Taking Doll Clothes to the World

In 2019, when I founded my handicraft company, Alisa Designs, many doubted whether making doll clothes for sale would be profitable. I even had my doubts about the potential of international doll clothing sales when I started the business. However, in the spring of 2020, when I began an international doll clothing trade, the amazing results surprised me. Between 2020 and 2024, I sold doll clothes to four continents: Europe, North America, Asia, and Oceania. I have shipped doll clothes to a total of 15 countries and 33 US states.

Certain products in the international doll clothing trade are popular. The most popular products in my doll clothing line are fashion doll nurse outfits, cowboy and cowgirl outfits, Stetson hats, and fashion doll baby clothes. The key to success in international trade is offering products that are hard to find elsewhere.

Another factor contributing to success in international trade is the quality, details, and craftsmanship of my doll clothes. Customers around the world have given positive feedback on my doll clothes. One customer wrote, "The doll clothes are incredibly beautiful and high-quality. They are the perfect addition to my daughter's doll collection." Another customer commented, "This outfit is charming! Very well made and fits my doll perfectly."

The third factor in the success of the international doll clothing trade is customer service. My customers appreciate that the product descriptions and the products themselves match, they receive quick responses to their enquiries, and the orders are shipped promptly. Although shipping across the ocean can sometimes take a long time, the delivery speed can also surprise the customer: "The package arrived faster than I expected."

Positive service experiences are also significant because I make custom doll clothes and accessories. Examples of custom-made products include a crocheted bag for a Buddhist monk doll sent to Singapore, a Covid-19 nurse outfit with protective gear, an ambulance driver's outfit for a 50 cm London ambulance service doll, a chef's outfit for a restaurant in Rovaniemi, and outfits for the Cartwright brothers and their father Ben from the TV series Bonanza for fashion dolls. I have received good feedback on custom orders: "Anna-Liisa did an amazing job creating exactly what I wanted. Communication and delivery were quick!"

One of my most significant achievements in the international doll clothing trade was when I was commissioned to make 1960s Black ambulance driver outfits for the Black History exhibition at the African American Museum in Houston. Barbara initially ordered two female and two male doll ambulance driver outfits for the exhibition. The design and creation of the outfits were based on a photo Barbara sent of 1960s Black ambulance drivers.

I received a photo of the exhibition and feedback from Barbara: "The outfits look amazing. Everyone enjoyed the Black History exhibition diorama." As the exhibition continued, Barbara ordered four more ambulance driver outfits and two 1960s women's suits for the exhibition. The exhibition received a lot of attention, and thousands of people saw the outfits I had designed and created. Being part of the exhibition and receiving positive feedback was a great honour for me and my company.

The five-year journey from the founding of Alisa Designs to today has been incredible. The stories included in customer feedback have been touching. Many customers have shared that they ordered doll clothes as a memento of their own or their loved ones' work and interests: "I ordered two Covid-19 nurse outfits for my nurse daughter and her good friend." "The Covid-19 nurse protective outfit is a special reminder of the time when I had to work in a similar outfit due to the pandemic." "I bought a cowboy outfit for a doll to make Ken doll into my friend's favourite western character. He loved it!"

One of the success factors of Alisa Designs' doll clothing business is the connection of the doll clothes to customers' emotional memories. This observation brings a new dimension to customer-centricity as a success factor for the company. Especially when it comes to custom-made products, it is about emotional memories. Even so, the selection of ready-made products is often made with emotion as well.

As Alisa Designs moves forward in its amazing journey, it will continue to grow and expand into new markets. My goal is to bring high-quality and beautiful doll clothes to more customers around the world. Another goal is to also pay even more attention to customers' emotional memories when designing and creating products. Thank you to all the customers and supporters who have made this journey possible.

Best regards Anna-Liisa