Festival Mall marks HERoic Women’s Month with dolls exhibit
This March, the International Women’s Month, is being celebrated at Festival Mall in Alabang, Muntinlupa. This year’s theme will bear the name HERoic: Warrior. Winner. Woman., and will begin with a showcase of that one item that makes the hearts of many girls of all ages aflutter– dolls!
Nenita doll depicting a “Burdadera”
Over 30 exquisite Nenita and Ninay dolls, dressed in their best Filipiniana finery, will be on exhibit at Festival Mall’s Expansion Hall, Upper Ground Floor, Expansion Wing, from March 8 to 18, 2018.
The brainchild of fashion designer Patis Tesoro and the BSK, the Nenita (12-inch dolls worth Php 3,500) and Ninay (18 to 20-inch dolls worth Php 5,000) dolls are created with the desire to preserve the richness and beauty of Filipiniana fashion. Looking at the dolls is like flipping through the pages of a history book, where the Filipinas’ way of dressing is documented with utmost care and in exact detail. All dolls are made by hand through a 12-step process that requires six pairs of hands to accomplish, with each doll’s face hand-painted by BSK’s in-house artists.
A collection of Nenita and Ninay dolls in various native Filipina dresses
Minerva A. De Leon, president of BSK National Foundation, says much research is poured in each and every doll that the group makes. “To maintain authenticity, fabrics are all locally sourced. For instance, the dolls inspired by Davao’s indigenous peoples were dressed with fabrics that are really sourced in Mindanao,” De Leon says. Top designers like Rene Salud and Rajo Laurel, who have taught at some BSK livelihood workshops, also sometimes donate extra fabrics to them.
“Mano Po” – a Nenita doll showcasing Filipino values
BSK began in 1992 to help women and their families. Yet, men, women, and children of the San Juan City community receive equal opportunity to be equipped with tools like values formation, accounting seminars, and workshops for doll-making, sewing, and making cleaning solutions, among others, with the help of BSK. Its products have also expanded to include furniture, bags, mugs, and garments, continuing to innovate and empower others, especially women, to work.
This is a press release. Minor edits were made by Philippine Primer editors.
