Made by and When: Olmec Corporation, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1994, 1996, and 1997
Olmec History: Yla Eason founded Olmec Corporation in 1985 with Sun-Man, the first mass-marketed Black super hero action figure. The company was named after an ancient Mexican civilization that sculpted African traders. Olmec’s first fashion doll, Naomi, has a box copyright year of 1988. Using the same head and body sculpts, after a name change, Naomi became Ellisse a year later. Using the same Ellisse sculpt, the doll’s name was changed to Imani by 1991. This installation includes examples of Olmec’s fashion dolls, Naomi, Ellisse, Imani, Consuelo, and Menelik, a male doll named after Eason’s son. The goal of the company was to produce multicultural playthings to help promote self-esteem.
Material: Vinyl
Height: 11-1/2 inches
Hair, Eyes, Mouth: (Naomi, Ellisse, and Imani) Black hair of rooted synthetic fibers styled as shown in braids, straight, curly, or texturized; brown-painted eyes, smiling mouths with a painted area for the teeth. (Consuelo) Brown-rooted hair styled in a side swept long braid with a pink ribbon braided into it and bangs; brown-painted eyes, closed mouth with red lip color. (Menelik) Black molded and painted hair represents a high-top fade, brown painted eyes, closed smiling mouth.
Naomi
1988 Naomi wears a three-piece black wet-look fashion of a coat, pants, and kufi. A black and white striped bathing suit, black pumps, and a comb, brush, and mirror set are attached to the box lining. The box description reads, “She’s stunning, smart, stylish, and successful!” One side panel of Naomi’s box reads, “Hi my name is Naomi and I’m the newest sensation in town. I have my own business selling fashions I design. I’m also a college girl. I like to be with my friends and enjoy myself. I think it’s important to have goals and to try to do the best. Don’t you agree?”
Ellisse
1989 Ellisse on the left wears a red flannel coat over a red turtleneck dress. Attached to the box lining are an extra red, white, and blue ensemble of blouse, jacket, and pleated skirt. Red pumps, a comb, a brush, and a mirror set are also attached to the box lining. Ellisse on the right wears a fuchsia satin two-piece fancy dress. The extra fashion is a white flannel two-piece skirted suit. Pink pumps and a comb, brush, and mirror set are attached to the box lining. The same description, “She’s stunning, smart, stylish and successful!” is on the back of the Ellisse dolls’ boxes. The back of the box also indicates, “Ellisse likes to braid her hair or wear it loose or tie a ribbon on two braids and let the rest hang down. A pretty girl like her changes hair and make up to fit the clothes she designs. She’s pretty and gets A’s in school. She’s a success at everything she does!”
Imani
1991 Imani Wedding Magic is an African princess dressed in a lacy white bridal gown and veil. The front of the box indicates “Clothing fits Barbie, Sindy, and all other 11-1/2-inch dolls.” On the back of the box, Wedding Magic Imani’s story reads, “Imani wishes she’ll get married someday and she knows that day will be like magic. She’ll have all her best friends as bridesmaids. She’ll have on something borrowed, something blue, something old, something new. The best jazz band in town will play for her. Flowers will be everywhere. Everyone will stand and smile when Imani floats down the aisle. She’ll be the loveliest bride ever in her fabulous lacey, shiny gown! Her special groom will be so fine in his tux. Her wedding magic happiness will last forever.”
1991 Kente Fun Imani (new Imani face) wears a Kente cloth three-piece outfit of kufi, dress, and skirt. A package of accessories includes a pair of gold pumps and a hair brush. Yla Eason and her son, Menelik, are featured on the back of the box below Kente Fun Imani’s story, which reads, “In Imani’s African fantasy, she saw the beauty of Kente, a cloth created and worn by her people in ‘The Motherland’. The next day, Imani sold outfits for herself and friends that proved Kente is beautiful and can be fun.” The box instructs new owners to “Look for Imani, Lisa [a Latina], and Menelik in fun Kente wear!” The following welcoming statement is on the back of Kente Fun Imani’s box:
“Welcome to our world of OLMEC Toys. Almost seven years ago, my son sent shockwaves through my body when he said he couldn’t be a super hero because he wasn’t white.
“‘What!’ I thought. At the tender age of three, my boy was already limiting his fantasies because he thought some dreams didn’t come in his skin color.
“That was my inspiration to create SUN-MAN, the world’s greatest super hero. Since then, we at OLMEC have expanded into girls and preschool toys. We’ve got one thing in mind with all our products—let’s build self-esteem.
“Our children gain a sense of self-importance through toys. So, we make them look like them.
“Now that he’s 10, my son’s dreams and goals soar. Playing with toys that look like him makes him feel good. I hope you’ll buy something from us that will expand your child’s dream. At OLMEC, our love, our hopes, our skills, our styles, and ‘OUR PRIDE IS IN OUR TOYS’.”
1996, Dance Lights Imani is dressed in a green and silver jacket, a matching cap, and a silver skirt. Accessories include pink boots, a silver headset with a mic, a yellow hair pick, and a backstage pass. When the lever on the doll’s back is pressed, Imani moves in a dancing motion.
1997, African American Prince Menelik and African American Princess Imani. Menelik (far left) wears a sports shirt and jeans; (far right) Menelik wears a sports shirt with khaki pants; both wear sneakers. Imani wears a pink top with multicolored sleeves, a pink skirt, multicolored tights, and pink boots. Imani’s accessories include a white purse and gold-tone earrings.
1994, Ribbon ‘N Braid Consuelo wears a multicolored pink top with pink Capri pants that are trimmed in the same fabric as the top, gold-tone hoop earrings, and a ring on the right ring finger. Several jewelry and hair accessories for the doll and a pair of clip-on earrings for a child are included. The Olmec story (as noted above on the back of Kente Fun Imani’s box) is written on the back of Consuelo’s box.
Other: As an inclusive toy manufacturer, Olmec created action figures and dolls for African American, Hispanic, and Asian children from 1985 through approximately 1997. To date, none of the Olmec fashion dolls have been reproduced. However, as a result of a collaboration between Olmec and Hasbro during the 1990s, the rights to the Imani fashion doll were transferred to Hasbro, and Imani became part of Hasbro’s Sindy line of fashion dolls.
Through a collaboration between Yla Eason and Mattel, in 2021, the Sun-Man character became part of the He-Man Masters of the Universe product line.
At the time of this installation, Yla Eason is an Assistant Professor of Professional Practice at Rutgers University.
Slideshow
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