The slowing economy has affected business at Summertime, which used to sell as many as 10 dolls a month, but now sells only three to four on average. But Li says that Blythe continues to make new friends in Taiwan, even if they cannot afford to buy new dolls, and fresh faces show up regularly at his store. Nearly 10 years after the publication of This Is Blythe, the doll still tugs at the heartstrings of those who just cannot resist her big, sparkling eyes — or who feel a connection to her tale of rejection and ultimate rebirth into an international icon of plastic fabulousness.
Garan recently received an e-mail from a woman who bought a doll for her six-year-old daughter; the little girl, like Blythe, had been teased for her unconventional good looks. “She was being made fun of in school. Her mom sent me a picture of her daughter, who is absolutely gorgeous, but she has a big forehead and big eyes,” says Garan. “She said that seeing Blythe in these great locations and looking so good has really brightened her daughter.”
Despite having run Summertime for the last three years, Li says his love of the doll has not changed one iota. Like many fans, Li dresses up his Blythes and takes them for photo shoots to scenic locales like Yangmingshan, the Taipei Zoo and the beach. “At first it was kind of embarrassing, especially because I’m a guy,” Li says of the occasional stares from passersby. “But then I thought, if I am doing what makes me happy, then who cares?”
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