Monday, February 8, 2010

Polina Voloshina and "Mooqla" dolls

Today we are in for a very special treat. Russian designer Polina Voloshina, a creator of the famous brand of fashion dolls called “Mooqla”, kindly agreed to answer my questions.

I was fascinated by Mooqla dolls for a quite a few years. They were the most unusual and weirdly attractive creatures I have ever seen. The name “Mooqla” is originated from misspelled Russian word “kookla” which means “doll”, but Mooqla dolls don’t have your typical doll faces. They are very edgy, cool and surprisingly sexy. They wear luxury clothes and each one of them has her own biography that sounds like a romantic novel.

Mooqla doll is not a toy; she is a piece of art, a silent companion, and a fashion model. She is a conversation piece, an exotic gift for a grown-up girl and a little piece of a fantasy world living with you.

J.B.: How do you start working on a doll?
Polina Voloshina: In an ideal world I would first design a doll, draw sketches, make sure that the new style fits the collection, etc. But in reality I just take a piece of polymer clay, a pair of doll’s eyes and a couple of toothpicks, and then climb into some cosy nook where I will not be disturbed for a few hours. I still haven’t learned how to use professional modeling tools, so I work with my fingers and toothpicks. Sometimes I use a regular knitting needle to smooth the shapes of eyelids or nasolabial folds.
J.B.: How many people work on one doll?
P.V.: There are four of us in the company: a technologist, a moulder, a seamstress and myself, and we all do everything: make the dolls, their clothes and their footwear. To be an all-around artisan full of creativity is the must if you want to work at Mooqla. Just recently we hired a lawyer. Without a lawyer our tiny creative company really struggled.

J.B.: Who designs and makes dolls’ clothes?
P.V.: Our wonderful seamstress and I. She can do everything: from designing dress patterns to sewing details together. But the most important thing: she understands my vision.
J.B.: Where do you sell your dolls?
P.V.: You can order a doll from our web-site or buy in a few stores and galleries in Russia. We are working on expanding our market. Although, I have to say, we don’t need a huge retail network, because we make a very small number of dolls.
J.B.: Is it possible to order your doll from outside of Russia?
P.V.: Absolutely! You can order from any country. We delivered our dolls to Europe, USA, Mexico, and Australia. We can ship to any place where the courier company goes, which is, pretty much, anywhere. Soon we are opening an online store in English. Right now you can browse our Russian web-site Mooqla, choose the doll you like and send us an e-mail to order@mooqla.ru. We will get in touch with you, agree on all the delivery details and then create your doll by order.

J.B.: Do you have a special boutique with outfits for your dolls?
P.V.: We are building an electronic store at our web-site. At the moment our customers choose dolls’ clothes from our blog or via Facebook.
J.B.: Can owners brush dolls’ hair, color, do make-up?
P.V.: You can give your doll bath, brush their hair, style and cut, braid, but, probably, not color. You can do your doll’s make up with acrylic paints or a regular nail polish. Our dolls made of the acetone-resistant material.

J.B.: Who are your customers? Little girls or grown-ups? Do you have male customers?
P.V.: Most of our customers are young woman between 20 and 35. Surely, there are people who are younger or older. We do have male customers. Our dolls are favoured by fashion designers and photographers, and we are proud to have quite a few very famous and talented people among our customers.
I thank Polina and wish her and "Mooqla" dolls many luck.
Aren't they amazing?

6 comments:

  1. WOW!!! How awesome~! I have never heard of Mooqla dolls before - fascinating! Love the dolls tremendously. I now want one! LOL Thank you so much Julia!!! Such a treat!

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  2. Photographers usually appreciate them very much :)

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  3. Can I buy a Mooqla Doll Natasha? aloha_93@hotmail.com

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  4. hello there if anybody is interested i have one mooqla doll for sale in brand new condition literally ,is with black dress and with its box and documents ,i can send photos of course pm in mlcompanies@hotmail.com

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  5. hi there ,i saw accidentally you have a Mooqla doll collection ,,wanted just to ask if you are interested of buying Lisa is from the first generations ,of course i have photos videos and everything as the box and her clothes .Thanx a lot.

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