Profile | Hong 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
- As a child growing up in Hong Kong, Ning Lau made her dolls out of tissues and paper. Her love of them lasted into adulthood – and making dolls is now her job
- Her creations have been exhibited everywhere from Japan to Russia and she often collaborates on doll collections with big-name companies and institutions
When Ning Lau graduated from university and began working, she started saving money – but not for a future holiday or a deposit on a home. Instead, she had her heart set on buying dolls.
“It’s because I really wasn’t able to afford a doll when I was young,” she says. Having grown up poor – Lau’s family lived in a public housing estate in Hong Kong – she remembers becoming enamoured with dolls and having to make her own with tissues and paper.
Fast forward 30 years and Lau’s love for dolls has proved a lasting one. Not only has she collected more than 500, including rare vintage 1930s Lenci dolls and 1960s Bradley dolls, but she has also turned making dolls into her full-time job.
“I collect dolls, I love dolls and I make dolls now,” she says. “I’m chasing my dreams.”
Her creations, described as Barbie-like Asian dolls, have been exhibited everywhere from Japan to Russia. In Hong Kong, she has created limited edition ones for major businesses and institutions, including fashion conglomerate I.T Group, the Peak Galleria shopping complex, the Hong Kong Ballet and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC).