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Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Devastating reason people are buying lifelike £8,000 'reborn' baby dolls
Those who care for startlingly realistic 'reborn' dolls often come up against fierce criticism, but many may not realise that there's a heartbreaking reason behind these purchases, which are far more than just toys In recent years, we've seen a trend for 'reborn' dolls - and there's a desperately sad reason they've proven so popular. These dolls are so intricately made, that even up close you'd be forgiven for thinking you were looking at a real human baby. Crafters will dedicate hours to the tiniest of details, from painting on veins to threading fine alpaca hairs into the scalp. Meanwhile, those who buy them can enhance the realism even further, purchasing items such as perfume to make them smell like a real baby. These incredibly lifelike dolls can cost thousands, but to many owners, they're priceless. Indeed, some view themselves as their doll's parent, treating it with all the love and care they would a real child. 'I'm a mum to 250 reborn dolls - friends judge me like Katie Price but our bond is real' 'I make lifelike baby dolls – people troll me but they help more than you know' In a recent piece penned for the Wall Street Journal, reporter Rory Satran visited the Dolls of the World fair, held at a convention center in Greensboro, North Carolina. Here, doll enthusiasts from all over gathered with their 'babies', which ranged from the realistic to the fantastical. She recalled how those attending conventions in other parts of the building were "shocked" to see the dolls being handled as though they were human, with some believing they were looking at real-life babies. There are, of course, those who find this "hobby" a bit disquieting, even creepy, and some who participate have to contend with a fair bit of criticism. Satran spoke with Sally McMahon of Massapequa Park, New York, who arrived with her hybrid rabbit-human doll. Opening up about the negativity she's had to face, Sally shared: 'Unfortunately, we get a lot of hate in the doll community. They say, 'Oh my God, these crazy doll people'.' However, as unusual as this sort of possession is considered by many, Satran noted that these dolls serve an important therapeutic purpose, and can help those who've gone through terrible trauma, including miscarriage and baby loss. These precious objects can also be of great comfort for women with conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Alzheimer's, dementia, and autism. While at the convention, Satran spoke with Katherine Hansell of St. Charles, Missouri, whose adopted adult daughter suffered devastating childhood abuse. The mother and daughter now use a reborn baby, also named Crystal, in order to model what love and care should look like. Katherine told Satran: 'We say that this Crystal was never hurt." Media personality Katie Price previously sparked conversation after sharing images of herself with 'reborn' baby twins. Although fans were initially confused, a source later explained to OK! magazine that this was a way for Katie, who has previously suffered miscarriages, to deal with her trauma and feel soothed. The source revealed: "She's been through a lot of trauma in her life, and she's been at her happiest when she's had her babies. It's her happy place and safe place, but the beauty of them not being real is she can just get on with her life as normal, and they don't keep her up all night." If you've been affected by any of the issues in this story you can contact Tommy's, the UK's pregnancy and baby loss charity, for free on 0800 014 7800, or email midwife@
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Business Standard
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Business Standard
Babies who never cry: The story of reborn dolls that sell for $8,000
