Doll Family A Discussion - part 2

Has anyone else ordered the DFA merman? Mine will be on layaway for a few more months yet and I'm dying to see owner pictures to tide me over.

 

Could someone kindly confirm the neck circumference on the 62cm version 5 body for me, please? If it is the 9.5cm stated on the measurement listings, it’s going to be a real contender for an artist’s head I’ve ordered. But won’t work if it’s thinner than that (there was some speculation being made back in the early page 30’s about it possibly being only 8.5cm)

Thank you!

 

@Kurosakura By my measurements it's 9.5cm.

 

Thank you!

 

Nevermind, it looks like the older versions of the 62cm body aren’t available anymore, so there’s no point in my asking questions about them.

 

Does anyone know which DFA heads have been discontinued? A friend of mine inquired about a couple of heads that are still as if available but when upon asking they were told they're not produced anymore.

 

Hi, does anyone own DF-A Yuxiu? I am especially interested in seeing her face either as blank one or with make-up because promo photos are defo touched up a lot and there are no photos of the face without make up. :/

 

Doll Family is refreshing their entire line I think. Because DF-H really only have three sculpts left in their 70cm line...
I'd go with if it's not on ACBJD it's probably discontinued. Which stinks because I wanted a Long Xiu

 

Wow, DF-A's New Year Event on Alice's Collections is really nice this year.

Doll Family-A 2025 New Year Event (2025.01.22 - 2025.02.28):
* 1/3 or larger dolls or bodies: 30% off + a pair of heel feet as gift.
* 1/4 dolls or bodies: 22% off + a doll stand as gift.
* 1/6 dolls or bodies (discontinue after 2025.02.28): 42% off.

I'm getting tempted, hehe.

 

I caved and ordered a DFA Dimon in light tan on the 75 cm body,no face up

 

You are going to love him! I have him in light tan on their 70cm.

 

Thank you!
Do you have any photos of your Dimon?

 

Does DFA do the same color matches as DFH? Or more limited?

 

Wow! I’m so bummed! I went to take advantage of the Autumn Event Promotion for DF-A, and was told by Alice’s Collection, and Legend Doll, that DF-A has suddenly discontinued ALL their dolls. All of them! No notice - no nothing.

What dah what!? I had wanted to order a 68cm Hui Song, but he is gone! I’m heartbroken.



They are still selling bodies, but I wonder what happened for them to discontinue all their lovely dolls so suddenly.

 

Whoa! That is crayzee news, @Rabbit-moon! That makes me sad.

 

I understand that nowadays, Doll Family-A is mainly collaborating with independent sculptors to cast indie heads and provide bodies for them. I think they also cast full dolls for several other doll makers in an OEM kind of way.

This info is anecdotal, I got it through my discussions with friends who follow the Chinese BJD community. So I can't directly reference this information. But this would explain why companies like DF-H and DF-A no longer cast their self-branded head sculpts, and are going forward with being body-only makers and OEM doll casters for other independent sculptors. DF-A hasn't released a new head sculpt under their own branding for several years already. I don't think this head discontinuation was broadcast on Chinese social media either.

 

Yes, Valdemagra, it makes me sad, too. DF-A had been making dolls as long as I can remember. Talk about an end of an era. I had also wanted to get a 70cm Mu. I could kick myself. Why-oh-why did I wait so long?

Thank you Aihre for your insights.

I don’t understand why DF-A didn’t announce the discontinuation, so Doll Family fans could still get the dolls they wanted before they were gone forever. It seems so heartless not to give people a heads-up.

Maybe someday DF-A will come back with their own sculpts again. I sure missed the boat this time in getting the boys I wanted. The lesson I’ve learned: If there’s a doll you want…get it! Because it could disappear tomorrow.

 

Rabbit-moon -
I had a look through DF-A's Weibo history. It's pretty sparse, and their major releases over the last 3-4 years centre around new bodies, usually with a head to go with them, but those heads are gone from their Taobao store while the bodies are still there. The last 68-70 uncle-sized head sculpt they announced was back in 2021. (edit: Oh, I found Hui Song - pronounced Hui Chong in pinyin - he was released in April 2021.) Currently the DF-A Taobao store is quite bare, only bodies and hand parts. I have a feeling they've transitioned into a primarily OEM doll-casting factory now, ie. they're the manufacturer for other doll sculptors, who release and promote under their own brands.

I note that they made periodic announcements, from 2023 onwards, that they were a reputable casting factory, and they invited independent sculptors to cast their dolls with them. It's entirely possible they switched their doll casting to OEM at around this time, and maybe that's when their discontinuations happened? If they announced it on the Chinese side, it'd be through socmed channels that I don't use. And who knows when they stopped paying attention to their international fans anymore...

I'm really sorry that you weren't able to get the dolls you wanted, I remember you also encountered this with DF-H's sculpts. I think the limited-time preorder model is very much the status quo for Chinese head sculpts now, for better or for worse. Yes, you may have to get the heads you want sooner rather than later.

 

Oh, I am in shock. One of my first SD boys was from them, and most of my pet dolls. That so sad to think they won't have dolls anymore.

 

Thanks for the additional info Aihre. I’m sure you are right, the limited-time preorder model is definitely the norm now.

Yes RabbidBunnies, it’s very sad. Hopefully, since they did not close their doors completely, maybe they will come back someday with new sculpts.