“People don’t just want these dolls for sex.”

Thanks to innovative technologies and better materials and production methods, we see more and more sophisticated dolls entering the market. One example of this development is DS Doll EVOLUTION, which is available from Cloud Climax – the flagship retailer for DS Dolls and EX Dolls in the UK and Europe – right now. The founder and head of the company, Paul Lumb, provides us with more information about the current situation in the doll segment and tells us what we can expect from the dolls industry and from Cloud Climax in the months ahead.

Some days ago, www.dsdollrobotics.com went online. What is your plan for this project?
Paul Lumb: Our DS Dolls robotics site is aimed to give all the relevant information about the new DS Dolls Robotic Head that is due for release. We wanted to create a really special site and one that is designed appropriately to reflect the innovative technology that is the DS Dolls Robotic Head. There will be more Robotic Technology news coming out of DS Dolls in the near future so DSDollRobotics.com is the space to watch! The videos and images on the site give a look to the future development as well as the current technology about to be released.

Dolls have been a much talked-about topic throughout 2017, with a lively discussion surrounding it. Will public awareness and attention remain on that same level in 2018, or could it even increase?
I think that the discussion around all types of dolls will continue to increase year on year. With the innovative technologies, improvements in materials & manufacturing processes and new products being released all the time, there is an awful lot to talk about. Our aim is to bring Sex Dolls into the forefront of the market. We have introduced a range of TPE dolls, from JY Dolls and these range from £899-£1699 and we are now able to sell the EX-Lite PU Foam doll at £499. We sell all kinds of dolls for all kinds of budgets.

There is a stance from some people that are opposed to sex dolls and to the robotic element. I do not see how people can be opposed an adult sized doll that brings pleasure into peoples’ lives. People don’t just want these dolls for sex, it is also for company, friendship and companionship. Photography is also a big market, these dolls are works of art and make a stunning muse. Obviously, there is no denying that people do have sex with the dolls, but there is no real difference between a doll and using a dildo or a masturbator.

The technology element of the DS Dolls is going to be released in stages. The first stage will be a doll head that can make facial expressions, play MP3’s and works with an app. The second phase will be able to speak, with both pre-programmed phrases and the ability to search the internet for answers. I don’t think that there is any difference between this technology and the technology put into most smartphones, so there really is no argument against it.

It is obvious that the development and technology in the doll segment are progressing by bounds and leaps as more and better products enter the market. What is the status now, at the beginning of 2018, and what will the status of this segment be at the end of the year?
There is going to be continued development throughout the year. The market is expanding rapidly and we are definitely placing ourselves at the forefront of robotic technology coming available in a product that is reachable for consumers with the robotic head. Our hope for the doll segment of the market is for it to continue in its development in technology and increase in popularity. We are determined that this will not just be a market fashion and that dolls will become more and more acceptable and accessible.

We have seen a difference in that many of our new customers are completely new to doll ownership and are much more open to trying out something new. They also tell me that they are able to enjoy that fact that we very successfully normalise a product that has previously been seen as quite unusual.

Your DS Doll EVOLUTION reflects the advancements and developments in this segment very well. What makes EVOLUTION the ultimate doll?
The DS Doll EVOLUTION is based loosely upon the original 167cm doll, which was previously the flagship of the range. The EVOLUTION is here to take over as the crown jewel. There is newly manufactured coating that has been produced to coat the skin, especially the feet and hands to give an even more realistic feel to the Platinum Silicone. The Studio level Make up that is applied to the three heads that can be purchased with the EVOLUTION doll gives a matte effect on the silicone, which previously has had a tendency to develop a shine. Each of the faces is hand finished by the specialist cosmetologists. The spine, collar bones and shoulder blades have been remoulded to give a more realistic body effect true to a human and the hands have been reduced in size compared to the original 167cm to give a better balance. I think the new developed element that gives the EVOLUTION the ultimate doll status is the extra minor details that take this from being a silicone doll to a realistic sculpture of the human body.