What began as a niche art form has erupted into an international flashpoint. Hyper-realistic 'reborn' baby dolls — crafted to resemble real infants with incredible accuracy — are making headlines with some collectors paying more than $8,000 for the silicone creations. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, the recent Dolls of the World expo in Greensboro, North Carolina, drew over 1,500 attendees — many arriving with their reborns in tow, dressed, accessorised, and treated like real babies. What are reborn dolls? Reborn dolls are hand-crafted baby replicas, often indistinguishable from real infants at first glance. Artists use silicone or vinyl kits, painting translucent skin, inserting real hair strand by strand, and even adding weighted bodies or heartbeat simulators. Prices can range from $200 to over $8,000, depending on detail and realism. Who buys reborn dolls— and why? Buyers span a wide spectrum: grieving parents, therapeutic users, hobbyists, and even children. While critics often mock or misunderstand the trend, many collectors describe Reborns as emotionally grounding. They've helped women cope with infant loss, trauma, PTSD, and memory disorders such as Alzheimer's. As one attendee put it, 'Sometimes I just want one that doesn't cry'. Collectors dress them, name them, and often treat them in roleplay scenarios — bathing, dressing, and even pushing them in prams at public outings. Some describe this as emotional comfort or therapeutic play, especially after personal trauma or loss. Social media drives reborn doll trend Online creators like Kelli Maple, who has over two million YouTube subscribers, have fuelled the rise of the reborn community. She's both a collector and seller of reborns and was swarmed by fans at the Greensboro expo. Sellers like her prepare months in advance, stocking high-end doll 'nurseries' and selling handmade dolls to eager fans. Reborn dolls hailed for their craftsmanship Many creators begin with DIY kits (ranging from $100 to $200), but the final product takes hours of painting, rooting hair, and detailed finishing. According to The Wall Street Journal, it can cost $500+ in supplies alone to complete one high-quality doll. The doll-making industry has also given rise to at-home businesses, offering women flexible ways to earn a living without formal training. In the US, reborns symbolise craft and comfort In the United States, the reborn community is tightly knit, spanning young girls, middle-aged collectors, and elderly women. YouTube personalities like Kelli Maple have millions of followers and run profitable reborn doll businesses, while artists gather annually at events like the Greensboro expo to buy, sell, and teach dollmaking techniques. In Brazil, reborns draw political scrutiny In Brazil, however, the reborn doll trend has sparked outrage, satire, and even violence. According to a recent report by The Guardian, more than 30 proposed bills aim to restrict how reborns can be used — banning them from hospitals, disqualifying them from public healthcare queues, or limiting collectors' rights. Yet, the report noted that these laws appear to be reacting to viral content, not real incidents. It added that the bills were proposed by right-wing or far-right lawmakers, who are trying to seize on the trend for visibility amid turmoil over former president Jair Bolsonaro's coup trial. Doll trends through the decades 1950s: Barbie begins it all In 1959, Barbie debuted as the first adult-bodied fashion doll, breaking away from baby dolls and turning play into a glamorous world of fashion, careers, and independence. She quickly became a cultural icon. 1970s: Baby Alive and Sunshine Family Dolls like Baby Alive brought lifelike features into homes, while the Sunshine Family mirrored hippie ideals with their eco-friendly, minimalist lifestyle, reflecting the era's shifting social consciousness in the US. 1980s: Cabbage Patch Kid begins collectables trend Cabbage Patch Kids turned play into a frenzy with unique names and adoption papers, causing nationwide store stampedes. Characters like Strawberry Shortcake and My Little Pony cemented the collectable craze. 1990s: American Girl Dolls to Tamagotchi American Girl Dolls taught history through storytelling, while Polly Pocket and Tamagotchi brought play into the pocket-sized and digital age. Dolls were now both educational and tech-savvy. 2000s: Bratz challenges Barbie's dominance Bratz dolls introduced a bold, urban look that challenged Barbie's dominance. With attitude and style, dolls reflected pop culture, individualism, and a shift toward edgier self-expression. 2025: The Labubu craze In 2025, Labubu, the wide-eyed character created by artist Kasing Lung, has become a global sensation through its collaboration with Chinese toy company POP MART. Sold in blind boxes, the collectable vinyl figures have attracted a devoted following, with rare editions sparking high demand among fans. Enthusiasts often trade and showcase the figures online, sometimes pairing them with luxury items like Hermès bags, blending high fashion with playful design. The trend has helped transform Labubu from a niche art toy into an international status symbol.
