The much anticipated RuPaul Doll will debut in July and retailers can get them from wholesale distributor Prerogatives, Robert Bass, Prerogatives' Director of Development told GAYVN today.
Available in three styles — Supermodel, Red Hot, and Glamazon — representing three stages of pop-culture icon RuPaul's career, the 13" dolls are manufactured by Integrity Toys. According to TheRuPaulDoll.com, the dolls, each with a couture wardrobe, will be produced in limited editions — so once they're gone, they're gone!
"We showed them to buyers at the Lingerie Show in Las Vegas in April and BookExpoAmerica in New York in June. The response was very enthusiastic," said Bass.
Prerogatives started in 1988 as a gay pride products company ("stickers, flags, T-shirts, etc. — everything 'rainbow'"), and has expanded and diversified its lines to include adult and theatrical DVDs, music CDs, books and calendars, lubricants, leather and fetish gear, and a variety of adult lifestyle and novelty products — more than 4,000 in all.
The San Francisco-based company, a partnership between gay siblings Jennifer Wilson and David Wilson, also manufactures and distributes its own line of adult-themed bath and party items.
Explaining how the distribution deal came about, Bass said, "Prerogatives was contacted by Integrity Toys from a recommendation by Vera Sheps, RuPaul's label manager. Vera had called some gay-market retailers and asked who their top distributors were. Prerogatives got a great report card from retailers. At the same time, I emailed RuPaul and Integrity to pitch them on Prerogatives as a distributor for the Doll—not knowing about their search for a distributor or Vera's recommendation! Integrity tapped us to market the RuPaul Doll to GLBT and adult wholesale markets worldwide."
Retailers can order the RuPaul Doll from Prerogatives at 800-707-4327; 877-774-3332 (Fax); [email protected]; and their B2B website, PrideCatalog.com.
