My Kids Doodles: the Dubai parents turning children’s drawings into stylish accessories

Family refrigerator doors could appear to be cluttered mood boards, with colourful, alphabet-shaped magnets holding set up a concoction of papers - from Polaroid photographs and grocery shopping lists to torn-out sketchbook pages of children’s drawings. Heralded as masterpieces by both makers, and their parents, these Crayola-coloured pictures feature everything from makeshift family portraits to first attempts at forming words and sentences on paper - and as time goes by, the pages amass, until there’s hardly any more room on the metal appliance for further sketches. They’re then relegated to a folder and buried in a drawer, or simply, thrown in the recycling bin, to make space for new and improved artwork.

Recognising the sentimentality behind this type of homemade artwork, couple duo, Fabrice and Lea Vallotton, who reside in Dubai, have created My Kids Doodles, a brand that transforms little ones’ scribbles into wearable art, providing them with the longevity they deserve. “I believe every parent loves his kid’s drawings, doodles or handwriting, but sometimes we don’t discover how to keep each one of these creations,” explains Fabrice. “In order to turn it into a wearable little bit of jewellery is something very meaningful. It’s more than a jewel, it’s also a connection to your family.”

Working with an area Dubai jeweller, the Vallottons can digitise a child’s artwork using software such as AutoCAD or CorelDRAW, and then produce the piece in silver or gold. Customers can order pendants that are cut in the actual condition of the doodle, or circular charms that feature engravings of the drawings, or of handwriting. It’s not really a service simply for mums; cufflinks and keychains with leather straps are also designed for dads. Fabrice says making these pieces can be an intricate process, and meticulous craftsmanship is employed while capturing the facts of the drawing, to guarantee the replication is as real as could be. “We always respect the initial lines of the child’s doodle and we only decide which components ought to be included and how to best include them,” he explains. “If needed we also send a draft to the customer to ensure they enjoy it.”

Fabrice, who’s Swiss, and Lea, who’s from the Philippines, had each lived in Dubai for greater than a decade before they met in '09 2009. They later got married and today they have three children and, furthermore to running My Kids Doodles, both of them work full-time: Fabrice as an air traffic controller and Lea as a hospital medical technologist. Still in the beginning phases of their custom jewellery business, the entrepreneurial parents are naturally employing the artistic services of their own offspring. “

Our children are making plenty of drawings to greatly help us for the web site,” says Fabrice, adding that among the first designs the couple tested was a drawing done by their daughter Zoey. “It’s a little girl with four hearts around her.” When reimagined as a pendant, the doodle features Zoey’s female stick-figure drawing, filled with a triangle-shaped dress, hairstyle with three strands of hair forming a fringe and smiling face. Hearts circled the figure in the initial doodle, however they appear connected to the smiling little girl in the pendant, making certain the artwork emerged as one piece when reproduced as jewellery.

We always respect the initial lines of the child’s doodle and we only decide which components ought to be included and how exactly to best include them. If needed we also send a draft to the client to ensure they like it.

Fabrice Vallotton

“We were so excited and happy whenever we got the silver pendant ready. After taking all of the pictures we necessary for our website, we actually gifted it to my mum, Zoey’s grandma, and she wears it every day.” These mementos, in the end, are designed to be wearable and versatile - never to be locked away in a jewellery box, or - like paper artwork - to be placed in a folder and taken out annually for an instant look before being filed away again. The Vallottons hope their brand can help parents keep their children’s treasured artwork close to heart - literally.

In the UAE, Tiffany necklaces, with their inimitable teal-coloured enamel heart charms, and Cartier Love bangles, with their distinctive screw-head engravings, could be the jewellery bits of choice for stylish, designer-savvy residents. But the Vallottons aren't trying to challenge this culturally engrained, brand-conscious method of accessorising. Instead, they’re offering customised and meaningful pieces which can be worn alone, as statement jewellery, but also help complement other chains and pendants by stacking and layering, which is a current fashion trend.

So how does everything work? Customers visit the Vallottons’ website, select the kind of jewellery or accessory they’d prefer to customise, and then choose from three finishes of sterling silver: silver, gold-plated or rose gold-plated. If they’re purchasing a necklace, they choose the length of the chain, and if they’re investing in a keychain, they can choose the colour of the leather strap. Then, they must upload a scan or photograph of the drawing or handwriting they’re seeking to replicate. Keychains start at Dh399, pendants at Dh399 and cufflinks at Dh649. Bracelets may also soon be available, Fabrice reveals. “We will soon manage to turn children’s handwriting names or short messages into bracelets - we are in the final phase of tests and we are hopeful to introduce the product shortly.”

Clients may also upgrade their orders by requesting diamonds and precious stones to be worked into the doodle designs. As an alternative for silver, clients can request 18-karat gold or platinum, too. The possibilities are endless, Fabrice adds. “We're able to literally make any customisation you may realise of.” And, within 3 to 5 working days, clients will receive their orders with their doorsteps, gift-wrapped, with a image of the initial drawing and the little artist’s name and age.

Up to now, Fabrice says typically the most popular design among customers may be the pendant that has children’s handwriting. Messages like “I really like you” or “My mummy” scrawled in a child’s early handwriting have already been the brand’s bestsellers. Some parents frame their babies’ footprints or save locks of their hair in decorative keepsake boxes, but, as they grow older and begin to misbehave, what better reminder will there be of the unconditional love that comes with a parent-child bond than a wearing a note from the good-old days, when these were young, cute and innocent? This weekend may mark Valentine’s Day, but sentimentality is a thing that My Kids Doodles is banking on all year round.