Jian Yang : I am 43 and have over 12,000 Barbie dolls including Beyoncé, Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe figurines

[SBFNews]

I'm 43 and have over 12,000 Barbie dolls including Beyoncé, Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe figurines and I won't stop spending money on them - but don't call me a 'collector'​

By Louise Allingham For Daily Mail Australia
Updated 13:22 BST 21 Jul 2023

• Jian Yang, from Singapore has 12,000 Barbies
• The 43-year-old enjoys playing with the dolls
• However he does not consider himself a collector

• collector

A toy enthusiast who owns thousands of Barbies has revealed where his obsession started and why he still loves to play with his dolls even in his early forties.

Jian Yang, from Singapore, stopped counting how many Barbie dolls he owned at 12,000 in 2019 and has an impressive collection of 500 Transformers and an array of toys from the 80s and 90s.

However, despite the ever-growing number of Barbies and dolls that line dozens of shelves in his home, Jian, a toy photographer, doesn't like to refer to himself as a collector.

'I don't think I've ever become a 'collector'. I think I was just always a boy who played with toys. This boy is now just 43,' he told FEMAIL.

'Collector implies that you place a monetary value on your stuff. But if you enjoy playing with Barbie, you will lose shoes. You will break fingers, cut hair, repaint faces, cut dresses. And that would ruin their 'value'. I do all those things and more.'

Jian Yang owns more than 12,000 Barbies and hundreds of other toys which he plays with regularly including 500 Transformers and an array of toys from the 80s and 90s

However, despite the ever-growing number of Barbies and dolls that line dozens of shelves in his home, Jian, a toy photographer, doesn't like to refer to himself as a collector

'I don't think I've ever become a 'collector'. I think i was just always a boy who played with toys. This boy is now just 43,' he told FEMAIL

Jian does not have a favourite doll and is not precious about their condition as he likes to 'play' his Barbies 'like a child' rather than have them collect dust while on display.

'When I take photos of dolls; when I cast which doll comes with me to my fabulous pretentious (sometimes pretend) life - like going to balls, going rollerblading, going on holidays - that's play to me,' he said

'I bring them out and take Instagram photos with them. I chuck them into waterfalls, and they go into the pool with me.'

'That's how I derive value because to me if you don't play with a toy, it's worthless.'

Jian does have some valuable Barbies in his repertoire including his Karl Lagerfeld, MET Gala Moschino dolls and vintage models as well as celebrity figures of stars like Beyonce, Marilyn Munroe and Elvis Presley.

Many of the doll outfits, Barbie movie lead star Margo Robbie modelled her looks off on the recent press tour, Jian has in his possession.

Jian does not have a favourite doll and is not precious about their condition as he likes to 'play' his Barbies 'like a child' rather than have them collect dust while on display

Jian held onto a lot of his old toys and grew his collection over the years but has no problem giving some to friend's kids who may take a shining to a particular toy or donating to charity
He said he does not intend to sell any of his dolls so isn't concerned about their monetary value and couldn't guess how much his collection is worth

The business owner also makes his own doll every year since 2000 by painting his features onto a Ken doll which has its own Instagram account Just Like Jian.

'Now I'm just grateful they put Ken on a 'broad' body to match my era...ballooning forties body,' he joked.

Jian's love for toys and all things Barbie started at an early age when he was just a pre-schooler in the early 80s.

'I had a ton of boy's toys, He-Man, Transformers, Star Wars, GI Joe, Action Man, and one day, my sister's Barbie made it into my playpen' he recalled.

'No four-year-old boy would discern between a 'boy's toy' and a 'girl's toy', so I just played with the doll like I played with the rest of my toys.'

Jian does have some valuable Barbies in his repertoire including his Karl Lagerfeld and vintage models as well as celebrity figures of stars like Beyonce, Marilyn Munroe and Elvis Presley

He said he does not intend to sell any of his dolls so isn't concerned about their monetary value and couldn't guess how much his collection is worth

Many of the doll outfits Barbie movie lead star Margo Robbie (pictured) modelled her looks off on the recent press tour, Jian has in his possession

Jian made his first Barbie ride in tanks, fly to space and own a suite of Lego furniture.

As he got older he 'outgrew' a lot of his other toys, but his love for Barbie remained.

'I think I've always been drawn to a world of perfection. Unrealistic, unnecessary perfection. I like that about Barbie. It's not a social statement - it's just a personal preference,' he said.

'I like that sometimes my briefcase over-matches with my shoes. It's a Barbie aesthetic which I find hilarious, and serious all at once.'

Jian held onto a lot of his childhood toys and grew his collection over the years by shopping at toy stores as well as Amazon.

'But I do not have an eBay account. I call that discipline,' he joked.

While he is still bringing more dolls in, he has no problem giving some to friend's kids who may take a shining to a particular toy as well as donating pieces to charity.

'I think I've always been drawn to a world of perfection. Unrealistic, unnecessary perfection. I like that about Barbie. It's not a social statement - it's just a personal preference,' he said

Ahead of the Barbie movie premiere, he splashed SGD$1,800 or almost AUD$2,000 on the film's merchandise.

'We had a guy help us trolley it to the car,' he said.

'This could sound like it's showing off, but it's not. Singapore is a very expensive country, and our movie dolls were ridiculously priced.'

Jian does not know how many toys he owns having stopped counting at around 12,000 Barbies alone four years ago.

'At some point, it didn't matter anymore,' he said.

He also owns rubber duckies, his old eighties toys, a 'bunch' of shoes and around 500 Transformer figurines but maintains they are not part of a collection.

'I've never said 'collection' because it implies that you put value onto it,' he said.

The business owner also makes his own doll every year since 2000 by painting his features onto a Ken doll which has its own Instagram account Just Like Jian
'When I can honestly tell you that they're all just stuff I bought while shopping one day. Never with a goal to turn it into a collection.'

Toys aren't just a hobby for Jian, he runs his own communication agency, Distilleri, with 52 staff and works with major companies including McDonald's, the Singapore Tourism Advisory Board as well as Toys R' Us.

Jian is excited for the release of the new movie as not only has he enjoyed watching the 'epic' marketing campaign as an 'advertising man' but because it has flung his beloved Barbie back into the spotlight.

'Watching these people ride on pop culture to create new pop culture. Watching how they'd market a doll as an icon. I love that everyone now loves Barbie,' he said.

'Maybe and probably because it now means my weird hobby is now... normal.'


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/...Yang-Singapore-owns-12-000-classic-dolls.html

 

[Hypocrite-The]

Must be a pai ka jie n does not need a real job to survive to do such BS...

 

[blackmondy]

Will Margot Robbie let him fuck her?

 

[mahjongking]

another attention whore......a male one this time

 

[mudhatter]

??

Stupid chinks

 

[HeMan]

Is he a fucker or fuckie?