DS Mini 100cm "Eve," Gen.2

zedoh6 · Post by **zedoh6** » Sat Jan 06, 2018 4:53 pm

Model: DS Mini 100cm "Eve" 2nd generation
Ordered: December 13, 2017
Completed: December 29, 2017
Shipped from China: January 3, 2018 (DHL Express)
Received in US: January 5, 2018

I thought that there might be owners of the initial production run of minis interested in my experiences with Doll Sweet's "2nd generation" of 100cm dolls.

If you have read reviews or flipped through some of the beautiful photos available on the forum featuring DS Minis (also known as DG100 or Dream Girls), you are already aware of how charming they are and how much their owners adore them.

Unfortunately, it is my anecdotal understanding that a high number of dolls were damaged in transit. The doll's skeleton was constructed from a rather brittle plastic that was particularly vulnerable around the joints.

DS pulled the mini from production for a time in order to improve the doll's robustness and shipping survivability.

The "Eve" model I ordered from DS in December of 2017 marks the second production run of 100cm miniature dolls, including all improvements made during the revision process.

The main engineering change I am aware of is that 2nd gen minis use a more robust plastic. It is possible that there were some tweaks made to the skeletal form itself.

Dolls are now wrapped in a cute gray sleeping bag. Any clothing that would have stained the doll's skin have been removed in favor of a custom white bikini. In addition, each doll dons a protective styrofoam vest and matching booties.

The majestic black ExDoll case with diecut foam interior has been scrapped (apparently to cut down on shipping weight).

The current packing box is frighteningly spartan... a thin cardboard box. The inside is lined with a thin styrofoam wall. Two blocks have been glued in place to reduce stray head movement.

So is this enough to protect the doll during her journey?

Well, not completely.

I suspect the box was shipped upright instead of on its side. The skeleton pushed through the soft silicone at the base of the feet, so my Eve has 2 horseshoe shaped tears in her heels.

On the bright side, the skeleton appears to be intact! I am a bit nervous because the right foot has a bit more torsional slop around the ankle compared to the left foot. I can't feel a fracture, but there is a lot of odd creaking around the limb when unrelated movement is made. I don't know if that might suggest a hairline crack or I'm just being really paranoid.

At any rate, Eve made the long trek from China to my front door and in record time! It should be noted that the lightning quick 3 day shipping time and lack of package tampering probably played an enormous role in Eve arriving relatively unscathed.

She charmed me before could even get her out of the box... A pair of sultry eyes, mummified in styrofoam and gray nylon.

The poor thing only has the bikini to wear in this frigid house so after her powdering, I wrapped her in a cute pink hospital blanket and sat her on the couch while I bake and wash the sheets.

As I pass the family room between errands, I catch Eve from the corner of my eye staring from under her blankets.

It's wonderful to have her home.

...Eventually, I hope to get my post count high enough to upload photos! I'm getting there... slowly.

Until then, I'll save the formal introductions for later.

samara78 · Post by **samara78** » Mon Jan 08, 2018 1:30 am

Please do get your post count up. We would love to see pics of your little sweetie. They started putting in steal rods in the frame to make her more durable a very good call by them. Send john and steven a direct email about damages.

linux_tyro · Post by **linux_tyro** » Mon Jan 08, 2018 5:00 am

Hopefully they have improved their procedures for dealing with damages as well. I don't think many members who's 1st gen doll arrived crumpled up was satisfied with the deal they were given. Good luck to you and sorry about your doll.

hollows+fentiman · Post by **hollows+fentiman** » Mon Jan 08, 2018 5:24 am

Both my first gen minis arrived end on in their cardboard boxes broken and it’s sad to hear DS are still shipping that way. It doesn’t matter how many labels you put on these boxes, the carriers are going to carry them the easiest way they can and that’s not flat! John even said to me that the box must have been dropped from a great height to cause that damage but if there’s no protection to keep it crumpling when the box is on it’s end who knows what can happen!

Sorry there’s a bit of damage but it sounds like that’s a fairly easy repair so, yeah, post some photos and I’m sure Samara can help if not many of us here have had to do silicone repairs!

You’ll find 3 to 4 year old clothes in charity shops might be a good start on clothing while you look around for more suitable stuff! Get plain stretchy stuff if you can (don’t post sweet kiddies patterned clothes on her as it’s hard to find adult looking clothes that size so pick carefully so you won’t fall foul of Rule one!)!

Cheers, Hollows.

Post by **LoneRanger** » Mon Jan 08, 2018 1:22 pm

I have the best luck with (rule #1) Size 1....Remove the bows and avoid stupid patterns.

Everyone of these outfits came from Amazon....Krystal's Black Dress was a size 2 and to big. All the other outfits are Size 1.

Just to be clear, all 3 are Gen 1 and both Celeste and Blossom came in their own sculpted EXDoll custom boxes. You can be sure those boxes are wrapped and safely stored away.

zedoh6 · Post by **zedoh6** » Mon Jan 08, 2018 4:23 pm

I'm going to pick up some silicon sealant and fix the tear myself.

At the present time, Doll Sweet's mini packaging does not address the issues of shock damage or the box being stood on its side. Couple that with customs inspectors who fail to repack the doll correctly and you have a recipe for disaster.

