SunShopper
REPRESENTATION MATTERS! Dolls for girls of colour
Tuesday, November 22, 2016 15:07
National toy store, Toy Kingdom, is the first South African retailer to exclusively stock dolls of colour from the international Malaville Dolls range.
This is a collection of dolls with different shades of brown skin tones, beautiful Afros and curly hair.
Malaville Toys founder and inter- national model, Mala Bryan, first made her collection available to South Africa through her online website in May. She started this project because she believed that parents should not have to struggle to find relatable dolls, and by partnering with the toy retailer, the dolls are more accessible to a wider market.
"Our customers have been waiting for colourful dolls and we have finally found the right supplier to partner with so we can provide a more diverse representation of dolls to the market," said Grant Webster, chief operating officer of Toy Kingdom SA.
The Malaville Doll collection is made up of four different dolls, who all live in the town of Malaville. Bringing play and imagination to life, each doll comes with a description of her own unique background and personality.
Mhina
Price: R399,95
Description: Mhina's name means "enjoyable" and "delightful" in Kiswahili. By day, she works as an interior designer. As a creative person, she draws inspiration from nature and her surroundings, which reflects in the textures and colours in her work. Mhina also uses her love for people and decorating to organise some of the best parties in Malaville.
She is inventive, patient and helpful and her favourite colour is pink. Her hobbies include hiking, party planning, scrapbooking, and browsing through antique shops.
Price: R 399,95
Description: Maisha is always on the go, always upbeat, and lives her life to the full – her name means "life" in Kiswahili. As a top graduate of the Malaville Fashion Institute, Maisha is a sought-after fashion stylist. She is also about to launch her own line of jewellery.
She is fearless, adventurous, funny and one of the most positive and outgoing people you will ever meet.
Maisha's favourite colour is green and her hobbies are jewellery making, bike riding, dancing, and volunteering at the local craft centre.
Description: Malina is a Hawaiian name that means "calming" or "soothing" and in Malaville, she's known as Mama Malina. When this fashion model is not jet-setting around the world on photo shoots and strutting her stuff down major fashion designers' runways, she is curled up with a good book. Malina is an inspiration to everyone around her, and she is now on her way to hosting her own TV show.
The three words that best describe Malina are: affectionate, powerful, and imaginative. Her favourite colour is blue, and her hobbies include yoga, reading, mineral collecting and visiting local libraries
Description: Mala has an Indian name which means "necklace of flowers". As a fashion designer, she has an eye for beautiful printed fabrics, making her outfits unique. Mala has confidence and self-assurance, and she seems to have a way to pass that on to everyone around her. She's creative, intuitive and self-confident, but when she's not creating beautiful clothing, she is cooking up a storm in the kitchen.
Mala's favourite colour is yellow and her hobbies, besides cooking, are drawing, running, gardening and creating gorgeous flower arrangements.
All of the Malavillle dolls are available at all 13 Toy Kingdom stores across South Africa. For more information on the dolls visit www.toykingdom.co.za