Hanoi artist glams up dolls with 54 ethnic minority’s attires

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Jenna Duong - Khanh Huy 08:04, 2022/01/02

Gorgeous girl dolls wearing colorful ethnic minorities costumes are not only impressive souvenirs, but also show the diversified Vietnamese culture.

Although famous Hanoi artist Nguyen Hoang Anh is not the first dollmaker in Vietnam, he is the pioneer in creating hundreds of awesome models of girl-dolls wearing ethnic minority’s attire.

Hoang Anh’s 80 square-meter workshop set up his own in Hanoi is always filled with brocade fabrics, paintings and hundreds of dolls which are created by the artist.

The Hanoi-based artist began creating girl dolls in traditional clothing some ten years ago when he was awed by the brightly-colored outfits and dazzling jewelry items worn by ethnic minorities in mountainous area of northwest Vietnam.

Hoang Anh usually spent around 26 months for designing each model of doll, from the process of material searching until a gorgeous beautiful fabric girl figurine is made.

Instead of children, adults are Hoang Anh’s main customers. They buy dolls for collection and office or home beautification.

A 25cm or 35cm girl doll sells for VND3.5 million (US$152) or VND4 million ($174). Travelers to Hanoi can buy the figurines at souvenir shops at the airport or in Hanoi’s Old Quarter.

Hoang Anh said that through his creations, he wishes to introduce the rich and diversified culture of Vietnam to international friends. “These dolls are cultural ambassadors. I am just an intermediary who present the images of 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam to the world,” he stated.

Hoang Anh pays attention to the smallest details of each doll, beautifying them with eye-catching small accessories.

He even studied carefully the tastes of customers. According to the artist, American guests tend to prefer dolls in clothes of purple and red which are strong colors; while the Japanese love female dolls in white and blue attires; and the French pay special attention to details and delicate patterns on dolls’ dresses.

So far, Hoang Anh has already created 60 models of female dolls wearing costumes of 45 ethnic minorities.

The artist said he will do some researches and create male dolls wearing national costumes in the coming time. The model of male doll in traditional wedding dress of Kinh minority would be his next creation.

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