This is an early Gene outfit by Ad called 'El Morocco' and it is one of the AD outfits that I have kept (I prefer the fitted cocktail dresses to the sticky-out ones with petticoats). Even thought it is not a particularly great fit - could do with being a touch tighter - it still looks nice on the dolls.
Well it looks like we will all be enjoying our AD outfits a lot more now as Mel announced on 6th November that he is retiring Gene for good and she will not be produced after June 2010.
Very sad news but 15 years is a good run and I would rather Gene go out with a bang rather than a whimper. There will be one more doll only on general release and she is already sold out at a lot of dealers. The doll is called 'It's a Cinch' and is LE 200 - I've already pre-ordered her! There will also be one of every Monolithic character (Gene, Madra, Trent, Violet, Ivy, Zita and Oona) made for a farewell convention in June 2010. Not sure at this stage is absentee packages will be offered.
Anyway back to the picture! 'Metropolitan Madra' models 'El Morocco' minus the original hat and shoes. Hat by Fil Baldowski (much nicer than the original IMO!) and shoes by Doll-Scum .. here is the story behind the outfit ...
Taking a break from your hectic film schedule, it’s wonderful to go back East to visit family and friends in New York City. But it’s not so easy to go out for a relaxing night on the town as it used to be! Now your fans are everywhere, photographers are your constant shadow, and what you do, who you see, and what you wear...makes the papers and the fan magazines within hours!
Still, Gene tries to be as low-key as possible when she travels home. She likes to stay with her parents in the house she grew up in, where she can relax and just be herself. But to commemorate her father’s 50th birthday celebration, she decides to treat the family to an evening of dinner and dancing at El Morocco, one of New York’s most glittering nightclubs, well-known for its celebrity clientele.
For this special evening, Gene selects one of her most unique, chic cocktail dresses in a rich shade of plum taffeta. The form-fitting sheath has jet buttons, a full overskirt of black tulle, and a velvet bow at the waist...very fashion-forward details for the era! With this dress Gene wears a smart feathered hat with a face veil and carries a matching clutch bag. Two rhinestone scatter pins and a rhinestone and amethyst bracelet add tasteful glitter to a truly memorable ensemble. And Gene’s parents enjoy it all, taking her stardom in stride.
