The holiday season is approaching soon, and retailers are already releasing their top toys lists full of the usuals, like Magic Mixies and LEGOs. There’s definitely a place for that, but we’re focusing on a toy that means more than just another gift – dolls from Purpose Toys!
DeeDee Wright-Ward is the CEO and founder of Purpose Toys, the largest Black-owned CULTRE-driven toy company in the nation. The brand’s main products are dolls, called Naturalistas, which are a sleek line of contemporary natural-hair fashion dolls, created to uplift and celebrate children with coily, curly and naturally textured hair.
The dolls from purpose toys come in three lines: Naturalistas, an all-Black line; HBCyoU, the world’s first doll line to celebrate Historically Black Colleges and Universities; and Latinistas, an all-Latina line to make sure every person, child or adult, feels represented. All of these lines are available on Amazon, Walmart and Target. Plus, the dolls all have cool, fashion-forward wardrobes and accessories you can buy to make her your own!
Beyond just making and selling their dolls, Purpose Toys partners with entrepreneurs to provide them with the infrastructure and resources necessary to market their own creations. Purpose Toys is on a mission to provide “Product with a Purpose”, which they deliver with their line of quality-made and inclusive dolls while helping others succeed.
We love the gorgeous dolls, and others agree! It’s just been announced that Purpose Toys is a finalist for two TOTY awards: Latinistas for Doll of the Year and CEO DeeDee Wright-Ward for Champion of Diversity & Inclusion! Just to be named a finalist is amazing, but I have a good feeling they’ll win in both categories!
We sat down with DeeDee Wright-Ward, the CEO and founder of Purpose Toys, to find out more about the importance of her brand, how she built it and her plans for the company’s future.
RMN: Which toys from Purpose Toys do you wish you had as a kid?
100% NATURALISTAS! Having an entire line of Black Natural Hair fashion dolls would have done wonders for younger me who (like many African American girls and women) have grown up in western society, made to feel unusual about our unique tresses rather than special.
RMN: We love the mission behind Purpose Toys! What was the catalyst for starting the brand?
The events of 2020. My son, along with millions of Black children were exposed to unfathomably tragic events and negative rhetoric aimed at our community. During this period, I recall cocooning my son with stories and images that represented the best of who we are. Purpose Toys was founded in 2020 as my way of cocooning the children of my community with playthings that represent the best of our Culture, and who we are as a people.
RMN: Do you have any advice for other entrepreneurs?
Align yourself with professionals willing to share their resources, not just advice. Too often I hear entrepreneurs (when asked similar questions) give vague daily affirmation-like advice. (e.g. “believe in yourself”). You can “believe in yourself”” all you want; if you lack a network of decision makers to help bring your ideas to market, belief alone won’t get you very far. In addition to being the largest Black-owned CULTRE-driven toy company in the nation, Purpose Toys also prides itself on being a “Pipeline to Major Retail for Toy Entrepreneurs of Color.”
RMN: Purpose Toys’ dolls are gorgeous. Is there an inspiration behind each one?
Very kind of you. Thanks soo much. From an aesthetic standpoint, the dolls were inspired by my first ‘Naturalista’…my mom. From the standpoint of career and education, Naturalistas dolls were very much inspired by the infamously independent women of my beloved community.
RMN: Now let’s talk about toys! How do you think inflation will affect the toy industry this holiday season?
The total amount that is spent on toys historically stays pretty steady, even in tough financial times. What changes is that parents are looking for good value, and are less likely to spend on really high-ticket items. Purpose Toys are in a great position given that they are a great value for consumers, in addition to being gorgeous dolls. We like to call it “Accessible Luxury.”
RMN: What are the biggest trends you’re seeing in the toy industry this year?
A couple that we are keeping a close eye on are – more adults (“Kidults”) buying toys and shifts in doll sales away from some previously dominant multi-cultural lines.
Kidults have been buying more toys for the last few years than the industry has ever seen, including dolls as well as a lot of other types of product, such as LEGO, games, trading cards, etc. All of our Purpose Toys lines appeal to both adults and kids, and a lot of the adults who buy our toys are buying for themselves! What is different about Purpose Toys’ appeal to kidults is that they are deeply culture-based and make grown-ups emotional to feel seen in a deeper and more meaningful way than ever before.
We love to see the attention on dolls by both adults and kids, whether it is because of the hyper-promoted summer movie or because a doll speaks to them like never before. With our all-Black and all-Latina lines, we are changing the discussion around representation in toys to make every kid feel like the main character in a story, and not a sidekick as part of a multi-cultural line. Multi-cultural doll lines are the norm in toys now, and we see this evolving and changing.
RMN: What makes a toy timeless?
Culture. 
RMN: When should parents start shopping for the holiday gifting season?
If you look at the numbers, toy buying has moved later and later in the season over the last few years, as a lot of parents wait for bargains. The problem with waiting is that you will not usually find the hottest toys on sale. New holiday toys flow to retail in August to October, so the best time to buy that perfect gift (before it might be out of stock) is really now!
RMN: What is your favorite toy right now?
Dayna from the NATURALISTAS collection. I literally can’t take my eyes off of her.
RMN: Any final thoughts you’d like to share with our readers?
Be on the lookout for Latinistas. Launched July 2023, Latinistas are the world’s first all-Latina fashion doll line carried across major retail. Launched in 2022, HBCyoU Dolls are the world’s first doll line to celebrate Historically Black Colleges and Universities. At Purpose Toys we walk it like we talk it by “Centering and Celebrating Communities of CULTURE” with our CULTURE-driven products for kids.
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