Mint
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
Why people are buying $8,000 lifelike baby dolls
Kelli Maple tenderly sets her bundle of joy, Naomi, into a Nuna car seat and drives her to the mall. When they arrive, Maple, 23, places little Naomi, dressed in a onesie and hair bow, into a high-end stroller (complete with a portable sound machine, stuffed animal and a pacifier). Giggling, Maple and Naomi shop for tiny clothes. Most passersby would mistake them for a typical mother and daughter. But Naomi is not real. She's a lifelike 'reborn doll." These collectible baby dolls, which can run up to $10,000 apiece, have been around since the early 2000s, but in recent years they've exploded into a global phenomenon. Collectors, who consider themselves parents, shell out for luxury baby gear and dote on their reborns as if they were human children. In Brazil, they've become a lightning rod in recent months, with politicians introducing bills to try and ban the popular dolls from public places. The reborn doll world is hidden in plain sight in the United States. It's a cottage industry, with amateur crafters hand-molding and painting dolls in their basements. The process, especially for the more verisimilitudinous silicone dolls, is labor-intensive, including painting delicate pale-blue veins onto their soft peachy skin and hand-rooting individual goat or alpaca hairs into their scalps and eyebrows. The result is uncanny. When I told a dollmaker that I've never seen someone carrying a reborn in New York, she smiled knowingly and said, 'You have." Detractors find the dolls creepy, and some owners say they are taunted by families and online bullies. What these critics misunderstand, collectors say, is the therapeutic potential of the dolls. Women who have lost babies or experienced miscarriages are comforted by reborns. The dolls can also soothe women with post-traumatic stress disorder, Alzheimer's, dementia and autism. Britney Spears, who said she had a miscarriage, has been seen carrying a doll. Some women are fanatic collectors, amassing dozens if not hundreds of dolls and posting online videos of diaper changes and trips to the park. Children and teens play with them. Hollywood snaps them up as stunt babies. At the Dolls of the World fair this June, around 1,500 participants—and their dolls—came together in a convention center in Greensboro, N.C., where vendors sold accessories such as perfumes meant to make the dolls smell like real babies. Kelli Maple, who has over 2 million YouTube subscribers, greets her young fans at the doll fair. 'People think it's insane because it's a doll," said Hannah Hammond, 21, a teacher in Hampton, Va., who collects reborns. 'But it's just like any other hobby." When we met, she offered to let me hold her prized silicone doll, Evie, then winced at my technique: 'You have to support her head." Maple is one of the stars of the reborn doll world, with over 2 million subscribers to her YouTube channel and selling her dolls for thousands of dollars. At the Dolls of the World expo, she was mobbed by fans for selfies and autographs. She had spent months in the room she calls her 'nursery," putting the finishing touches on babies to sell at her booth at the fair. 'There are heads and limbs everywhere—it can be a little scary," she said. Awareness of the dolls is at an all-time high. 'It's just getting bigger and stronger," said Dave Stack, the founder of one of the largest marketplaces for handmade dolls. He charges $30 a month for makers to sell their dolls on the site, and has around 600 paying members. Many of those makers were at the fair in North Carolina, one of a handful of American events where enthusiasts and dealers can buy and sell dolls, and take classes in the art of dollmaking. At evening events, women trade gifts like pacifiers and doll outfits, and awards are bestowed to the top artisans. The doll fair was one of three conferences taking place at the same sprawling Sheraton complex. Over the course of one sweltering summer weekend, the doll people rubbed elbows with the brawny participants in the World Ninja League championships and the conspiracy theorists of the Cosmic Summit. 'We all thought they were real babies until we did not hear any crying," marveled Cosmic Summit attendee Ocean Norris while taking a smoke break. Her friend Angela Simmons of Pinehurst, N.C., said she was 'shocked" to see the babies being handled like real babies. 'Unfortunately, we get a lot of hate in the doll community," said Sally McMahon of Massapequa Park, N.Y., who dressed in a fairy outfit and showed off her rabbit-human hybrid doll. This is part of a subset known as 'fantasy dolls"—creatures such as chimp-human hybrids, blue lizard-skinned elves and tiny-horned satyrs. 