You’ve probably seen a variation of the Labubu doll, a grinning Gremlin-like plush collectable toy hanging from the bags of your favorite influencers. Whether you think they’re cute or little creepy, is beside the point, because the Labubu has become a viral sensation, and it’s just a matter of time before you also fall under the spell. Dua Lipa and Rihanna certainly have.
Plush charms as fashion accessories have been taking over, as we’ve seen brands like Coach in New York City to Simone Rocha in London to Bottega Veneta in Milan showcasing the trend on the runways. All over Copenhagen Fashion Week last summer, the bag charm has become the go-to way for the style set to “Jane Birkinify” or personalize their handbags, and the trend has shown no signs of slowing. In fact, it seems to be surging with the inclusion of a particular furry friend: the Labubu.
Francesca Babbi/Launchmetrics.com/spotlight
First designed a decade ago by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung and distributed by Chinese toy company Pop Mart as collectable toys, the elf-inspired creatures soon found fame as fans lined up to get their hands on one. But here’s the catch—their popular blind-box format means you never know what you can get.
One Labubu could be wearing cute little corduroy overalls with rainbow pins, another in a strawberry-girl beanie or swaddled in a duck costume. Like the Beanie Baby and Jellycat crazes before it—and even the ongoing obsession of collecting Hello Kitty and Sanrio merchandise— there’s seemingly no end to the types of styles to be had.
Szymon Brzoska/Launchmetrics.com/spotlight
Francesca Babbi/Launchmetrics.com/spotlight
This could explain some of the extensive collections you may have seen on TikTok and why, even though each doll retails for around $30, collectors might spend hundreds if not thousands on boxes to get the versions that they want. And if you’re about to look for a Labubu online, let me stop you right there. Currently sold out on Pop Mart, the next best options are on eBay where most are available on the resale platform starting at more than $100. Once you get your hands on one, you might want to resist the urge to open the box.
If Pokemon cards (another blind-box phenomenon making a comeback) are anything to go by, the Labubu dolls will likely keep going up in value. A rare, “Labubu Best of Luck Vinyl Plush Doll” is currently selling for more than $1,000 on StockX.
If you can’t get your hands on a Labubu this second, why not consider some other (just as cute) bag charms to tide you over? You’re welcome.
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