Elmhurst Teen Designs Dolls that Put Barbie to Shame

By Olivia Leigh in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 13, 2006 8:47PM

For most kids, the extent of their entrepreneurship extends about as far as a lemonade stand. But selling drinks by the side of the road is mere child’s play for one girl in Elmhurst, who has been creating a line of plush toys that are quite the rage among Chicago artsy types.

13-year-old Luisa Castellanos, with her mad sewing skills and wild imagination, has crafted a line of dolls called “Pocket Pals.” Not to be confused with one of our favorite old-school toys, Polly Pocket, the plush toys feature a smaller version of the doll within a built-in pouch.

Castellanos’ toys – strange, colorful things that look a bit like more bizarre characters from Monsters, Inc. – are creating the buzz in the gallery community and in independent stores. She’ll have a few dolls on display later this fall, and she is currently the youngest artist to have pieces at Rotofugi, an Ukranian Village gallery that sells locally-made indie toys.

Luisa designs and creates all of the toys herself, and has been making them to sell in her mother’s studio and to give as gifts since she learned to sew. She told the Sun-Times that the inspiration for her creations initially came from her grandmother, who used to stitch together stuffed creatures called Oddie Bodies.

Castellanos will be selling toys at Elmhurst District 205 Foundation's fourth annual Holiday Faire in November. And while Elmhurst may be known for certain other activities, Faire coordinator Roz Long says that this may be the first time Elmhurst residents will be exposed type of creative work, saying, “Our suburb is not used to that. …Most people haven't been to these sorts of galleries.”

So, Chicagoist tips our hat to little Luisa, not only for being a creative, talented kid, but for also bringing a little cultural pizzazz to our friends in the ’burbs.

Photo from Kirby, owner of the Rotofugi store, from the "In Plush We Trust" show last November.