All Dolled Up: Fashioning Cultural Expectations at Bata Shoe Museum

Not limited to child’s play, dolls have been used since time immemorial around the world for a wide range of purposes. Their removable clothes, including footwear, bring delight to people due to their diminutive size, and many of these accessories have become collectable in their own right. Playing with dolls, however, has a greater impact than simply offering a distraction. Dolls have historically promoted complex cultural ideas about gender, body image and social status, and many have been used to promote fashion consumption. Today, doll manufacturers in the West are making efforts to be more inclusive, featuring dolls with disabilities, gender fluid dolls and dolls that promote equality. The popularity of outfitting avatars in virtual games is also dramatically expanding the world of doll play.

Open daily during the Bata Shoe Museum operating schedule. The museum is closed on Mondays.