My DS mini arrived from China within 3 days without being opened. That's the BEST possible scenario given the circumstances and poor Eve still arrived damaged. I honestly don't foresee future DS mini shipments faring any better.

Now, having said that, if I had it to do all over again, I'd still buy a DS Mini in a heartbeat.

It's a purely emotional decision. She melted my heart the moment she poked out of that gray sleeping bag and she's been by my side ever since.

Yes perhaps it's just a doll, and there are tons of other dolls available. But the moment she became MY doll, I couldn't conceive of replacing her. Perhaps that's a bit odd, but that is how I feel about it.

TDF is a wonderful resource backed by a supportive and helpful community. I am confident Eve's footsies are, uh... in good hands.

Cheers, Hollows & LoneRanger for the helpful clothing advice. In addition, silk scarves are extremely useful. Look up a youtube video on "how to tie a sarong" and you've got an instant wardrobe!

(I used to have a TON of scarves, but tossed a bunch of them last year because they were just taking up space... ack, the regret! Cheap quality ones go for a king's ransom on Amazon these days.)

BTW, LoneRanger, your photos of the sisters always bring a big smile to my face. You tell such great stories and your images convey the genuine affection you have for your dolls.

Your photos not only inspired me to adopt Eve, they also encouraged me to take up my camera and contribute to the community. Thank you.

black portrait.jpg

Post by **LoneRanger** » Mon Jan 08, 2018 6:30 pm

Now those are bluest blue eyes I have ever seen, gorgeous!! Can't wait to see some more of her pictures!!

Thanks!!

Silk is a must!!

pastydude · Post by **pastydude** » Mon Jan 15, 2018 10:33 pm

Gratz on your mini! I love mine. I do wish DS would figure out how to pack better though.

Robert Lloyd · Post by **Robert Lloyd** » Tue Jan 23, 2018 5:14 pm

Shippers have to assume the doll will be dropped on its head and stepped on while in the box.
Once this assumption is made they should pack the boxes with protection accordingly.

I can't find where to order a DS Mini. It's not on their website as far as I can tell.
Which website did you order from?

Paleonaturist · Post by **Paleonaturist** » Tue Jan 23, 2018 5:19 pm

They were on DSDoll's site ... before the Holidays.

For a short time afterward, you could click on the "We have the Mini on sale for only..." button, but it would lead to an error page; then all trace of the Mini vanished. Given the current climate in the U.S., I suspect that she's gone for good - I hope I'm wrong.

~B.

zedoh6 · Post by **zedoh6** » Tue Jan 23, 2018 6:00 pm

Hmmm... If they are still selling the doll in Asian / European markets, it's unlikely that they are making any structural changes to the dolls themselves.

They may be calming US demand while they work out a better packaging solution.. or they may have dropped US support entirely. Without an official statement from the company, this is all speculation, I'm afraid.

At this point, your best chance of finding one in the US may be searching for a US owner on the forum looking to sell/ trade.

Unfortunately, I don't think you're likely to find many mini owners willing to part with their dolls.

zedoh6 · Post by **zedoh6** » Mon Jan 29, 2018 3:15 pm

UPDATE: January 29, 2018

Eve's twin sister Ada arrived today.

The packaging was identical to Eve's save for one notable upgrade:

fragile.jpg

Who knew that this is all it takes to keep people from kicking the box around like a football?

Ada arrived intact— no broken joints or skin tears.

The heels still exhibit compression marks, but I suspect these will heal with gentle massage and time:

heel1.jpg

heel2.jpg

The only notable structural difference I discovered was that Ada is missing the "trademark" screw in between her shoulder blades:

noscrew.jpg

I am not sure if this was an omission or a new design feature.

Ada's detailing seems more nuanced and lifelike than Eve's, although it could be that Eve's complexion has just evened out from powdering and wear.

Her hands in particular are exquisite. The fingers retained more detail from the mold, looking just a tad more slender and graceful.

Swings and roundabouts— the artist completely neglected Ada's toes, so her feet are ghost-like on the top.

It is possible that the niggling issues I've mentioned are a result of DS staff hustling to complete orders before the country shuts down for Chinese New Year. Considering everything the Eve's friends have gone through before her, I am happy that Ada arrived safely with her only complaints being pale toes and a screw loose!

Once Ada's had a chance to relax from her long journey, Eve and I will check in on her.

Post by **LoneRanger** » Mon Jan 29, 2018 3:18 pm

Congratulations on your second treasure!! She looks white? Can't wait to see some more pictures....

zedoh6 · Post by **zedoh6** » Mon Jan 29, 2018 3:26 pm

Poor lighting conditions...

Ada is Light Pink (same as Eve).

In person, Ada's overall appearance is slightly more flushed than Eve's.

HSP_960 · Post by **HSP_960** » Wed Jan 31, 2018 12:53 am

zedoh6 wrote:UPDATE: January 29, 2018

Eve's twin sister Ada arrived today.

The only notable structural difference I discovered was that Ada is missing the "trademark" screw in between her shoulder blades:

The attachment noscrew.jpg is no longer available
I am not sure if this was an omission or a new design feature.

My Synthia arrived about a week ago and she's also missing the screw between her shoulder blades.
Is it supposed to come with the DS-Mini?