Spending his formative years in a Miri boarding school, there was no escaping the gender stereotypes of playtime – only girls played with dolls!
After a short flirtation with marine biology at university, he stepped away from these constraints when he became a flight attendant in Kuala Lumpur.
“When I started flying as a flight attendant, I bought my first doll. I’ve liked dolls from an early age but I’m a boy, so having a doll is taboo.
“When I started working, I had my own money. That’s when I thought, ‘Let’s forget what other people have to say’,” said Hilton.
Hilton, 36, took this passion to the next level during the Covid-19 lockdown, by teaching himself how to make his own dolls.
A desire to celebrate the Gawai festival in his own way became the driving force behind his first doll, which donned the Ngepan Iban, a traditional costume for Iban women. Borneo Dolls by Wesley Hilton was officially born!
“When the time came for the Gawai celebration and we could not go back to celebrate it, I wanted to lift my spirits and create dolls in the traditional Iban costume.
“Every year, we will see a lot of people wearing costumes during the Gawai celebrations but not this particular one. So that’s why I thought, ‘Maybe I can make a doll in our traditional costume to keep the Gawai festival spirit strong’,” recalled Hilton.
In an attempt to honour his roots, Hilton focuses on Malaysian traditional costumes – particularly of the East Malaysian variety.
“In the beginning, Borneo Dolls was overwhelming to me, because looking for ideas, it’s just never been done before! I didn’t have any references on YouTube or even books or tutorials on how to make what is now Borneo Dolls,” said the dollmaker.
He added that the early days of starting this project involved a lot of trial and error, researching the do’s and don’ts of the unique cultures he was highlighting through his dolls.
One doll takes between one to two weeks to complete. He made his first doll in 2020 and since then, he has designed over 500 new custom dolls – with a recent heartfelt creation capturing the essence of Malaysian songstress Francissca Peter in her iconic pastel baju kurung.
Reflecting on his journey, he stressed the importance of parents letting their kids explore their interests from an early age, despite the gender stereotypes that exist.
“Let them just be a child, let them do what their hearts want when they’re growing up… Of course, there must be some limitations and guidance, but don’t stop their dreams.
“From my own experience, I hid it at first. Hiding is not a good feeling. You don’t feel good because you’re keeping a secret from your family,” said Wesley, who is the youngest of four siblings.
To learn more about Wesley Hilton’s Borneo Dolls, follow him on Facebook and Instagram.