FASHION ICONS? OR IS IT A TOY FOR CHILDREN? HERE IS THE STORY OF PORCELAIN DOLLS

FASHION ICONS? OR IS IT A TOY FOR CHILDREN?

HERE IS THE STORY OF PORCELAIN DOLLS

The 'Porcelain Doll Exhibition Area' opened by Kuşadası Municipality in the Historical Caravanserai in order to bring new cultural routes to the city, attracts great attention. Porcelain dolls, most of which are made in Germany and France, fascinate visitors with their stylish clothes that reflect the fashion of the period in which they were produced, hair that resembles life and colorful eyes made of glass.

The Porcelain Doll Exhibition Area, opened in the Historical Caravanserai last month by Kuşadası Municipality under the leadership of Kuşadası Mayor Ömer Günel, is among the first choices of local and foreign tourists to visit. In the exhibition area, there are 290 porcelain dolls, mostly German and French made, collected by collectors Meral and Öğül Orhan from various countries in approximately 40 years. Porcelain dolls, which were very popular between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, attract attention with their smooth skin, glass colored eyes and realistic hair. Porcelain dolls, which dazzle with their stylish clothes that reflect the fashion of the period in which they were produced, are today mostly produced for children.

'THEY WERE ACTUALLY PRODUCED AS ORNAMENTS'

Stating that she started collecting porcelain dolls after being impressed by the facial expression of a doll she saw abroad, Meral Orhan said, “I started to keep the porcelain dolls I collected over the years in boxes. But I always thought everyone should see this collection. This idea of mine became reality in the most beautiful hall of the Historical Caravanserai, with the proposal of Kuşadası Mayor Ömer Günel. I thank him very much. Since porcelain is a very fragile material, the production of porcelain dolls started at a very late date. At that time, these dolls were actually produced as ornaments, not for children to play with. However, for a while, fashion designers in France and Germany were dressing the dolls according to the fashion trends of that year and sending them to their customers in America. "Customers were seeing the costumes on the dolls and ordering accordingly," he said.

DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN TOURISTS ARE ADMIRED BY THE PORCELAIN DOLLS

İrfan Cibeli, who spent his summer vacation in Kuşadası, said that he liked the Porcelain Doll Exhibition Area very much. Stating that he finds the facial expressions of the porcelain dolls particularly realistic, Cebeci said, “It is great to have such an interesting tourist route in Kuşadası. "I will come to visit again whenever I have the opportunity," he said.

Helena Hend Samir, who came to Kuşadası from Finland for a holiday with her family, stated that she found the exhibition very interesting and said, “I was amazed by the clothes on the babies. It is obvious that the clothes were prepared with a lot of effort. “They are so perfect,” she said.

Stating that she has never visited an exhibition area with a porcelain doll collection before, Lorin Samir said, “We come to Kuşadası very often because this is a truly magnificent holiday city. Now we have another reason to have a holiday in Kuşadası. "I loved these babies, who looked so beautiful and sweet with their appearance and clothes," he said.