Struggling with gift ideas for the young girls in your life?! Lammily is here to help… literally. The doll known as ‘Normal Barbie’ not only reflects a doll but also an educational resource for parents and young girls! The Diva Team had the opportunity to talk to the founder of Lammily, Nickolay Lamm, about his vision behind the creation of the doll. Below are a few of his thoughts and hopes for the future of period care and toys!
I built Lammily on a foundation of being true to oneself in a world that pressures the younger generations to conform to standards. I had a vision of promoting healthy lifestyles by creating interactive resources that can be used to guide young girls in becoming strong, confident women who are proud of their bodies.
With the help of her accessories, Lammily explores the realities of life for young girls. Her newest accessory, “Period Party”, promotes positive period conversations. My idea behind the menstrual accessory was to increase the awareness of menstrual health and period talk and decrease the stigma surrounding menstruation.
Menstruation is still a taboo topic in our society. More than that – it’s sometimes still used as an insult.
Something as core to a women’s life and health as menstruation should not be seen as embarrassing in any way, shape, or form. If it weren’t for menstruation, I wouldn’t even be alive right now! So why not celebrate it? Why not make it as accepted as any other bodily function?
I’ve read horror stories of young girls thinking that they were dying during their first period. Parents are wary of approaching this subject. So I feel Lammily’s “Period Party” can introduce kids to menstruation in a very fun and disarming way, and give parents a very useful tool. What can be more disarming than a doll having menstruation?
There have been many mixed conversations when introducing parents to the doll. Some parents think that something like this should only be between parents and their daughters, and that a doll shouldn’t replace that. Others appreciate having the doll as a way to introduce the conversation. Rather than replacing the “first period” conversation, Lammily was designed as a fun tool to assist in the conversation.
In the future, I hope Lammily and her Period Party accessories can help bring menstruation one step closer to not being a taboo subject. I hope that Lammily not only promotes a positive body image, but also assists in the education surrounding menstruation.
Interested in learning more about Lammily and her interactive accessories? Visit lammily.com for information, shopping and the “must see” video, “Da Period Talk”.
Nickolay Lamm
Nickolay Lamm is a full-time artist and researcher who has been building a successful career through design content on the Internet. His work has appeared in publications such as CNN, BBC, CBS, Time, Buzzfeed and many more!
