Haute Doll magazine's February 2013 issue unveiled Inamorata Dolls to the world. I can't believe it's been ten years since then, and 7 years more before that point that lead to the creation of Inamorata dolls. To commemorate the decade of Inamorata and the journey that took us here, I'm working on a massive A4 sized 200 page hardcover art book. It will be a limited edition of 100 copies and there will be a preorder for it in September.
Doing research for the book, I discovered that to my surprise my old blog, Creazione - Creation in Miniature, where I documented my diorama and other doll projects since 2008 still exists! Through the blog I also came across another ancient landmark: The Couture Doll Design Challenge (CDDC) contest that I won in 2009. That was a turning point for me, as I finally decided that I wanted to make dolls professionally.
I thank you, my friends, for supporting me through all these years. Some of you I met in 2006 and you encouraged me to make my own dolls. Others bought my earliest dolls in 2013 and gave me courage to start this career. Quite a few are new customers, who discovered me in the recent years. You are all important and dear to me. Thank you for making it possible to do what I love!
More Details
The book will feature articles about different themes, my process, inspiration, and difficulties of doll production. I am also very happy to have some quotes from Inamorata collectors about their dolls. The book will of course have a huge selection of large photos including a new photoshoot with the first resin Inamorata I home cast from a hand sculpted wax model in 2012.
I found her in my mum's attic this summer and brought her home to Japan. This doll is the Eve to all the dolls that followed. She is battered, cast from random colour resins, spray painted white, full of air bubbles and imperfections. I love her. I tied her in Japanese shibari style to a frame as a call back to an early pair of OOAK Inamorata called Luscinia and Nephilidae. I did a spider web for their photoshoot, admiring the style but knowing nothing about shibari at the time. Finding it beautiful and sculptural, I studied it in Japan for some years and can do more justice to this art form now.
Inamorata Masai, early OOAK from 2013 as a full spread cover for the theme "African Beauty".
I have also received a permission from few of my collectors to also print their owner photos of Inamorata dolls, such as Adry's fabulous high fashion photos of Inamorata Danai.
Is there a specific doll you'd like to see? A question you want answered in more depth? Please let me know!