Where are the Luisa toys from Encanto?

[FennecShandDoesEverything]

You can get Maribel. You can get Isabela. You can even get Abuela and Pepa and Julieta and Antonio. Can you get a Luisa? Barely.

I don't want the others. I want Luisa. Strong and muscular but vulnerable and struggling. AIBU or has Luisa been significantly neglected on the merchandise? And I'm sure we don't have to wonder why. Even after the film itself devoted a whole song to what a prison being a "perfect princess" was for Isabela, and she rejected both that look and that destiny.

The fact that Isabella's doll is dressed in the 'perfect' pink dress drives me nuts. Why would you want a version of her where she was so unhappy- unless you only cared about making money from the merchandise...

@AndAllOurYesterdays

The fact that Isabella's doll is dressed in the 'perfect' pink dress drives me nuts. Why would you want a version of her where she was so unhappy- unless you only cared about making money from the merchandise...

Right? Isabela hated that dress and having perfect hair.

Even Maribel has been given those stupid giant eyes with long eyelashes on the merch. I shouldn't be surprised, but it's frustrating that even as the films themselves evolve much more complex narratives around the toxicity of "princess", the merchandise is still based on pretty big-eyed simpering, because dollars or whatever.

I read that Disney massively underestimated how many kids would want Luisa merch and underproduced! I think they thought everyone would want Isabella!

Hooray! DH found me the Luisa I was looking for.

Yes, there are a number of articles saying that the animators had to fight the House of Mouse to give Luisa her tall muscular build, and also that Disney have been caught unprepared by the fact that Luisa merch has been more popular than Isabela versions, because apparently it never occurred to them that girls and women would actually watch the movie and might identify with the woman who struggles with anxiety and feels responsible for everyone.

You'd think they'd have learned after the furore about the sexualisation and Barbiefication of all the Merida merchandise, but no, apparently they never learn.

Disney Didn't Want Luisa To Have Muscles, And Now She's Outselling Isabela

All the kids love Luisa - who wouldn't want to be the donkey carrying one! Well, that or Camilo (the shapeshifter - I think that's his name)

My kids alternately sing Under the Surface (Luisa's song) or We don't talk about Bruno pretty much all the time at the moment... (both boys)

I will say, Isabella's getting a bit of a raw deal - she also had a lot of pressure, and I think a lot of people are missing that.

@auldmaw

I read that Disney massively underestimated how many kids would want Luisa merch and underproduced! I think they thought everyone would want Isabella!

I was just coming on to say the same thing Disney didnt expect her to be the hit that she is!

Luisa is my 8 and 6 year old’s favourite character! Agree Isabella is getting a raw deal… she didn’t want to be the ‘pretty princess’. It wasn’t her fault 🤷🏻‍♀️

Agree about Isabella. Valued for her appearance, not her creativity. The splattered dress at the end would be a better toy.

The splattered dress at the end would be a better toy.

Yes, that would be much better (And I bet much more popular)

@QuinkWashable

I will say, Isabella's getting a bit of a raw deal - she also had a lot of pressure, and I think a lot of people are missing that.

She did, for sure! But 1) I think Luisa's emotional journey hit harder for a lot of people and 2) Disney have skated right over that in the merch by actively selling Pretty Princess Isabella. It would have been much better if they'd sold her in her splattered dress and multicoloured hair.

Luisa T shirts back online at Shop Disney