Breathing life into dolls has long been one of man’s dreams, and in a small workshop, tucked away in downtown Cairo, you’ll come about as close as you can get. Hosni Fares, the 71 year old proprietor, has been working his magic for over 50 years to become Egypt’s premier mannequin maker. Inside the small workshop, the sense of the bizarre is as strong as the smell of paint. In amongst the continuous pouring, polishing and shaping of body parts, freshly painted hands dangle from hooks to dry whilst legs rest casually against the walls. And on the workbenches, torso’s compete for the attentions of the small team of highly skilled workers, who make the mannequins entirely by hand. Taking three days to make, each mannequin is still lovingly brought to life by Hosni, who paints on their faces and gives them their unique characters.