A huge K-pop band is teaming up with the viral ugly toy Labubu
Two giants of Asia — K-pop band Seventeen and viral doll Labubu — are joining forces.
Seventeen, one of K-pop's biggest acts du jour, is set to release a new song on June 11, "Bad Influence," produced by Pharrell Williams.
Leading up to the release, Williams' online auction site, Joopiter, launched a collaboration with Chinese toymaker Pop Mart to make 14 custom Labubu dolls with Seventeen branding. Labubu, a furry toy with a wide, sinister grin, has taken the world by storm, created massive queues around the world, and made millions for parent company Pop Mart.
The company's stock is up about 600% in the past year.
The 6.7-inch dolls in the Seventeen collaboration are clad in gray onesies by fashion brand Carhartt and feature neon green fur, a color not seen on a Labubu thus far.
They also sport a mixed metal necklace and black toenail polish.
"Blending the worlds of collectibles and high fashion, this marks the first official collaboration between Labubu and an international fashion brand—a testament to the creative possibilities born from cultural crossover," Joopiter's product description wrote.
Per Joopiter's website, the toys have been listed for a charity auction with an expected bid price of $300 to $500. As of press time, the highest bid price on the dolls was $2,200. Bidding closes in a week.
The Labubus are part of a larger collaboration between Seventeen and Sacai, a Japanese luxury fashion brand. The collection also includes a leather jacket, caps, hoodies, and a white T-shirt signed by 11 members of Seventeen.
While this is the first official collaboration between K-pop and Labubu, Labubu's ties with K-pop run deep. The toy's popularity is partly attributed to Lisa, one of the four singers from the hit K-pop band Blackpink, who posted the plush toy on her Instagram last April.
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