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Datreese Thomas dived into a journey of self-discovery after experiencing growing pains during her freshman year at the University of Houston. Datreese Thomas’ season of becoming led to her first business venture, The Melanie Dolls. The student turned entrepreneur wanted to empower Black girls in their journey of becoming.
“I wanted to help Black girls feel beautiful, gain courage, and just develop self-love. I do that by providing a product that helps young Black girls individually see themselves better. I truly believe the company I created is a clear reflection of the journey that I had to go through with myself,” Datreese Thomas said.
Thank you so much @its_Datreese! Representation is everything!!! She loves it!!! @themelaniedolls pic.twitter.com/Zz0BccMuQw
— Da’Yon Dunlap (@DayonDunlap) January 10, 2022
One-Woman Show
At just 22-years-old, Datreese Thomas is a one-woman show. The economics major created The Melanie Dolls from the ground up and currently sustains the company with her own funding.
Thomas applied for various grants but had no luck, and refused to keep her ideas on the table. Over the course of a year, Thomas saved money from her internship to put toward The Melanie Dolls then successfully launched her business in 2021.
“Honestly, I have not acquired any support. I am like a self sustained small business right now,” Thomas said. “I’ve tried to apply for grants and different things to help with my business, but I’ve never ever been able to acquire any of that. I had to make a decision to say, ‘Okay, I’m going to do this.’ Me saying I’m gonna do this, is me giving everything.”
Thomas Designed The Doll To Reflect Her Black Experience
The Melanie Dolls has released one product offering and it speaks for itself. When unraveling the Breonna doll, you will be delighted by the stylish all-Black attire designed by Thomas and the bountiful hair paired with elegant earrings. Thomas’ inspiration for the adorned look stemmed from her real-world experiences as a Black woman and an opportunity to pay homage to the Black Panther Party.
She continued: “The hair is my Black experience in life, so they’re hairstyles I’ve worn in my life or that I’ve seen a Black woman wear before.”
Doll fanatics can look forward to the official release of the Breonna doll in March 2022. There will be more in store, as the company will also launch the Angela doll at an undisclosed date this year.
