Who inspired you to collect?

Ten years ago one of my favorite singers came out with a music video that had a bjd featured in it. I didn't know about bjd's at that time, but I ended up falling in love with that sculpt! I bought the doll a few years later and then ended up getting interested in other bjd's!

 

I became interested in them on my own sometime in 2011-2012, I kinda watched and observed, found dolls I loved and dolls that didn't really call to me. I think my first encounter with some of them were the volks dolls I saw online. They weren't exactly what I wanted, but they were probably the ones that got me curious.

 

I was into the hobby for quite some time, but I didn't start officially collecting until after I started following faceup artists like xhanthi, Dollightful, and Nicole's Dreams. I think following these artists really motivated me to start collecting and getting more involved.

 

Around eight years ago I was searching the Internet and... Idk I just happened to find first BJD blog in Poland atm. I was so fascinated, I didn't know what these dolls are... I spent a couple of days reading that blog. It still brings memories...

 

My doll collecting started with Monster high, as they were colorful and monsters! It was seeing Doll chateau's outlandish and unique sculpts by chance that had me eyeing bjds, as they could embrace an artistic vision more so than a mass produced item can. Enough so that I put blinders on and they were the only ones I was interested in for a while.

So, not really a singular person but a company is what inspired me. I still love a lot of their sculpts.

 

My mother started collecting dolls before I was born, so I like to say I was 'born a collector'. My mother is a great influence to me in a number of ways and she always kept dolls in my room as long as I can remember. We collect a lot of different kinds of dolls and probably did not get interested in bjds until late 2000s. We started with the Tonner Doll company (not a bjd but they were a stepping stone) and somehow ended up looking through Denver Doll Emporium. . . Now we have bjds in our doll collections.

 

It was more of a company that inspired me to start a doll collection. I saw Ringdoll's SenKai right when he went up for orders while I was browsing dolls. At the time, I was just considering my options if I joined the hobby. When I saw him, I knew I wanted to pick up the hobby and eventually buy him. I currently have his sculpt on layaway, so I am really excited for his arrival next year!

 

I wouldn't say she's a direct influence on my doll collecting, but my grandma did inspire me to collect small things. Beads, those IWAKO erasers shaped like animals and food, and mini candy dispensers were all I had until I had the bright idea to get something bigger to accompany them.

 

My little sister introduced me to the BJD hobby. She discovered it first, but we both got super into researching and planning and coming up with ideas for a doll together. I think I was maybe 14 or 15? When she bought her first doll (a Luts kid delf Carrot) we both took care of her and played with her and took turns keeping her in our rooms. Benni (the doll) stayed with my sister when I moved out, and missing her inspired me to start shopping for my own doll.

 

I’d been interested in them for a while, but I never thought of buying one until I met @lesslovingangel.

 

My mother always collected dolls when I was growing up and still has them in a curio cabinet in her living room. She never had any BJD, though. My first experience with them was in college. I had a close friend who had one and was so proud she carried it with her most days. I got to meet her "Cameryn" in purpose and fell in love even if he wasn't mine. Since then I've been saving and working on getting my dream doll myself.

 

I'm not sure if I would say 'inspired' but I was introduced to them by a friend after she'd bought a small off-topic doll and wanted to look into purchasing a larger sized BJD. And so she was browsing online while we were hanging out once. I agreed that they were beautiful but was absolutely thrown by the price and baffled why anyone would get one. Like... it was 'just a doll'.

Anyway, a few months later she was going to a meet-up and asked if I wanted to join. Figured, eh, why not?

So now, I'm seeing these things in person. These dolls.
...
These beautiful, stunning, unique dolls.

I had to have one.
Which turned into owning 8...

 

One of my friend who had so many bjd in various sizes, she stopped her hobby after offer me to have one and start this hobby. The friend started other hobby beside bjd and it really need to spend much money as much as bjd. I really miss her

 

When I watched "The Doll Master".

 

@darthmissy here on DOA is the one who inspired me to get into the BJD hobby, over 10 years ago I saw darthmissy with one of her dolls and I was very intrigued, asked allot of questions and she directed me to DOA. Very glad for her guidance and help with getting me started

 

I honestly don't remember, but I do remember seeing Swandzz's videos and getting obsessed with bjds. I'm super sad she's not into bjds anymore, but I am still happy that she was the one who gave me that final push to get a bjd myself. I'm so grateful. She probably doesn't even know, but that's okay. Her dolls have a special place in my heart as well as my own doll.

 

My old roommate is the one who got me started. They had a few smaller dolls and I had always been tentatively interested so we went to a meetup together and I ended buying a secondhand doll for sale there. Then it was my boyfriend (at the time best friend) who really pushed me to actually start collecting. He was always happy to talk dolls with me, I've always had a hard time talking about my interests, and would encourage me to buy dolls he could tell I really loved. He still does and I think he's just as invested in my dolls as I am.

 

My old babysitter, who also introduced my sister and I to Sailor Moon I also got the body of my first doll from her

 

Marina Bychkova! I discovered her website in 2010 or 2011 and was totally hooked, but of course I couldn't afford one lmao. From there I found out about BJDs and scoured the DoA wiki, looking at literally every company's wiki page haha. I ended up buying a doll in 2012!

 

One of my friend saw a BJD online, she thinks I will like him then sent me the pics. I really like that boy so I started search about BJDs. When I told another friend he told me he has a lot of BJDs at home so he let me know a lot about BJD(including DOA). They let me spent a lot money on this hobby but I have no regrets lol