A. The uncertainty about the product has undoubtedly improved sales of these dolls. B. Designer dolls satisfy the spiritual needs of young Chinese consumers. C. She can hardly wait to open the box and is excited to discover inside a limited-edition (限量版) Molly doll. D. However, it will definitely give the pleasure you want, and enjoy collecting it. E. The small toys fit in the palm of your hand and come dressed in cute costumes. F. Have you ever wondered why people build a collection of things? |
Designer Dolls Become Desirable Collectables
Kan Hui, a senior stage set designer based in Beijing, stands in front of a vending machine (自动售货机) in a shopping center. She feeds in the money and a paper box rolls out. Dolls are not just toys for little girls any more. They have become desirable collectables for many young Chinese under the age of thirty.
Molly, a little girl with curly hair, wide eyes and pouting (撅着的) lips, is one of the best-selling- dolls in China Each Molly sells for 59 yuan and there are over one hundred editions of the doll in different series. For doll fans, it is an affordable way to build an "art" collection.
In fact, what has made collecting designer dolls a new phenomenon is the concept of a "blind box". As the name implies, consumers have no idea which specific doll from a series they will get until they open the box. Over 400 million Molly dolls are reported to have been sold throughout the country last year!
Psychologists say that collectors are trying to bring some order and meaning to their lives. That may be true, but I think they do it just because it is fun and sometimes educational. I have a friend who collects beer bottles. He does not recycle them for money. Instead, he has them lined up in neat rows on shelves, and over 200 of them are from more than 30 different countries-a good way to learn about geography.
Collecting Molly dolls is probably a fad (一时的风尚) that will be replaced by another one eventually
