Volks will attend the 2005 IFDC

If we know in time that they'll be there next year, I want to go! It would be so great to see the dolls in person and take one of their classes.

Kathi

 

I had no idea MIKEY was a woman. XD;;;

Very cool tho! First Haute Doll, now the IFDC... what next for ABJDs?

 

That's it though? I'd love it if they had a doll or clothes, then I could justify the trouble to get the Vegas.

 

Damn...if only registration didn't cost quite so much ^^;;

 

Thanks for posting the info. All of us on the IFDC yahoo group weren't sure what the class was going to cover, including the convention organizer, Jim. It was scheduled last minute like late last week. The class filled up fast as many attendees are curious about ABJD and Volks. I was lucky that Jim held a lottery for a couple remaining spots and I got in. Yay! I just hope it is demonstration only as Jun refuses to have her makeup touched as it's perfect from Volks in the first place.

This is the second year that Volks is attending. Last year, Doll and Hobby Shoppe attended with them so there was stuff, mainly Dollfie for us to buy. This year is different. Doll and Hobby isn't coming. Volks will have a display in the gallery and salesroom and supposedly some of those items will be donated to the auction during the convention.

As for the convention itself, it sells out in advance. Jim adds a few spaces each year, but allows those of us who have supported the convention the chance to reserve a spot. He's pretty busy this month with two conventions, one this week, so you might not be able to get ahold of him to ask him about 2006. The only thing I can say is that right now, even if you think the whole convention is pricey, the souvenir doll, a Fashion Royalty doll by Integrity Toys is very re-sellable as they are the current hot fashion dolls that collectors want.

Anyway, there is no guarantee that Volks will be back in 2006 until they let him know like they did with this year's convention. I'm sure those of us who collect ABJD and read this board will let you know once that gets confirmed as Jim is very organized and keeps us up to date on all convention info.

 

oh my! Me neither *feels dumb*

 

How does one sign up to attend the convention? It's only a 5-6 hour drive away from Los Angeles so I'd really like to attend ^^ Thanks for any info you can provide!

 

When visited Volks last year and toured the factory - I was very surprised to find that all the sculptors were men and the make-up artists were women (that were there that day anyway). BTW - the tour of the factory was only given to me because I work for a FDQ (doll magazine).
-Am

 

The convention is sold out, but I think that the Saturday Salesroom is open to the public. Private venders may have BJD stuff to sell, but not Volks.
-Am

 

I should have said that this year is sold out and the wait list is/was pretty big.

The salesroom will be open on Saturday from 9am to 3pm. Over in the Meet-Up area, I posted a link to the convention website and it looks like some people are trying to plan a get-together. There is no guarantee that you will find lots of stuff to purchase for your BJDs and my best guess is you might find wigs and jewelry. Volks will have a display in the salesroom, which you would be able to look at and probably talk with them. And like Am said, they will not be selling the items on display. Beyond that, I know that R&D Collectibles with Manika.com's help will have Susie and other Asian market dolls for sale.

IFDC next year, 2006, will be in Vegas, but I'm not exactly sure how many spots he'll be adding or how big a list of interested people he already has as this convention keeps increasing in popularity.

 

Aww no Thanks for answering though!

 

oh... so we can't even go to the Volks meetings? I wish this had been announced somewhere earlier, if I'd known they were coming I could have gone! (I could drive down, but if I can't even go to the volks panels because it's sold out,... then I guess I shouldnt bother...)

 

The public can't go to the makeover/paint workshop Friday morning (it filled up in 24 hours since it was limited to 20 people anyway) and the Beauty Salon on Friday from 2pm to 6pm as those are paid conventioneer times.

But non-convention attendees can participate in the Beauty Salon on July 30th from 9am to 3pm. That is the time that the salesroom is open to the public. Volks will be offering that service from their booth/display in the salesroom based on a post on the IFDC yahoo group last week. I would guess the salon could be one on one or maybe small groups of people gathered around to see what's happening. It won't be like a panel at an anime/comic con where you sit down and the speakers are at the front of the room. Convention attendees have a chance at the Beauty Salon the day before for a few hours, so hopefully, Volks will be able to handle convention attendees and not run over into the public day. I have no idea exactly how many convention attendees own Volks SDs and will be interested in the service. And this is the first time they're doing it, so I have no idea how long it takes them to work on one doll.

I say if you love Volks and want to show your support of them doing things like this and if Vegas isn't too bad a drive for you, try to go to the public sales day. As a fashion doll collector who only has 2 Volks SD-13, I can't say for sure if the public sales room would be worth it for a dedicated ABJD collector, but sometimes I go to doll things because it's what I consider a once in a lifetime opportunity. Maybe to make it worth it, you could try to plan an ABJD meet-up for breakfast or lunch or something--see thread over in meet-ups.