'They say, 'Oh my God, these crazy doll people." For the doll lovers, from small children to senior citizens in wheelchairs, the fair is a rare safe space for them to revel in their hobby. Many of them budget the entire year to be able to pay cash for four-figure dolls and accessories ('I plan on spending a kidney, a lung and part of my liver," joked attendee Mel Harrison on Facebook). They clamored around the reborn world's niche celebrity doll artists, like Maple and the British duo Samantha Gregory and Nikki Johnston, asking for autographs and selfies. All around the hotel, groups clustered, with women and children passing babies around. While reborn lovers find them comforting, the outside world often perceives them as terrifying. The Apple TV+ show 'Servant," which ran from 2019 to 2023, dramatized the spooky nature of reborn dolls. Maggie Barnes, 12, from Clayton, N.C., showed me her new doll: Fang, a miniature werewolf. Barnes said she liked coming to the fair because 'People are not judgmental at all." Her mother, also a doll fan, purchased the $1,000 doll for her as a gift. Although the best-known use for reborn dolls is as a comfort following infant loss and miscarriage, plenty of kids, as well as mothers and grandmothers of real children collect the dolls. Keith and Dia Harris, 63 and 51 of Suwanee, Ga., have five children and seven grandchildren, and attended the fair with a baby reborn and a 6-year-old reborn. Keith, hoisting the bigger doll around in a carrier, was one of the many supportive husbands at the fair. At their home, the Harrises have a nursery for their reborns with bunkbeds, which their grandkids share with the dolls when they visit. Dia Harris and her husband took their dolls swimming at the pool of the hotel where the doll fair took place. Many women save all year to be able to spend thousands of dollars in cash for reborn dolls at the fair. Another grandmother, Holly Church, came to the fair to purchase a $3,200 green-skinned fantasy doll to add to her collection. Her husband was building a 'she shed" in their backyard in Texas to house the dolls. She said that her eldest son didn't understand her passion. 'I say, 'You don't have to get it. You just have to respect it.'" Church's friend Mia Martone, a spiritual advisor in East Meadow, N.Y., purchased a $6,000 silicone reborn named Lucy at the fair. While she has grandchildren who visit, she said, 'Sometimes I just want one that doesn't cry." Reborns can help people heal from trauma. Katherine Hansell of St. Charles, Mo., cares for Crystal, her adopted adult daughter who experienced horrific childhood abuse. They use a reborn baby named Crystal to model love and care. 'We say that this Crystal was never hurt," said Hansell. Making dolls can be an emotional job. Dorothy Blue, a reborn dollmaker who works out of a basement studio in Dardenne Prairie, Mo., said that working with women who'd gone through infant loss and wanted a replica could be fraught. Sometimes, their vision of what the doll should look like could be hard to capture. 'To be blunt, a deceased baby looks like a deceased baby," said Blue. The labor that goes into creating well-made silicone dolls is significant. With products including paint, finishing powder, glass eyes and hair, the supplies for one doll can easily run over $500. Well-made silicone dolls can easily sell for over $5,000, because the labor that goes into them is significant. Most dollmakers start with a basic kit from one of the online retailers such as Bountiful Baby. Then they personalize it through a painstaking process of tweaking and painting, often in dialogue with the client, who may have photos of what they want the doll to look like. Vinyl kits usually start around $100 and silicone kits run about $200. With products including paint, finishing powder, glass eyes and hair, the supplies for one doll can easily run over $500. America has a long tradition of resourceful women cobbling together careers from home. Like selling Mary Kay beauty products or Tupperware, dollmaking can be a way to make money without a fancy education, or even consistent childcare. Few people have gotten rich from the doll world, because it's such a splintered, handmade process. But Nevin and Denise Pratt of Bountiful Baby in Salt Lake City are titans in the reborn community. In 2000, Denise's doll making spurred the duo to begin making molds, which grew into a significant doll supply company. At its height in 2019, the company says its revenue was over $5 million. It's 40% less today, which they attribute to a volatile economy and Chinese-made knockoff dolls and parts sold on sites like Amazon and Alibaba. Holly Church came to the fair to purchase a $3,200 green-skinned fantasy doll to add to her collection. Her husband was building a 'she shed' to house the dolls. This year, Maple only sold three of her handmade dolls, compared to five at the last fair. 'Sales have been down all year because of the economy." But for Maple and others in the reborn doll industry, it's much more than a business. 'I've gone through lots of different emotional things throughout my life and the dolls have definitely helped with mental health a lot," she said. Johnston, the British dollmaker, compared reborn dolls to Marmite, the divisive yeasty spread: 'You either love them or you hate them." Write to Rory Satran at
