ProfileHong Kong’s Ning Lau makes Barbie-like dolls that wear Chanel, Hermès – a far cry from the paper dolls she made when she was poor

Ning Lau, a Hong Kong native, has a unique passion for dolls. As a child, her family's financial situation didn't allow her to own dolls. Instead, she crafted her own dolls from tissues and paper. Today, she has an impressive collection of over 500 dolls, including rare vintage dolls from the 1930s and 1960s. Her love for dolls has evolved into a full-time job. She says, 'I collect dolls, I love dolls and I make dolls now. I’m chasing my dreams. ' Ning's dolls are distinctive, resembling Barbie dolls but with an Asian twist. Her creations have been exhibited globally, from Japan to Russia. In Hong Kong, she has crafted limited edition dolls for major businesses and institutions. She even collaborated with the city’s M+ museum of visual culture, creating 12 dolls inspired by an exhibition. Prior to her doll-making career, Ning worked in fashion marketing. She held high-ranking positions at companies like Christian Dior. However, she found the job's travel demands exhausting and decided to launch her own digital marketing agency. Despite her career shift, her love for dolls remained. One evening, she crafted a doll named Lisa as a stress-reliever. She shared a picture of Lisa on social media, which garnered positive responses and led to potential collaborations. This encouraged her to take on projects, creating dolls for window displays, small collections for brands, and more. One of her first major collaborations was with Japanese beauty brand Shu Uemura. She also created a set of dolls inspired by notable Hong Kong attractions and the city’s cuisine for HKTDC’s Design Gallery. Eventually, she closed her marketing agency to focus solely on doll-making. Now, her doll-making business includes collaborations with brands, collections based on her personal interest, and customised orders. She works diligently, crafting a doll every day. However, due to the time-consuming nature of her work, there is a waiting list for her dolls. Ning now collaborates with a toy factory to produce the bodies of her dolls. But she still paints each doll’s facial features, attaches the dolls’ hair and dresses them individually by hand. Her dolls are unique, not always bearing the typical happy expression of other dolls. They reflect a range of emotions, from pensive to glum. She produces two versions of her dolls, one of which is closer to plus-sized, reflecting real-life body diversity. Her dolls are also fashion-forward, reflecting her fashion background. They sport Chanel and Birkin bags and wear stylish outfits. Ning's dolls are priced high, reflecting her labour and their limited availability. She also sources accessories and materials from doll expos and handicraft trade shows globally. Besides doll-making, Ning runs a second-hand clothing store and a private kitchen with her sister. She even studied French cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, which inspired her to create dolls in the culinary school’s uniform. In the future, she hopes to invite doll artists from around the world to run workshops in Hong Kong, fostering a community for doll enthusiasts. She says, 'I’m very lucky to be able to work [on] things that I really love, that I’m passionate about. I really love my job.