Clonette Dolls at NOUSH

WORDS Lindi Brownell Meiring

You’ll find plastic Clonette dolls everywhere, but Manoushka Kraal’s Happy Go Lucky range is a little different.

“Nowadays, these popular African dolls are made out of plastic, but they were originally carved out of wood. We decided to transform them back to where they once came from,” says Manoushka.

Handcarved from untreated wood, each doll is unique. “The brilliant woodcarver Blessing who carves them works from detailed drawings that I make,” she says. “The first figure was very literally inspired by the plastic Clonette doll with the bunny. From there we started growing our own Clonette-inspired family.” The other designs are new variations introduced by NOUSH and are inspired by Manoushka’s daughter and unborn baby girl, due in October 2014.

The dolls come in two different sizes and retail at R499 (25cm high) and R699 (35cm high). Postage is free within South Africa.

For more information, visit noush.co.za.