More realistic, more human-like – is DS Doll EVOLUTION the next big step in that direction?
Most definitely this is the case with the DS Doll EVOLUTION. This is the first of the DS Dolls to have a fixed vagina, rather one that is removable, it has been modelled very carefully to look like the real thing. DS Doll take their time in all of their developments to ensure that the released product is the best that it can be and then continue developments to make it even better.

The technology and the processes that go into making a new improved product and bringing it to market takes a lot of time. There will be continued development ongoing and one release due in the next few months in particular that will take the level of realism above anything seen before. The EVOLUTION is the next step for the doll bodies, but the next big releases from DS Doll will evolve the faces to the next level.

But there is no artificial intelligence or robot technology in EVOLUTION, right? Those features are still a way off?
The EVOLUTION does not contain any robotics or AI, however the robotic head does. The robotic head that DS have manufactured is compatible with all of the DS Dolls from 158cm and above including the EVOLUTION. You can buy one DS Doll body but have several DS Doll heads or the new robotic head and interchange them as you choose.

As far as robotic bodies go, this is something that DS Dolls are researching and that will perhaps come in time. The priority as far as robotics at the moment is the doll head and the development of the second stage robotic head technology. The technology that is going to be in the second-generation robotic head will be able to answer questions, but it will search a pre-programmed database or search the internet for answers, there will be no ability to ‘think’.

Can you maybe give us some information about other products you are going to launch in 2018? Will there be more additions to your doll range?
There are continuous developments and improvements being made to the existing range and the range of heads has expanded with three new additions recently. The Tyra, Sharon and Leaf heads are new additions to the range and have proved very popular upon release.

There will be more developments to come in 2018. There will definitely be the release of a new face soon, but we are not allowed to share many details yet. It will have a level of realism that is beyond imagination. We have recently added TPE dolls to our range, which is an interesting addition. These are at a lower level of quality and at a lower price point but still have a very good level of realism and we are happy to add them to our vast range of dolls. We may also add further TPE dolls in the coming year.

You describe your company, Cloud Enterprises, as the authorised UK and Europe flagship reseller for all DS Dolls and Ex Dolls products. You are not interested in being the exclusive source for these dolls in the European market?
Cloud Climax is now known as and are proud to be the Flagship reseller for DS Dolls and EX Doll in the UK & Europe. This is a status that we have earned by not just selling the range, but promoting the brand too. We have the ability to do this and we do it very well. There are relatively few other sellers of the dolls, yes, but they either do not sell the full range or they sell many other doll brands too, whereas our focus is solely on DS Dolls and EX Doll. We only sell what we know as the best products and best manufacturers with our entire range of products at Cloud Climax and we do the same with dolls.

We are well established in the doll communities as the go to vendor for the DS Doll and EX Doll products in the UK and Europe.

Which of your sales channels is more successful? Direct sales to consumers or providing products to retail partners? Could you also imagine working with distributors and wholesalers?
We are able to sell directly to consumers, with retail partners or with distributors and we are happy to open up our selling to any means. We predominantly deal directly with customers for TPE and Silicone dolls at the moment, as we give a very high level of customer service including aftercare, which can only be learned from having been in the doll community for an extended length of time.

As the silicone and TPE dolls are expensive it is not as simple as throwing it away and getting a new one if you were to tear the silicone slightly or scratch the surface by mistake. We offer repairs and also maintenance advice or tools so as to make the doll last as long as it should do.

The bespoke doll retail experience is somewhat different to normal retail and I cannot imagine the same level of attention being given in a face-to-face environment, we make it much more of an experience than just taking your cash. We advise on products and what is suitable for that particular person and take time to ensure that the right purchase is made for every customer. We sell the EX-Lite PU Foam doll in several different environments including to retailers and supplying directly to Amazon in the UK & Europe. Our aim is to develop more relationships with all means of sales and to establish new ways of ensuring that any customer will get the high level of service that the DS Doll brand needs to deliver.