![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
She arrived yesterday early afternoon. I wanted to introduce her right away, but before I unpacked, cleaned and assembled her, took some photos and figured out how to put them in a doll album it was already 2AM
![Shocked 8O](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
![Image](https://dollalbum.com/dollgallery/albums/userpics/14776/20161125_230734.jpg)
1. Background:
I've been attracted to dolls and mannequins for as long as I've been interested in real women (and I'm sure there is a proper medical name for that
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
At first I wanted to buy one of the used classic collector mannequins made by companies like Hindsgaul or Rootstein but I lost the eBay auctions for the few that picked my interest
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
2. Purchase:
After a short search it seemed that Loutoff mannequins would be the best in their price range. I had no problem finding a vendor, as there are at least three independent companies that import and sell Loutoff mannequins in Poland. In fact, most of the stores here have Loutoff mannequins on display. After much thought I narrowed my choice to LEM26 and LEM27. I decided to go with LEM26 (don't tell Iza I said that!), but she was out of stock everywhere and importing her just for me would take at least 2 months. So I settled on LEM27, ordered, payed with PayPal and she was here in 3 days
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
![Razz :razz:](./images/smilies/icon_razz.gif)
3. Arrival, unpacking and assembly:
Iza arrived via UPS on Friday around 3PM. The cardboard box was torn in one place and plastic packaging band cut through it in another, but Iza had no visible damage from shipping. Each of her seven pieces (right leg with pelvis, left leg, torso and head, two arms and two hands) came separately wrapped in bubble wrap and packaging foam. She was covered in fine white dust and smelled like a warehouse, but a quick wipe with diluted baby shampoo and water took care of that. Some perfume helped to cover the smell until it goes off. A word of warning: wipe your doll with a wet towel before attempting to kiss/lick her in places sprayed with perfume!!!
![Embarassed :oops:](./images/smilies/icon_redface.gif)
I was really amazed with the quality of Loutoff mannequins! Maybe because I didn't expect too much from a mass produced Chinese doll
![Mr. Green :mrgreen:](./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif)
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Now the pleasant surprises: the details on her hands and palms are absolutely astonishing! Also her overall sculpt is much more realistic when it comes to body curves than I had anticipated. I can assure you that Loutoff mannequins look at least as sexy and realistic up close as they do on pictures, if not more!
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
About the wig: it looks nice but I seen higher quality wigs. But hey, it was free
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
4. Dressing and handling:
Putting Iza together and dressing her was quite easy after I figured out in which precise direction do the mounting hooks and pins slide. Before dressing her it's good to stop and think what parts you need to disassemble and in what order. It's also worth noting that the most obvious way of putting on clothes (e.g. sliding the arm hand first into the sleeve) is not always the best one. But I'm sure anyone who ever dressed a mannequin knows that already. Despite weighting less than 10kg with the glass plate, she is still quite a challenge to move around! I'm not very strong, but neither am I weak (I regularly train longsword fencing and jog or swim from time to time), but still my back and arms ache a bit. I can only imagine how it is with a 25kg or 40kg doll, but I know I'll hit the gym when I decided to buy one
![Razz :razz:](./images/smilies/icon_razz.gif)
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
5. The fun:
I haven't mod Iza in any way yet, but I cuddled with her and we spent a night together. Despite being made of hard fiberglass, Iza feels great when hugged or cuddled! I was also afraid that her pose would make sleeping and playing with her difficult, but fortunately this is not the case.
Thing I have expected: The wig will not stay put when she is laying down.
Thing I have not expected: The arms will not stay put when she is laying down!
This led to some embarrassing events. When I tried to get her on top of me she practically fell apart
![Embarassed :oops:](./images/smilies/icon_redface.gif)
![Twisted Evil :twisted:](./images/smilies/icon_twisted.gif)
I really need a way to reinforce her joints so at least they won't come apart under their own weight in horizontal position. I'm thinking small neodymium magnets (they work perfectly for wargaming miniatures!) but I still need to think it over.
6. The verdict:
All in all I've been it's been an extremely joyous weekend so far! Despite a few little flaws, Iza is a beautiful and sexy mannequin. I definitely would recommend Loutoff mannequins for anyone looking for a cheaper/lighter alternative to more expensive dolls. Or for anyone wanting to experiment with mods without potentially ruining a doll worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars!
7. The goodies:
Here's the link to Iza's first album http://www.dollalbum.com/dollgallery/th ... album=8055 . The pictures are taken with a smartphone camera, so they're nothing special in terms of quality. I will take some better pictures as soon as I can, but today I have a family dinner so she has to go hide in a closet for the evening (my parents and in-laws are not nearly as tolerant as my wife is!
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)