll and it’s finally here! I fell in love the moment I saw her and there are instances that it doesn’t happen as I’m very hard to please if y’all know by now.:) While Julia used Elusive Creature Natalia for her entry, per her request to Integrity Toys, she wanted Eugenia used for the production version instead which I don’t have a problem whatsoever as Eugenia is a favorite of mine. Julia’s original design had gold mesh inserts to give a color block effect on the dress but the production version was done in all black which I’m not really mad about. It’s what makes the dress exceptional. It’s what separates this dress from other black dresses. While the colors have been changed I think that it still stayed true to her aesthetic and that ‘Culte De Paris’ look is still prominent on the doll. For me, the neckline and the sleeves is what makes this dress an instant hit! Seeing the same sleeveless silhouette and plunging necklines every year makes this early 60s style new and refreshing again. However, I would love to see color block fashions for FR in the future because it’s something they don’t do often. Something athletic inspired and something more contemporary. I really love her accessories especially her shoes with the chain straps, I also love that they used the leaf motif from Wouldn’t It Be Loverly Eden’s dress for the belt. While I don’t mind the clutch purse, I would love to see them design a box clutch style similar to what Julia designed for her entry but for that to happen they have to design new hardware parts that they can use multiple times and not just for one doll.
As Dusk Falls shares the same face design as World On A String and High Profile Eugenia. This version is like an amalgamation of those two dolls. I was not a fan of both dolls due to the face design and the color palette but I somehow love it on As Dusk Falls. I think she’s captivating. I like that they’ve given her a ponytail in the same way as Fashion Explorer Vanessa instead of the updo based from Julia’s winning entry because this just makes her more versatile when it comes to restyling and with that it just give us an assurance that the doll will be most likely fully rooted. As Dusk Falls’ color palette is actually something that I wanted for Bittersweet Eugenia, so this is kind of a dream come true for me. I love Eugenia as a red head and in every shade, but I was thinking that we have so many dolls with red lips that they could have given her nude pearlescent lips reminiscent of Metal Maven Vanessa or A Touch of Frost Eugenia… or maybe they can reserve that for a future version of Eugenia with the Fine Jewel face design. Now that screams perfection! For next year I really hope that the designers create a face design specifically for the winning entry and not take from a face design they used previously. I don’t mind them reusing eyebrows and lip masks, but the details of the eyes are the most important and they need to be constantly redesigned that way they don’t become so repetitive and tiresome.
I think this version of Eugenia is perfection and I’m possibly getting two. Congrats to Julia Leroy for this amazing doll!
As Dusk Falls Eugenia: 2014 Design Competition Award Doll by Julia Leroy
As Dusk Falls Eugenia is based on Julia Leroy’s winning entry from the 2014 Integrity Toys Design Competition from last year’s Gloss Convention. I have been looking forward to seeing the preview of this doll and it’s finally here! I fell in love the moment I saw her and there are instances that it doesn’t happen as I’m very hard to please if y’all know by now.:) While Julia used Elusive Creature Natalia for her entry, per her request to Integrity Toys, she wanted Eugenia used for the production version instead which I don’t have a problem whatsoever as Eugenia is a favorite of mine. Julia’s original design had gold mesh inserts to give a color block effect on the dress but the production version was done in all black which I’m not really mad about. It’s what makes the dress exceptional. It’s what separates this dress from other black dresses. While the colors have been changed I think that it still stayed true to her aesthetic and that ‘Culte De Paris’ look is still prominent on the doll. For me, the neckline and the sleeves is what makes this dress an instant hit! Seeing the same sleeveless silhouette and plunging necklines every year makes this early 60s style new and refreshing again. However, I would love to see color block fashions for FR in the future because it’s something they don’t do often. Something athletic inspired and something more contemporary. I really love her accessories especially her shoes with the chain straps, I also love that they used the leaf motif from Wouldn’t It Be Loverly Eden’s dress for the belt. While I don’t mind the clutch purse, I would love to see them design a box clutch style similar to what Julia designed for her entry but for that to happen they have to design new hardware parts that they can use multiple times and not just for one doll.
As Dusk Falls shares the same face design as World On A String and High Profile Eugenia. This version is like an amalgamation of those two dolls. I was not a fan of both dolls due to the face design and the color palette but I somehow love it on As Dusk Falls. I think she’s captivating. I like that they’ve given her a ponytail in the same way as Fashion Explorer Vanessa instead of the updo based from Julia’s winning entry because this just makes her more versatile when it comes to restyling and with that it just give us an assurance that the doll will be most likely fully rooted. As Dusk Falls’ color palette is actually something that I wanted for Bittersweet Eugenia, so this is kind of a dream come true for me. I love Eugenia as a red head and in every shade, but I was thinking that we have so many dolls with red lips that they could have given her nude pearlescent lips reminiscent of Metal Maven Vanessa or A Touch of Frost Eugenia… or maybe they can reserve that for a future version of Eugenia with the Fine Jewel face design. Now that screams perfection! For next year I really hope that the designers create a face design specifically for the winning entry and not take from a face design they used previously. I don’t mind them reusing eyebrows and lip masks, but the details of the eyes are the most important and they need to be constantly redesigned that way they don’t become so repetitive and tiresome.
I think this version of Eugenia is perfection and I’m possibly getting two. Congrats to Julia Leroy for this amazing doll!