Yue-Sai Kan makes bid to fill niche once overlooked in children’s toys

Teenager Chen Shuang said she didn’t understand why she couldn't find a Chinese-looking doll in department stores.

“What we see are all dolls with blonde hair and blue eyes,” said Chen.

Now, with the launch of the Yue-Sai doll in China, the dark-haired 292 mm tall doll with purely a Chinese look, Chen’s problem is solved.

Last Thursday, Yue-Sai Kan, the famous Chinese American cosmetics producer and television hostess, presented her Yue-Sai doll in Shanghai.

Over 50 dolls in both Chinese traditional suits and modern clothes dazzle the eyes of children.

The idea of producing a Chinese-looking doll came to Kan’s mind for the first time three years ago.

“My New York neighbor Sandra asked me to bring back for her little daughter a Chinese doll from China,” said Kan.

Before she came to China, Kan thought it would be easy for one to find a doll modeled after the quintessential Chinese woman. But after going to all the department stores in major cities, the only Chinese dolls she could find had the appearance and dress of minority ethnic women.

“Instead what I found was all blonde hair dolls, mostly with blue eyes,” said Kan.

“I couldn’t understand why the ones made by the Japanese and Chinese are blondes too.”

“I realized this is one of the reasons why so many Asians don’t find themselves beautiful. Why so many products and covers of magazines in Asia must use blonde models: because we teach our children since childhood that a blonde-haired woman is the standard of beauty,” Kan said.

To Kan, black hair and black eyes are the most beautiful.

“Black is the most suitable color to Chinese, why should they change it?” said Kan who continuously keeps her short black hair since she became well-known in China in the 1980s by hosting a program on China’s Central Television (CCTV).

All dolls in Yue-Sai Doll’s Launch 2000 have long black hair.

To design the doll, Kan and her designers made countless prototypes with the aim to design a purely Chinese face. A close look at the doll reveals that it has Kan’s lips.

Kan, who is single and has no children, said all the dolls are her daughters.

“It was as if I were pregnant when I threw myself into designing and producing the doll,” said Kan. “Now I give birth to the doll.”

The first order for the doll came from James Cummins, Kan’s ex-husband, a billionaire in the United States.

Seven stores will be opened in Beijing and Shanghai after the launch. Altogether, 150 authorized sales points are planned by the end of 2001.

The China market is the first major thrust, but the Yue-Sai doll is being positioned for international sales as well. Yuesaiwawa.com will be ready for e-commerce for worldwide buyers at the end of December.

(Shanghai Star 12/05/2000)