Kinky, curly-haired Black girls, rejoice!
From dolls to Disney, it’s been difficult for young Black girls to identify with what they see and play with. Angelica Sweeting, founder of Naturally Perfect Dolls, overheard a comment from her daughter about wanting to have “yellow hair” and set out to prove natural Black tresses rock. Sweeting’s ‘Angelica Doll,’ takes black Barbies to another level, from its facial features to its hair – a first for diverse dolls. Outside of its solid representation of fuller lips and nose, the naturally coiled locks, particularly, were tested over a span of eight months to see if it would resist the tough hands of kids.
SEE ALSO: Vixen Vent: It’s Not Okay That ‘American Girl’ Discontinued Two Dolls of Color
The mother of two says, “we twisted, Bantu-knotted, combed, brushed, blew out, curl wander and re-washed the hair. We did this over and over to ensure this doll would be able to withstand a young girls curiosity about taking care of and having fun with kinky/curly hair. No more tangled doll hair!” Sweeting’s vision for the doll include featuring an array of flesh tones for girls to choose from and a range of hair textures to mimic that of the child. Barbie could never.
Before you hop on Google looking to purchase a few, Angelica Sweeting says there’s only one Angelica doll in existence and has created a Kickstarter to met the manufacturer’s minimum order quantity of 1,000 pieces. The Angelica Doll Kickstarter has exceeded its $25,000 goal, doubling in number with 20 days left to donate.
Below, meet Angelica Sweeting and her two daughters as she talks changing the standard of beauty in toys, one doll at a time.