The UAE’s very own Adult Fan of Lego aka AFOL, Philippe Gerard, lives in Mirdif in Dubai with his wife and has been a collector and builder for more than 20 years.
Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started with Lego.
I’ve been collecting toys my whole life but I started with Lego in the early ’80s with Star Wars. Like a true Star Wars fan, I started collecting merchandise and got infatuated with Star Wars Lego sets and minifigures. My son would get some Star Wars toys and we would play and build together.
Lego is purely a hobby for me, I can never sell my creations. It is very difficult for a pure collector to sell his collection.
How long have you been in Dubai and how do you feel about the Lego community in the UAE?
I’ve been in Dubai for nine years and I came here with about half my Lego collection and have been building it up ever since. In the UAE I have met people through Facebook. We are about 20 people in the UAE who are really passionate about Lego. We meet and discuss new ways of bringing Lego into Dubai, exchange ideas and appreciate each other’s collections.
What is your favourite Lego theme?
The Lego Movie! It was about the AFOL community, because at the end you realise it could be the real-life of someone who is passionate about Lego and starts sharing the experience with his son. It is really magical and relates well with the AFOL community.
What advice would you give to a young person who wants to get started with Lego?
Buy whatever you can. Get whatever you can. One day you might regret not buying it when it was available. Some parts can be hard to find and may not come back often in the market, so when you see something you really like grab it and don’t hesitate.
Which of your creations is your favourite?
The carousel definitely. It is really such a beautiful piece. It was a very rare, hard-to-find Lego kit. But I was lucky enough to get my hands on it.
How is your family involved in your Lego life?
My wife is crazy about Lego just like me. I’m sure when I’m at work in the mornings, she plays around with the minifigures in the Lego city, because I see some have moved when I come back home. She takes care of everything and helps clean them, and is just as passionate as I am. Lego is really a family affair. You can buy a kit and build sets together with your child... it brings everyone together.
How many bricks do you think you have so far?
About 300,000 — roughly. In the beginning I thought it would be best to sort out my bricks by colour but now I do it by shape. It’s just so much easier to find the colour you need in one particular shape, rather than hunting in a sea of blue for the shape you need. I find it very therapeutic to sort out Lego bricks.
Which is your favourite minifigure?
I love this little Nesquik bunny. They made just this one minifigure as a promotion and I was lucky to grab it.
How long does it take to build one house in the Lego City?
One house doesn’t take too long, maybe two evenings. It took me the longest to build the Ghostbusters house. You can see all the little details in the house. It took me almost two weeks because I modified it.
So what’s the dream?
My dream is to have a big house with my full collection in the Philippines, where my wife and I have a home in Manila. I will open a cafe and put all my creations on display. Of course, in front of its own box. It is very important to have the box in very good condition. A fun fact — when you open your box of Lego, you are the first human hand to touch it. Nobody in the factory is authorised to touch the Lego. In a few years’ time there will be more minifigures on earth than people.
What are you looking forward to most at Stack?
I look forward to meeting other AFOLs. I’m sure there are many people living in Dubai and in the UAE who have private collections and haven’t been discussing Lego much outside. It would be good to meet them and maybe even work on an official AFOL community website for the UAE together. I also look forward to showcasing my work and teaching kids and young people all the great things we can do with Lego.
Don’t miss it!
Stack runs from October 19 to 22 at Skydive Dubai. Tickets, priced at Dh100, are available on stackitevents.com. They will be Dh130 at the venue. Children below 2 go for free. Group options are available for students.
