The Vanishing Art of Dolls Making

At one time the small kids used to like dolls and dolls making was flourishing trade. Jessie recalled during the peak season she used to receive many orders from her clients. She would custom made these dolls and showcase it for sale. Some dolls were designed by her using her own creativity and imagination. It was a sunrise industry but now it has faded away due to the infiltrations of many electronics gadgets, internet games and mobile apps that are readily available to the youngsters nowadays.

Prior to the computer and internet era, kids used to play with their own self-made gadgets, toys and dolls. Many were physical stuffs that you could play with and it was quite fun for the kids. As one plays with it, one’s emotions can get attached to those toys and dolls after playing it for some time. It was these emotions and desires of making dolls more enjoyable that motivates Jessie wanted to take up this challenge of doll making.

In those days there were not many doll makers, it was a unique art catering to a niche market of young kids. Jessie picked up those skills by herself out of passion. She would spend long hours making those dolls and when it was done she found it quite satisfying to see kids playing with her dolls.  This would be enough to keep her going as a key motivator for her job.

Jessie remembered those days that she had difficulty making dolls, some of those designs require embroidery with special patterns on its fashionable dress. For instance, at the customer’s request the doll could be designed into a cheongsam or kebaya or nonya fashion dresses, some demands laced and colourful dresses or eyelid with lashes and many other special features for its dolls. From design, materials acquisitions, cutting, sewing to finished dolls all were done by her. It was very taxing and time consuming for her when the orders increased.

Her business expanded and she even rented a small shop in town and had some helpers. Many of her regular customers still come to visit her shop. Jessie had designed many characters and gave it names such as Dolly, Molly, Justin, Barbara etc. The kids liked her designer dolls and adored it as it was attractive and look trendy with those fashionable clothes and make ups. For Jessie it was an arduous task to continue to be innovative and designing those dolls that the market wants. She had to know the market and be creative to keep her business going.

This trade was also very seasonal, during the peak festive seasons she found that many parents would buy dolls for their kids to play. When there was an economic downturn, few people will buy. Sometimes it was an unpredictable business Nevertheless Jessie still pressed on with her business and craved out a decent living.

At a time when her business boomed, there come the arrival of computers. Her business gradually started to decline as many kids chose to play with their electronic gadgets or play station. It became a double blow to her business with the invention of the Internet, mobile phones with apps features and SMART phones technology. All these new technology soon became too disruptive to her business and there was no way she could competes with them. Eventually, her shop closed down as it couldn’t survive on the rising rental costs and falling sales.

Life takes a toll for Jessie but she was adamant that she wasn’t going to give up her doll making trade. She didn’t succumbed to her situation but decided to give a second chance to her doll making. She became more flexible and founded her own home for doll making. By the word of mouth, her business was still able to strive a little in this niche market. Some of her regular customers returned while some kids were already grown up knew about her talent and bought some dolls for their kids.

Her nephew Nick came along to help her to alleviate her business further by sharing those dolls made by Jessie on the Internet through social media, videos and e-commerce platforms. Many internet users were very impressed by her delicate hands and intricate designer’s dolls. Nick would gather some audiences to show case the art of doll making in an organized workshops or classes. Jessie, an elderly now, was sometimes confused how his nephew brought in so many people to watch her doll making. The audience was amazed by her sharp eye for detail and her dexterous hands in embroidery. She would share her experiences with her audiences and like-minded people in the art of doll making.

Looking back on her trade, Jessie never regret it and she was glad that she did not give up on this vanishing art. She would carry on with her passion of doll making art for as long as she lives.