LIVONIA (Michigan)
- At first glance, this new girl on the block doesn't give Barbie much of
a run for her money
After all, Barbie is everything Razanne is not - curvaceous, flashy and loaded
with sex appeal. But that is exactly why many Muslim Americans prefer Razanne,
with her long-sleeved dresses, head scarf and, by her creator Ammar Saadeh's
own admission, a not-so-buxom bustline. For Mr. Saadeh, the doll not only
fills a marketing void but also offers Muslim girls someone they can relate
to. 'The main message we try to put forward through the doll is that what
matters is what's inside you, not how you look,' said Mr. Saadeh, who set
up Noorart Inc with his wife and a few other investors. The Livonia-based
company, founded seven years ago, sells the Razanne doll and other toys geared
towards Muslim children. Razanne has the body of a pre-teen and comes in three
types: fair-skinned blonde, olive-skinned with black hair, or black skin and
black hair. On the drawing board are dolls of Dr Razanne and even Astronaut
Razanne. -- AP.
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