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Have you ever heard of the Fulla doll? She's probably the most popular toy here among girls (and not only because I'm interested too!!). Of course guys, she's the Muslim Barbie!!
In the lastest year or so, Barbie dolls have almost disappeared from the shelves of many toy stores in the Middle East. In their place there is Fulla, a dark-eyed doll with, as her creator said, "Muslim values."
Fulla roughly shares Barbie's size and proportions, but steps out of her shiny pink box wearing a black abaya and matching head scarf. She is named after a type of jasmine that grows in the Levant, and although she has an extensive and beautiful wardrobe (sold separately, of course), Fulla is usually displayed wearing her modest "outdoor fashion."
Fulla's creator, NewBoy Design Studio, based in Syria, introduced her in November 2003, and she has quickly become a best seller all over the region. It is nearly impossible to walk into a corner shop in Syria or Egypt or Jordan or Qatar without encountering her.
Young girls here are obsessed with Fulla, and conservative parents who would not dream of buying Barbies for their daughters, seem happy to pay for a doll who wears modest clothes and who can teach little girls how to dress and behave according to islamic culture. A high percentage of girls playing with Fulla are more willing to wear a hijab once they are asked to.
Fulla and Barbie are different in many ways, including lifestyle and appearance. Fulla's activities mostly include shopping, spending time with her friends, cooking, reading, and praying. Barbie dolls come in a wide range of hobbies and careers. According to the brand manager at NewBoy, there will be a doctor and a teacher Fulla in the future, as "these are two respected careers for women that we would like to encourage small girls to follow."
Although they both have a wide range of clothes, furniture, jewelry, and other equipment, Fulla's outdoor clothes do not include swimwear or anything similarly revealing. Skirts are longer than knee-length, and Fulla's shoulders are always covered. Compared to Barbie's curves, thin legs, and large breasts, Fulla has a smaller chest, is thinner, and may be younger than Barbie. While the standard Barbie has blond hair, blue eyes, and fair skin, the standard Fulla has dark hair, brown eyes, and olive skin.
Of course there's no Ken-boyfriend for Fulla, because that would encourage sexual messages and it would be considered disrespectful for the eastern culture (especially outside marriage).
The Fulla's most popular version is definitely the "morning prayers" one, where the doll is fully white dressed and includes her cotton scarf set, tiny prayer rug and a pink prayers book.
A black dressed version, with Koran, bookstand e prayer mat, is also available but much harder to find...maybe it's already sold out. That's what I'm trying to figure out these days.. I'm strolling around Doha looking for the black version's doll, but the only items I see are Fulla breakfast cereals, Fulla chewing gum and bicycles too. All in trademark "Fulla pink" of course...
I will get mine sooner or later....she would be a nice, original and typical piece of furniture for my place here, wouldn't she???
Whatever open-hearth.
Have you ever heard of the Fulla doll? She's probably the most popular toy here among girls (and not only because I'm interested too!!). Of course guys, she's the Muslim Barbie!!
In the lastest year or so, Barbie dolls have almost disappeared from the shelves of many toy stores in the Middle East. In their place there is Fulla, a dark-eyed doll with, as her creator said, "Muslim values."
Fulla roughly shares Barbie's size and proportions, but steps out of her shiny pink box wearing a black abaya and matching head scarf. She is named after a type of jasmine that grows in the Levant, and although she has an extensive and beautiful wardrobe (sold separately, of course), Fulla is usually displayed wearing her modest "outdoor fashion."
Fulla's creator, NewBoy Design Studio, based in Syria, introduced her in November 2003, and she has quickly become a best seller all over the region. It is nearly impossible to walk into a corner shop in Syria or Egypt or Jordan or Qatar without encountering her.
Young girls here are obsessed with Fulla, and conservative parents who would not dream of buying Barbies for their daughters, seem happy to pay for a doll who wears modest clothes and who can teach little girls how to dress and behave according to islamic culture. A high percentage of girls playing with Fulla are more willing to wear a hijab once they are asked to.
Fulla and Barbie are different in many ways, including lifestyle and appearance. Fulla's activities mostly include shopping, spending time with her friends, cooking, reading, and praying. Barbie dolls come in a wide range of hobbies and careers. According to the brand manager at NewBoy, there will be a doctor and a teacher Fulla in the future, as "these are two respected careers for women that we would like to encourage small girls to follow."
Although they both have a wide range of clothes, furniture, jewelry, and other equipment, Fulla's outdoor clothes do not include swimwear or anything similarly revealing. Skirts are longer than knee-length, and Fulla's shoulders are always covered. Compared to Barbie's curves, thin legs, and large breasts, Fulla has a smaller chest, is thinner, and may be younger than Barbie. While the standard Barbie has blond hair, blue eyes, and fair skin, the standard Fulla has dark hair, brown eyes, and olive skin.
Of course there's no Ken-boyfriend for Fulla, because that would encourage sexual messages and it would be considered disrespectful for the eastern culture (especially outside marriage).
The Fulla's most popular version is definitely the "morning prayers" one, where the doll is fully white dressed and includes her cotton scarf set, tiny prayer rug and a pink prayers book.
A black dressed version, with Koran, bookstand e prayer mat, is also available but much harder to find...maybe it's already sold out. That's what I'm trying to figure out these days.. I'm strolling around Doha looking for the black version's doll, but the only items I see are Fulla breakfast cereals, Fulla chewing gum and bicycles too. All in trademark "Fulla pink" of course...
I will get mine sooner or later....she would be a nice, original and typical piece of furniture for my place here, wouldn't she???
 |
| Fulla doll - basic black version |
Whatever open-hearth.
margherita's is anxiously awaiting her morning prayer Fulla!
RispondiEliminaShe will soon get hers, I promise!!!! ;-)
RispondiElimina