When I was a little girl, my friends played with their dolls – but I much preferred making clothes for my dolls. I dreamt of being a fashion designer, but my parents encouraged me to find a career that was more practical. After graduating from university, I started working at an investment bank, where I soon moved up the ranks. I was good at my job and enjoyed working in the City with the most talented colleagues you could ever wish for, but I always felt something was missing. As much as I loved my career in the City, I rarely looked forward to my busy Monday morning.

I realised that I had to find my true calling. Through hours of Bible reading, repentance and spending time with God, I knew I would be able to discover my true calling, my talents – my “wells” in the dessert of life, which would give me freedom, wealth and independence. I was particularly touched by the story of Abraham in Genesis: the wells he dug in the desert were a real blessing for him, but they were filled with earth by Philistines and his son Isaac had to work hard to clear them. This is a perfect analogy with our human life: we are born with talents, but sin made us bury our talents. We are afraid to acknowledge that there is a perfect plan for our life in Jesus. Instead we are giving the devil the ground that belongs to us.

One day I took my seven-year-old son to a birthday party for one of my friend’s daughters. There were Barbie dolls everywhere! The minute I saw a big box of barbies, I realised my prayers were answered as I remembered how much I enjoyed making dresses for dolls when I was a little girl. That night, I searched online for fashion dolls and discovered just how much the world of dolls had moved on since I was a child. As well as classic dolls such as Barbie and Sindy, there were also incredibly glamorous fashion dolls, which were aimed at doll collectors rather than children. These dolls were expensive and there were lots of designers making equally expensive outfits for them but they tended to be evening gowns or highly elaborate outfits – ‘smart casual’ wasn’t an option.

I’d found a new hobby – collecting fashion dolls and making ready-to-wear clothes for them, outfits that I could imagine myself wearing.

On weekends I’d make tiny outfits, complete with accessories such as handbags, belts and jewellery. I found this very relaxing – that was practicing mindfulness in action! After hours of focusing on my designs, I felt as though I’d been on holiday from my job at the bank for a month!

I got into the habit of putting a doll dressed in one of my latest designs on my desk to “work” with me during the lockdown. When I had a tricky situation to deal with, I would look at my doll and think she was the perfect colleague – smart hair, perfect outfit and always quiet!

When I was made redundant from my high-flying job, I knew this was my chance to follow my childhood dream and become a fashion designer – for dolls!

I set up gtGdollwear in 2020 and it’s been a great success.

Doll collectors across the globe can’t get enough of my luxurious casual outfits and accessories for fashion dolls.

I am based in London and I have my own studio at home where I design and make my outfits. I feel so blessed to do what I love doing and bring joy into doll collectors' life!... and I never have the Monday Morning Blues!

Have a great day and thank you for being a part of gtGdollwear community!

 

Dasha

xxx