The Making of Multicultural Dolls

My doll making project which began as a hobby in 1994 was quickly developed into a passionate awareness of the need for Multicultural Dolls in human realism. It was very obvious ethnic dolls were lacking in the National departmental stores as well as in the general toy industry then. This awareness was brought about from careful observation during the festive seasons when most parents of ethnic background were seen painfully looking for toys particularly dolls on the shelves which would bear some similarity to their culture or some relevance to the ethnic child identity.

Multicultural Dolls of color and culture

The fact remains that children have very little or no choice with the type of toys parents chose for them, in so doing they grow to accept what is offered to them until they reach the years of maturity and are able to choose for themselves. Children today are more broad minded than those a decade ago, they want answers, and will stop at nothing until they are satisfied.

Indian lover dolls Collection

During the period of my fact finding activity I listened, watched, surveyed parents and children of different Nationality, I visited department stores with toy outlet, I visited daycare centers, attended craft and trade shows to observe; I knocked on doors in areas densely populated with ethnic families to learn of their expectations and anticipation, satisfaction, and dissatisfaction about toys and their preferences in dolls for their children. Biracial marriages produce biracial children we must identify with to give them a sense of belonging and respect for who they are in their own skin.

A Biracial Raggedy play doll

After I gathered enough convincing testimonies of the hopes and dreams of young children and concerned parents who waited for the day to see significant changes in the presentation of dolls not only in one dominant color or national identity, but rather multiple choices reflecting on all Nationality and Culture. The absence of multiple choices in dolls did seems bias on the part of those who were in the business of providing dolls as toys, or, the reason could be just about anything that caused such inconsideration. The world is Multicultural a fact we cannot deny, consumers are multicultural and the demands for products are also multicultural.

Japanese Collectible Dolls

Endorsing differences in color and culture without being bias should be an easy practice since it is easier to do than to eliminate these differences we all have to live with. Nevertheless to each his own, when there is something necessary to do for the improvement of humanity the special inspiration is given to the individual who sees and feel obligated in himself to voluntarily take on that responsibility and initiate what is to be done. I found myself in this position taking on the project to initiate Multicultural Doll Making which was a challenging step to take and still is.

Indian culture collectible doll

When I started doll making I envisioned the creation of a brand new world of dolls, I began by using the most favorable material I could afford which was safe, and something I was able to manipulate and make a prototype from being a fashion designer. With love and admiration of the children of the world, their differences and oneness in expression, my Multicultural Cloth Dolls were designed to boost the morals and build self confidence in children of ethnic descent, color and nationality so they would see their true identity in the baby doll they play and have fun with. Lucilda Evans

LMC Multicultural Fun Dolls

Bringing  Dolls Alive From Just an Imagination

My Roxanne Doll is a featuring a biracial child who strongly reflect on both parents who are of 

different race and culture. She is beautiful in her own way as she enjoys her share of life .

It is one of the most fascinating things in doll making to put your imagination in active mode. From the mere drafting on a piece of paper to the painting on a piece of cloth, bringing out a character typical of a child, dressing it and giving it a posture to look like real the behavior pattern of a child does not have a dull moment.

You will even want to give the image a name which most times comes with the pleasure one find as an Artist in creating a piece of work that is not copied but initiated. Though it is  breathless it speaks about you, it is your own personality which is poured out into what was not visible and your mark is made indelible on what is, and will affect others.

It seldom the last thing an artist ever wants to do is to put a price on their work and sell it; this is one of the reasons I believe most Artists never reap the benefit of their hard work, they die poor and become famous afterwards. In truth creative people are not the best marketers, their focus is on creating new things.

The pleasure  of the Artist is like that of The Creator who looks upon His work and pronounce it good.

Artists tends to see beauty where the average person does not, natural things are very appealing and they capture in their spirit a new assignment to create the next new thing and it goes on and on; they are great admirers and in return are flooded with admiration, theirs could be  a lifetime of admiration, oohs and ahhs, while they spend all they have in creativity working on master pieces. 

They are the people who need to erect a permanent sign  in their surrounding that says

"MARKETERS  NEEDED" and trustful sales reps who are professionals should look in their direction. One would look at the creation of a doll in a piece of cloth physically appearing like a three year old child in the facial expression as well as the costume that gives it the mood and casual look a child can easily relate to.

