Ellowyne Wilde Is A Doll With A Mood

Ellowyne Wilde dolls are sold by Wilde Imagination, a doll company owned by Tonner Dolls.  Robert Tonner is the creator, artist, and fashion designer for all Ellowyne dolls.  In a prior life Robert was a top fashion designer for Bill Blass, and transfers all of his knowledge and design skills into wonderful doll sized creations. 

Ellowyne was the first doll in the Wilde Imagination line, introduced in the summer of 2006.  She is the first doll of a group inspired by gothic and anime themes that are currently so popular.  There are other dolls that are Ellowyne's friends and rivals, along with a subsequent line, called Evangeline Ghastly dolls.  These are all collector dolls, not play dolls, and are recommended for ages 14+.

Robert Tonner wanted to create a doll with a concept and look that was different than what was popular at the time.  He seems to have hit a home run with the Ellowyne Wilde dolls because now, seven years later, collectors anxiously await with baited breath each new doll and fashion release.  There are fans that covet every single item in the collection.

My Ellowyne Wilde doll, pictured above, is the Grand Despair model.  She has pale white skin, blue glass eyes, and long dark brown rooted saran hair.  Her dress is long black taffeta with a lace bodice and lots of tulle underneath to make the gown fluffy and wide.  This doll is no longer available on the Wilde Imagination website. I bought her when she was in line to be discontinued last year.  You can find her on eBay and other online venues if you search.  Be expected to pay top dollar because retired Ellowyne dolls go up in price.  This particular doll was very popular and commands a premium. 

You can buy a basic Ellowyne Wilde doll that comes in a feminine undergarments, or a dressed doll. The dressed dolls carry a higher price tag.  There are also lots of outfits and accessories for her to wear. I think this is the best feature in the doll line because you truly get high quality, famous designer fashions, crafted in the smaller doll scale. The fabrics are rich, the designs are creative and unique, and of course Ellowyne has the perfect body to display them.

Ellowyne is 19 years old and lives in a big Victorian home in San Francisco that is owned by her grandmother.  It sits directly on the earthquake fault line.  She doesn't mind because she is always so bored at least that offers an element of uncertainty.  Her father is an architect and her mother died when she was young. She was born in a funeral home into a family that suffers much depression and turmoil.  It's no wonder she is always tired, indecisive, and bored.

Her therapist of 7 years, Dr. Elaine Bantam, has diagnosed Ellowyne with chronic ennui (pronounced ahn-wee) - a feeling of weariness and dissatisfaction - with a touch of melancholy. Dr. Bantam notes that she dresses in the most remarkable outfits she finds in the San Francisco thrift stores, and looks lovely, but rarely feels like going out.  She encourages Ellowyne to keep a journal and write poetry to chronicle her feelings.  Ellowyne writes that her thrift store shopping trips seem to help her condition more than Dr. Bantam.

• Prudence Moody - She is Ellowyne's best friend. In fact until recently she was her only friend.  They were both born on the same day and both enjoy shopping at San Francisco thrift stores. They have been in all the same classes since they were first began school.

• Amber Stanhope - Amber also shares the same birthday with Ellowyne. They refer to themselves as frienemies.  Their fathers work at the same San Francisco architectural firm.  Amber is jealous of Ellowyne and occasionally does things to undermine her or get her into trouble.

• Rufus Rutter - Rufus has feelings for Ellowyne but he's very shy about them.  He is her grandmother's handyman but he also attends college with Ellowyne and Prudence.  He received a scholarship and is working to pay his living expenses.  He's got very close set eyes and a very large nose.  Odd looking to say the least.  Ellowyne likes Rufus as a friend, at least that's what she says.

• Lizette Dionne - Lizette is the newest of the Wilde Imagination group.  She moved to San Francisco from New Orleans.  Ellowyne met her in the waiting room at their therapists office. Lizette loves to tell stories about her home town.

• Sybil the cat - Sybil is Ellowyne's cat.  She's sweet and playful, except where Ellowyne is concerned.  Ellowyne keeps a box of band-aids handy when she plays with Sybil.

• Dr. Elaine M. Bantam - Ellowyne's therapist for the last 7 years.  Dr. Bantam is committed to helping Ellowyne cure her feelings of ennui.

• Charles Wilde - Ellowyne's father, who works as an architect and for Mr. Stanhope, Amber's father.  His daughter is the apple of his eye.