Last year, Volks focus seemed more on the 1:6 scale Dollfies, WTG, and Century Models with just a few SD on display. There's a different person in charge of this trip. This year is the first time they offered to do a class and the beauty salons. I really have no idea what to expect of the display, the class or the beauty salon.

I'm sure the convention organizer is sorry that he wasn't able to post here about this, but he's not very familiar with ABJD and is learning a little bit about them. The class and Beauty Salon weren't announced until late last week as Volks wasn't sure what they were doing until then.

This year's convention was sold out days after last year's event. And I think the 2006 convention might sell out again, but there's always a wait list with a chance to get in if someone cancels or doesn't pay on time. Of all the doll conventions I've attended I like this one the best as it covers such a wide range of dolls that I happen to like. Hopefully, Volks will enjoy themselves and wish to come back for the 2006 convention, but there is no guarantee. Sorry, I can't be more helpful than that except to promise to take lots of pictures.

 

Is there a website we can register for next year's convention then? I'd like to at least be able to do that.

Thanks for the detailed information! That's really helpful in knowing what to expect for next year

 

Wow, thanks for all the information! I really appreciate it!!

yeah, the trouble is,... what if Volks isn't coming next year? I've pretty much limited myself down to ABJD (Volks specifically) so while I'd find the rest of the convention at least somewhat interesting... I wouldn't really want to go unless Volks, or some other ABJD company was attending. I wish there was some way to know in advance!

At least I wouldnt have known anyway, since you say Volks just announced it last week, and the convention was sold out months ago!!

I think Suzuka and I will attempt to go on Saturday, and at least say hi. I'd really like to say "HI" and thankyou again, to Mikey and the other Volks staff, since they were really sweet to us when we went to Japan this past Febuary.

I'll probably at least bring Violet with me, my snow mika MSD. So look for us if you happen to be going, and say hi! !

 

Suzuka, the website is: http://www.fashiondollmakeovers.com/home.htm

The info for next year is not up yet. The convention is going to be in Vegas again in early August (guessing 8-12th, but I could be wrong) at the Stardust. Jim, the convention organizer, usually lets current convention attendees have first dibs. Doesn't sound fair, but we'd all be crushed if we couldn't go back to our favorite convention, especially those of us who've attended all of them. I'm not sure how many spaces he'll be adding for 2006. He adds an amount that he feels he can handle. I'm not sure how he's working the leftover spots or how many people have already e-mailed him that they are interested in attending the next convention. I do know he keeps a wait list after the registration sells out and that people do get into the convention off that list.

You can e-mail him at [email protected]. He is out of town this week through at least Sunday and I'm not sure when he leaves to go to Vegas to prep for IFDC. There is a yahoo group for the convention as well: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IFDConvention/?yguid=10917342 I really don't know how well or fast he'll answer inquiries on registration for next year's convention.

Good luck and I hope you do you get to go next year.

Aimee, maybe if enough of us ask Volks to come back next year, they will. I've been trying to recall when Jim announced that Volks would be coming to this year's convention, but it was a few/several months ago, for a while I was figuring they would just be doing a display again, since convention was getting so close.

If you and Suzuka are going to the public salesroom day, see if one of the dealers can direct you to Jim who runs the convention, so you can chat with him and see if he can keep you up to date at least about Volks. He should have a salestable filled with Barbies that he made over in patriotic themes this year, look for red, white, and blue sequins and other sparkly things.

And before I forget both FDQ and Haute Doll are supposed to be at the convention. This will be Haute Doll's first time at the convention and FDQ's second.

I'll have Volks Jun T. with me. Not sure how long I'll be in the salesroom Saturday as it's best to keep me away from temptation and I have sightseeing to do with friends.

 

yeah, actually I work as a staff writer for Haute Doll! So it will be nice to meet some fellow members. I'll try to search Jim out. ^_^ thanks again for the info.

 

I just cameback last night from the National Barbie Convention in Boston , Jim was there and we were talking for a while,, he told me that they weren't sure if volks was going to make it this year so it was like a last minutes thing.
The convention is not really mainly focus on volks or bjds, is more like Fashion Royalty. Also the Alexander company is going to be there.
Its a very small conveniton only 300 people compare to the Barbie were they were 1000.

They are going to be in the sales room but he is not really sure what they are bringing or how many dolls, because he said that half of them don't even speak english and is hard to comunicate and that they like to do their own thing.

I am flying from Florida on Friday to attend the sales room on saturday. So if anyone is interest on crashing in my room let me know.

Pony_gery