What is "Super Dollfie 10 Year History ~Forever in Your Arms~" ?
The decade of Super Dollfie is days that we (VOLKS, VIRGINAL ART and ZOUKEI-MURA) have had with your support.
Doll Design Department show you the ten years history with photos and from various sides.
“The Ten Year History of Super Dollfie: 2002”
The culture of Super Dollfie… in 2001, it began to build up its position as a definite existence in the world. In 2002, the Super Dollfie world caught that current and used it to spread its wings even wider still.
The year had barely begun, but in February Standard SD13 Nono made her debut. Countless customers were charmed by the body, and the expression of this slightly more grown-up girl.
On March 3rd, we were able to participate in a gothic lolita fair sponsored by “Kera!” magazine. There we introduced the master models of our gothic lolita collaborations and also of Michael, all of whom were due to be released at the next Dolpa.
To our delight, there were many people in the fashion world who also had an interest in Super Dollfie, and we received a truly wonderful response.
And then when May 5th rolled around, we held “Dolls Party 7”.
For our Limited SD, we released the collaboration dolls that had drawn such attention at the gothic lolita fair -- collaborations with “BABY, THE STARS SHINE BRIGHT”, “BLACK PEACE NOW” and “ATELIER-PIERROT”. Collaborating with such high profile gothic lolita brands as “BABY”, “BPN” and “ATELIER” showed us, and also our fans, yet another new aspect of Super Dollfie.
At the same time we also debuted the models “V” and “D”, wearing original gothic lolita outfits created by Volks.
In addition, we released boy dolls that we’re proud to say hold great popularity even now -- “Michael”, “Lucas 1st”, and “Chris 1st”. We also announced our Standard SD boy, “Ryo”, and our Standard SD13 boy, “Show”. Mischievous, gallant, and yet very kind… surely they could be the embodiment of your ideal SD? These boy dolls have led countless female fans into the world of Super Dollfie.
On top of that, we did a special release of the “Dolpa 7 Limited Head” at this Dolpa. It was an elf-type head with slightly pointed ears. Owners could request whatever makeup they desired for the head at the same place they received it, so it was quite a unique way to receive a doll.
“The cheeks should be a little bit more pink…”
“If the eyebrows were more gallant…”
It truly was an evolving doll. What kind of feelings might those owners have felt, watching this head becoming their own ideal Super Dollfie right there at Dolpa?
In June, we opened a Tenshi no Sumika at our Volks Osaka Showroom.
With the opening of this Tenshi no Sumika, we became able to deliver the charm of Super Dollfie to our customers living in the Kansai area. This was a very happy occasion for us at Volks, for our head office is based in Kyoto, also in the Kansai area.
On the 25th of August, we held the Dolpa in C3 Makuhari Messe.
For the Limited SD, we released our first “Sweet Dreams” type, “Nono Sweet Dreams”.
“Are her eyes completely closed?”
“I wonder if she has glass eyes in or not…”
The debut of the first “Sweet Dreams” caused quite a sensation.
With her gentle expression that seemed to be viewing some kind of sweet dream, perhaps our owners were also able to feel the soothing power of Super Dollfie?
At the same time we also released “Cecile”. The release of our gallant “Cecile”, continuing on the trend from “Lucas” and “Chris”… thinking about it now, we feel that it was an essential moment in the history of the Super Dollfie world.
As another first-time experiment, we gave as a present the optional parts “holding hands for SD+SD13 boys” to those owners who greeted both Nono Sweet Dreams and Cecile. These tiny hands, linking Super Dollfie together, were yet another way in which the world of Super Dollfie was brought even closer to the ideals of their owners.
The renewal of our Standard SD girls’ makeup was also done at this time.
The release of new heads, the announcement of “holding hands”, the makeup renewal… we were truly achieving the growth and evolution of Super Dollfie, just as their owners wished it.
Just one month later, on September 29th, we held another Hometown Dolpa Osaka. Despite being a hometown event, with popular models such as “Nono School Uniform Version”, “Nana School Uniform Version”, and “Mimi School Uniform Version”, it made for quite a crowded event! These school uniform-clad Super Dollfie were sweet, refreshing, and able to make you forget all about the overwhelming heat of summer.
At the same time, the Super Dollfie world spread itself even further to become nationwide. Having heard the fervent wishes of our customers outside of the Kantou and Kansai areas, in October we opened the Sapporo Showroom together with the Sapporo Tenshi no Sumika. In November we opened the Ginza Tenshi no Sumika, and to celebrate the opening we released “Aya” and “Ginza Michael”.
Having Super Dollfie be desired by customers across the country, establishing a Sumika in every district… this was a reasonable enough desire, but having this precious wish actually realized was like something out of a dream.
We had 434 dealers participate in “Dolls Party 8”, held on December 15th, and so it really became quite a big event.
For the Limiteds, we released the 2nd version of “Lucas” and “Chris” -- “Picadilly Circus Lucas” and “Montparnasse Chris” -- as well as “Ginza Michael Dolpa Version”, with a different wig from his previous release. These dolls had become the topic of discussion amongst owners since their original release. The voices of our customers, yearning for these boy dolls that were still quite rare, is what made this lineup a reality.
In addition, our tiny MSD twin angels “Mika” and “Ken” made their debut. “Ken” was the first MSD boy. With their mischievous eyes and their adorable smiles, they charmed everyone who came near them.
In that same December, we opened a Tenshi no Sumika at our Kobe showroom.
Next of all we held a Christmas Fair. We released Limited SD that were perfectly suited to Christmas -- “Nono Christmas Version”, “Mimi Christmas Version”, and “Ryo Christmas Version”. Their luxurious outfits made them all the more elegantly striking amidst the crowds of the lively Christmas streets.
And so passed 2002, in which each day seemed to be blessed.
Our childlike MSD, our adorable SD, our grown-up SD13… in answer to our customers’ ideals and desires, many types of Super Dollfie had developed. And for those customers whose desires were for dolls already been and gone, they turned their attention to the thought, “I bet that before I know it, my ideal Super Dollfie will be released, too”.
In the following year, yet another legend would be born in the world of Super Dollfie. But that’s a tale for next time, so please look forward to the story of 2003!
* “Our head office based in Kyoto”
our head office at that time was in the location of the current Nagaokakyo Showroom. The staff, led by president Shigeta, worked hard every day by trial and error… and so the Nagaokakyo Showroom is the place that laid the foundation to build up Volks to the company it is today.