It is the thought behind it, the purpose, care and pleasure expressed towards the child who would some day gravitate towards the image and befriend it as a toy. Not all dolls are appealing, but those that are, invites a touch, that will climax the curiosity of the the child or collector whose attention the image steals.

From start to finish Roxanne is a beauty in 100% over wired amateur she is 18"and stands independently 

fully dressed and will enter into the arms of a lover with a Certificate of Authenticity. 

Multi means more, more of everything, more questions answered, more people being satisfied, more children will understand about themselves and how to appreciate each other for whom they are, more pleasure, and more to treasure, the world is what we make it and each one has a responsibility to make it better by making good contributions. What soever things are lovely, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things honest, and whatsoever things are of good report we are to think on these things and do them, we will make others happy and or world better.

Happy Valentine 

5 Proven Reasons For Giving Your Child a Doll of Your Culture for Identity. It May be One the Best Gifts

Multicultural dolls speaks for themselves, they carry their own identity among ethnic groups and opens the door to multiple choice of dolls in the market places. They may be designed and made to bear the true identity of people of ethnic background in their psyche, facial structure, skin tone and hair texture. It is a traditional pattern that dolls reflect upon people and race.

Multicultural Dolls Appeal:

The introduction of multicultural dolls has been one of the greatest issues debated amongst groups and doll makers who were only focused on the traditional one dominant color of dolls. The appeal of multicultural dolls is very significant to people of different culture in our civilize world today, in fact people look to find what they want and are convince they should have. The word "multicultural" has become a more friendlier word to accept recently as it differentiate the vast mixture of cultural practices, in people coming together from different parts of the globe in business as well as marital relationships. Dolls made similar to people's culture definitely will identify and appeal to them.

Multicultural Dolls and Children:

Children learn about color very early even before they are able to speak they identify with colors. However we describe a child's nationality it should be just as easy to describe the dolls they play with to identify with them. Children have very little or no choice, they are totally dependent on the decisions of their guardian or parents, the choices we made for them are what they will be confined to until they are able to make decisions for themselves, by then we will have made them into what we want. Children do ask questions about themselves and the things and people in their surroundings.

Multicultural Dolls Review:

Almost two years ago I had the opportunity of answering the question posed by a student who was working on a project for and he publicly posted his question looking for answers "why black children prefer white dolls over black dolls" in this particular incident I learned it was a couple of four year old children who were being interviewed and the conclusion was made. Anyone of us might have reacted similarly as those children, supposedly they were given the option to choose for the first time between two dolls of different colors, of course they only knew the doll which has always been the prevalent color doll globally, it is natural that any child would choose the one they have been accustomed to seeing over that which is just being introduced irrespective of it bearing resemblance of the child in color if it were not designed with lovable features and poorly presented it is bound to be a rejection.

In Response to the Question of Black Dolls V White I Quoted:

"One of the main reasons black girls may show a preference to white dolls is simple, black dolls were rarely promoted or never promoted a tall. Like images of black children were seldom seen on posters anywhere, not on book covers or in children readers, not in daycare or places where a stage would be set to promote the self esteem of the black child.
The pictures painted of black people have not been good so it became easy for the average black child to want what they see the most around them being accepted.

It has to do with the message sent to the minds of young children, if taught to accept themselves they will understand their values. Black dolls are the most beautiful among dolls when created to reflect the black in the true sense.

People who do not like blacks are less likely to promote black dolls, neither will they do a good job making black dolls; recently heads begin to turn in the direction of the black doll market since more ethnic parents are becoming civilize to the fact that they need to instill these values in their children with the toys they introduce to them, they need to embrace their true identity for who they are in oppose to a myth of someone else’s identity". The world is a multicultural place and we cannot evade it.

Needless to say black dolls are not the only dolls in question in the market places, parents and children of other races share the same common concern some have publicly voice their concern in gathered information while surveying them. The Italians, Mexicans, Hispanic Orientals, Indians, are now coming out in support of multicultural dolls. Lucilda Evans
Multicultural Dolls

The Pampered Baby Doll

 

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