Mariquita Pérez

Mariquita Pérez was a Spanish composition doll created in the late 1930s and produced until 1976, considered the most famous doll in the country's history. It was created by the high society woman Leonor Coello de Portugal, who was inspired by other dolls such as the French Bleuette and the Argentine Marilú. Mariquita Pérez was an immediate success and became the most coveted doll of 1940s and 1950s Spain, although its high cost made it a toy reserved for girls from the wealthier families. The doll is regarded as emblematic of post-war Spanish society and representative of the era's upper classes. Nevertheless, Mariquita Pérez had great popularity across all social classes, as her image was spread through songs, radio programmes and elaborate shop windows. Today, the doll is a prized object for collectors and for women who were unable to acquire it during their childhood.