"Manikà" (or "manyika") is the Philippine word for "doll". Since 2001, Manikà has been providing foreign exclusive dolls, fashions and accessories to the doll collecting community through its website store ("The Marketplace"), eBay® store ("Manikà's Foreign Fashion Dolls") and doll shows and convention salesrooms. We are authorized dealers in the U.S. of R&D Fashion Dolls products. As doll collectors ourselves, we believe that we can cater to your doll collecting needs.

We love dolls with costumes depicting cultures from around the world. Our father traveled a lot for his job and he would bring back dolls from the various countries he visited. Although these dolls were for display and not for play, we had as much fun just admiring them.

Growing up in the Philippines, our family of five children did not have many dolls to play with. Our earliest memory was of a vinyl baby doll that the three of us sisters shared. Our two brothers also played with it, but mostly to stomp on or to hurl around. We also recall playing mostly with paper dolls and making clothes for a Barbie® clone fashion doll that our father brought back from one of his overseas trips.

Rowena in kimona (blouse) and patadyong (skirt) for school dance program (late '60's)

Jennifer (right) and our youngest brother Lorenzo, circa 1960's

Our parents have always encouraged us to pursue higher education. During the period 1979 to 1990, the five of us came to the United States to pursue graduate and post-graduate education. We share among ourselves three masters and four doctoral degrees in the fields of chemistry, applied mathematics, engineering and medicine. All of us have decided to make America our home, and we are now settled in Illinois, Ohio and Texas with our own families. Dad still lives in the Philippines and visits us regularly. Although no longer physically with us, Mom's memory lives on.

We discovered Barbie® in 1997 and have focused our collection on cultural and historical themes. In April 2001, we started this website devoted to Filipina Barbie®. Encouraged by the response from visitors to our website, we brought some of our duplicate Filipina Barbie® dolls to display and sell at local area doll shows. Since then, we have added other foreign exclusive dolls -- in both ethnic and contemporary fashions -- to our ever-growing collections! In 2002, we added the "Marketplace" section to our website. In August 2004, we became Manikà, Incorporated.

Manikà Doll Show Display

Mom and Dad, circa 1960's

We hope you enjoy your visit to our website. The Manikà Showroom for Filipina Barbie® dolls, a tribute to our cultural heritage, is dedicated to our parents, who despite our humble origins, managed to give us a loving home and best education possible.