Labubu : The phenomenon Everyone is Talking About

 

Labubu is Breaking The Internet With its Cute Faces And Cute Clothes.

You must be living under a Rock If You Haven't Heard About Labubu Dolls. The Wide-Eyed- Toys Have Taken Over Social Media. Born a monster, the elf-like creature from Chinese toy maker Pop Mart is now a viral purchase. And it has no dearth of celebrity advocates: Rihanna, Dua Lipa, Kim Kardashian, and Blackpink's Lisa. Ordinary folk are just as obsessed - from Shanghai to London, the long queues to snap up the doll have made headlines, sometimes descending into fights even.

The world's fascination with Labubu has almost tripled Pop Mart's profits in the past year - and, according to some, even energised Chinese soft power, which has been bruised by the pandemic and a strained relationship with the West.

Meet Labubu.

Labubus come in a range of sizes as figurines and plushies, but the most popular come in blind boxes (more on that below) and are beloved among young adults and considered a popular fashion trend — often clipped to bags or belt loops. Most recently, people dressing up as the plushie appeared at a Pride parade and a protest against immigration raids in Los Angeles. Whether or not these toys are in fact "cute" is up for debate. But there's no denying that their toothy, mischievous grins and furry bodies have become a global sensation — sparking long lines outside toy stores, selling out online within minutes, and listing for double or triple their original price on resale markets.

In the U.S., one Labubu blind box retails for $27.99. But high demand often drives resale prices much higher. On eBay, a rare secret Chestnut Cocoa Labubu can fetch over $149.

The global craze around Labubus has also sparked markets for doll clothing and counterfeit Labubus, which are sometimes called "Lafufus."