Naturalistas’ ICON Salon Continues To Rack Up Accolades From National Parenting Center and Toy Insider

(Black PR Wire) Los Angeles, CA - Purpose Toys, the nation’s largest African American-owned, internationally distributed cultural-toymaker (and leader of Natural Hair dolls and accessories for kids) continues to celebrate consumer, industry and media recognition, while engendering joy, cultural pride and aspiration through play!

The award-winning toy company behind hit doll lines Naturalistas, Latinistas, Fade Collection, Littlelistas and HBCYOU Dolls recently announce the expansion of their repertoire into new categories, which now includes playsets. With the debut of their gorgeous new ICON Salon sold at Walmart, Naturalistas are once again turning heads, garnering a 2024 Best Toy Award from Good Housekeeping. Out of hundreds of products reviewed across 300+ kid and parent testers, ICON Salon is a standout hit, expected to make a cultural impact at retail leading up to holiday season. Naturalistas’ ICON Salon marks the first of its kind from a Black-owned doll brand to be carried in major retail.

Affectionately known as “The Motown of Toys”, in 2022 Purpose Toys (the maker of Naturalistas) initially made history as the first and only Black-owned (culture-driven) toy company to secure full-chain and international distribution across major retail. After several successful seasons at market, Naturalistas’ principal character Dayna is now opening the doors of her wildly popular “ICON Salon” commercially, to excited children and collectors across the nation!

“At its core, Naturalistas are a love letter to and celebration of my culture and community. To have an opportunity to extend Naturalistas’ positive messaging of love and cultural pride for children, collectors and all to enjoy (while also celebrating cultural beauty salons), is beyond my wildest dreams! My team and I are honored, humbled and grateful to be recognized by Good Housekeeping for our work,” says DeeDee Wright-Ward, Founder and CEO of Purpose Toys - Creator and Principal Designer of Naturalistas.

Naturalistas partnered with iconic YouTuber, Toy Collector, Miniaturist and toy industry darling Toya Boyles of @myfroggystuff, who consulted on the design, functionality, storage and playability of ICON Salon.

“People of all ages can enjoy an aesthetically pleasing design that is also functional and fun,” Boyles said. “During the design process of the ICON Salon, I felt like that was the primary focus, capturing the Naturalistas vibe in a space to inspire storytelling… which is something that many adult collectors and young collectors have in common … and DeeDee was very interested in understanding how people play, and I worked with her team to meet those goals.”

In what is widely considered by many in the Black community to be a “cultural country club,” ICON Salon aims to celebrate the uniqueness of cultural beauty salons, where community, nurturing and entrepreneurship collide. With cultural hair traditions, rituals, as well as a celebration of Natural Hair artisans who accentuate the innate beauty of Natural Hair, Naturalistas have captured the hearts of children, collectors, stylists and celebrity hair stylists online (and in toy aisles) around the world. Inspired by Dayna’s natural beauty (in addition to her thoughtfully designed pale-pink and gold miniature 3D luxury salon maquette (which debuted online in 2022), the commercial debut of ICON Salon is met by an adoring audience who have co-existed with Dayna in “ICON Village” across social media for the past several years.

ICON Salon’s signature pale-pink and gold palette is consistent with its multi-channel branding and includes authentic staples of a real cultural salon such as a diffuser, detangler, leave-in conditioner, curl custard, and Afro pick, as well as a shampoo basin, mirror, adjustable salon chair, signature chic branding, and of course shelving and storage for the 23 play accessories and future accessory packs.

A limited edition Dayna doll is also included in the playset and features a pretty pink minidress with a branded matching stylist’s apron (including functioning pockets) capable of holding hair care tools, bright pink trendy wedge heels and signature logo hoops. Dayna’s signature 3C textured curls can be washed, detangled, braided and restyled for endless authentic Natural Hair fun. Of course, all other Naturalistas dolls (and most other fashion dolls) are compatible with the ICON Salon, for hours of creative and imaginative play! ICON Salon is also collapsible for convenient storage.

The National Parenting Center enthusiastically recognized the excellence of the ICON Salon, awarding it their Seal of Approval for Fall 2024. On the subject of the ICON Salon and the larger Naturalistas line, the National Parenting Center commented, “This exceptional playset offers a captivating blend of imaginative play, cultural representation, and positive messaging. Our child testers were immediately drawn to the playset’s vibrant colors, stylish dolls, and an array of enchanting salon accessories. The intricate details and diverse range of characters foster creativity and storytelling, as young minds immerse themselves in a world of beauty and self-expression. Each doll’s unique story adds a personal touch, inspiring children to develop their own narratives and embrace individuality.”

They continued, “The playset’s emphasis on cultural representation is commendable, promoting inclusivity and self-esteem. The positive messages conveyed through the characters encourage children to believe in themselves and celebrate their heritage. The Naturalistas ICON Salon Playset is more than just a toy; it is an experience that nurtures creativity, builds confidence, and fosters a love of diversity. Parents wholeheartedly recommended this exceptional playset to their peers seeking toys that inspire and delight.”

In addition, the Naturalists ICON Salon playset was named a Top Holiday Toy on the TOYINSIDER.COM. The 19th annual Toy Insider Holiday Gift Guide recognized outstanding toys for kids of all ages.

The Naturalistas ICON Salon is perfect for kids ages 3 and up, is set for an exclusive Fall 2024 launch with Walmart (Walmart.com) for $39.88. Expand the play and storytelling potential of your Naturalistas collection with this new toy that radiates cultural appreciation and helps girls with natural curls feel seen and loved.

ABOUT PURPOSE TOYS™

Est. 2020, Purpose Toys made history as the first and only Black-owned (culture-driven) toy company to secure full-chain and international distribution across major retail. With a mission to elevate cultural talent, leadership, as well as uniquely nuanced culture-focused toys, (with the successful launch of its flagship brand, Naturalistas) Purpose Toys continues to break cultural barriers expanding across categories with the groundbreaking launch of Fade Collection “Cultural Action Figure™”, Crown Collection line of styling heads, Littlelistas large dolls, Royal Treatment fashion packs, the ICON Salon playset, as well as the historic launch of cultural division Purpose Toys LATIN, and the history-making launch of Latinistas (the world's first all-Latina line of fashion dolls carried at major retail). With groundbreaking, culturally relevant award-winning brands under its belt, Purpose Toys has quickly established itself as a cultural behemoth. Internationally and nationwide, Purpose remains the leader of natural hair toy products and culture-driven products for kids. Our mission is to provide Product with a Purpose, with a continued goal to Center and Celebrate Children from Communities of Culture™.

For more information follow social channels @mynaturalistas and @purposetoys on Instagram and YouTube