Syrian girls have abandoned Barbie dolls in favor of a homegrown, Muslim version that comes complete with Islamic clothing and a tiny pink prayer mat.
The black-haired doll named Fulla is about the same size and build of Mattel's classic doll, but is boxed wearing a black abaya and matching head scarf, along with the mat.
NewBoy Design Studio, based in Syria, introduced the doll in November 2003, and she has quickly become a best seller all over the region, The New York Times reports.
In Damascus, a Fulla doll sells for about $16, in a country where average per capita income hovers around $100 per month.
In corner shops in Syria , Egypt, Jordan and Qatar there is Fulla breakfast cereal or Fulla chewing gum, Fulla bicycles and girls wearing trademark "Fulla pink" clothing.
However, Maan Abdul Salam, a Syrian women's rights advocate, said Fulla was emblematic of a trend toward Islamic conservatism sweeping the Middle East.
"If this doll had come out 10 years ago, I don't think it would have been very popular," he said.
© Copyright 2005 by United Press International
