houseofduke
Cherry Blossom Licca's delicate gown
I've recently managed to get one of my most favourite Liccas ever. A Licca I have been looking for ever since I've started collecting them over 6 years ago but never really thought I would own because she hardly ever pops up. When she does, the price is way too high because of her connection to Guerlain (I think most people bidding on her are also Guerlain fans).
I've been looking at the few small pics I had of her for years, just daydreaming about her. She was one of my Holy Grail dolls. It pained me a little to know she'd never come home to me.
See, every year for the cherry blossom season, the famous perfume company Guerlain creates a new 'Cherry Blossom' fragnance for the Japanese market, complete with new bottle and packaging, and only available for a limited time. They introduced the line in 1999.
To celebrate the fragnance, in 2003 Takara-TOMY (then still Takara) released Cherry Blossom Licca in partnership with the perfume company and made her a Limited Edition of 500 dolls. She's wearing a long sleeveless chiffon and silk gown in a pink color, the color of the Cherry Blossom perfume bottle that year. ^_^ See the official pic in the comments here. The perfume has a light floral and fruity scent and features jasmine and cherry. People have said is smells citrus-y and that it's a tea fragnance.
Since it's a feminine perfume, Licca, too, has been given lovely and girly make-up – vibrant candy pink lipstick and white eyeshadow and her eyelashes aren't the same color as the eyebrows but paler. She has pink earrings, blue eyes and is quite pale. Her hairdo is fit for a lady, it's one of my fave kinds of Licca hairstyles in general! I now have three Liccas with this 'do. ^^
The only reason I actually won a Licca I've so far seen maybe twice on auction (I don't know why, Liccas as limited as 100 show up more often) is because the auction stated the box was dented. When I read that, I knew the small chance of owning her has finally come because a dented box will stop the biggest collectors from clicking that bidding button! For collectors that don't de-box dolls and only display them, a not-so-perfect-packaging won't be their cup of tea. And I reckoned some Guerlain completists looking for this Licca will pass up on her for this very reason. YAY FOR ME! \o/ I don't care about the box! Heck, when she arrived I couldn't even see the dent LOLZ. *hugs Licca happily*
I have posted notes on the box pic here about other "imperfections" that helped me secure the doll/scared the collectors away.
Because the price was so GOOD for this sort of Limited, it's hard to believe she's really mine and after such a long time, too. If it weren't for this one bidder bidding against me in the last minutes, she would have been around 1700 Yen or so. That's beyond insane. She was 10,000 Yen upon release and went for more in the following years - the usual with Limiteds. And to think I was so heart-broken and sad after I didn't win her the last time because the end price was 15,000 Yen! Now she's mine for less than 2500 Yen. THANK YOU, my lucky star!
Admittedly, quite a few Liccas I own, particularly Castle Liccas, haven't been the cheapest dolls, and collecting Licca in general is no longer as affordable as it was back in 2004 and 2005, but this time I was granted a great wishlist Licca for a great price, and for that I'm grateful. Everyone loves a good deal and to get one just at the right time when prices are going up year after year, honestly brings a smile on my face and brightens up my day.
CHERRY BLOSSOM LICCA! \O/ I've named her Lilian.
Sorry for the mini essay, I'm just so excited and super happy to have her! *turns cartwheels*
Cherry Blossom Licca's delicate gown
I've recently managed to get one of my most favourite Liccas ever. A Licca I have been looking for ever since I've started collecting them over 6 years ago but never really thought I would own because she hardly ever pops up. When she does, the price is way too high because of her connection to Guerlain (I think most people bidding on her are also Guerlain fans).
I've been looking at the few small pics I had of her for years, just daydreaming about her. She was one of my Holy Grail dolls. It pained me a little to know she'd never come home to me.
See, every year for the cherry blossom season, the famous perfume company Guerlain creates a new 'Cherry Blossom' fragnance for the Japanese market, complete with new bottle and packaging, and only available for a limited time. They introduced the line in 1999.
To celebrate the fragnance, in 2003 Takara-TOMY (then still Takara) released Cherry Blossom Licca in partnership with the perfume company and made her a Limited Edition of 500 dolls. She's wearing a long sleeveless chiffon and silk gown in a pink color, the color of the Cherry Blossom perfume bottle that year. ^_^ See the official pic in the comments here. The perfume has a light floral and fruity scent and features jasmine and cherry. People have said is smells citrus-y and that it's a tea fragnance.
Since it's a feminine perfume, Licca, too, has been given lovely and girly make-up – vibrant candy pink lipstick and white eyeshadow and her eyelashes aren't the same color as the eyebrows but paler. She has pink earrings, blue eyes and is quite pale. Her hairdo is fit for a lady, it's one of my fave kinds of Licca hairstyles in general! I now have three Liccas with this 'do. ^^
The only reason I actually won a Licca I've so far seen maybe twice on auction (I don't know why, Liccas as limited as 100 show up more often) is because the auction stated the box was dented. When I read that, I knew the small chance of owning her has finally come because a dented box will stop the biggest collectors from clicking that bidding button! For collectors that don't de-box dolls and only display them, a not-so-perfect-packaging won't be their cup of tea. And I reckoned some Guerlain completists looking for this Licca will pass up on her for this very reason. YAY FOR ME! \o/ I don't care about the box! Heck, when she arrived I couldn't even see the dent LOLZ. *hugs Licca happily*
I have posted notes on the box pic here about other "imperfections" that helped me secure the doll/scared the collectors away.
Because the price was so GOOD for this sort of Limited, it's hard to believe she's really mine and after such a long time, too. If it weren't for this one bidder bidding against me in the last minutes, she would have been around 1700 Yen or so. That's beyond insane. She was 10,000 Yen upon release and went for more in the following years - the usual with Limiteds. And to think I was so heart-broken and sad after I didn't win her the last time because the end price was 15,000 Yen! Now she's mine for less than 2500 Yen. THANK YOU, my lucky star!
Admittedly, quite a few Liccas I own, particularly Castle Liccas, haven't been the cheapest dolls, and collecting Licca in general is no longer as affordable as it was back in 2004 and 2005, but this time I was granted a great wishlist Licca for a great price, and for that I'm grateful. Everyone loves a good deal and to get one just at the right time when prices are going up year after year, honestly brings a smile on my face and brightens up my day.
CHERRY BLOSSOM LICCA! \O/ I've named her Lilian.
Sorry for the mini essay, I'm just so excited and super happy to have her! *turns cartwheels*