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Indian Express
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
How Labubu dolls have fanned the flames of India's collectible obsession
Labubu dolls – quirky, wide-eyed collectible figurines created by Hong Kong-based toy brand POP MART, in collaboration with artist Kasing Lung – are having their moment right now, hanging from croc-skin Birkins and Chanel 25s, with a creepy monster smile on their faces. While they first caught on in China, their global breakout began when BLACKPINK's Lisa was spotted flaunting a fuzzy Labubu charm on her designer handbag. From there, their visibility exploded. Rihanna, Dua Lipa, and other international celebrities jumped on the trend. And over the past few months, India has officially joined the Labubu wave, with Ananya Panday and Karan Johar giving these furry oddballs their own space on Instagram grids and reels. But what Labubu represents isn't new. We've seen this kind of frenzy before, whether it was Lego and Funko Pops, Cricket Attax cards, Marvel action figures, or even Harry Potter toys tucked into Kinder Joy eggs. For years, Indian youth have found comfort, joy, and identity in collectibles. Labubu just happens to be the latest face of that obsession. Shrey Pacheco has always been into pop culture, toys, and video games. Recalling his first brush with collectibles, he said that his mother had brought back a bunch of toys from the United States in the early 90s. Later, in 2020-21, his partner gifted him a G.I. Joe USS Flagg toy for his 33rd birthday — one he had had his eyes on for years. Shrey Pacheco, who has always been into pop culture, toys, and video games, traces his passion for collectibles back to childhood, when his mother brought home toys from the United States in the early 90s. Years later, in 2020-21, a gift from his partner – a vintage G I Joe USS Flagg – reignited that spark. 'Next thing you know, I'm collecting everything from Hot Wheels to Lego, old video game consoles, and even Barbie dolls,' said the collectible enthusiast. For Pacheco, this isn't just a hobby. 'I want my collection to hold value – resale, in case something happens,' he said. Yet he notes that toy collectors in India are often not taken seriously. 'Even among friends and family, I've heard it all – 'waste of time,' 'you're too old for this' – usually followed by some unsolicited financial advice,' Pacheco said. However, the market has grown. 'I've easily spent over Rs 2 lakh, probably more. But a part of me is afraid to do the math,' he told For others, like fashion influencer Ashwini Dixit, collecting is about personal joy. 'It started in college – bag charms, sanitiser holders – little things that made everyday items more personal,' she said. 'I found myself drawn to unique little pieces with a story or spark, and that's how I got into collecting things like Labubu. It's nostalgic and just makes me happy,' said. Toy trends come and go – Troll Dolls, Cabbage Patch Kids, Garbage Pail Kids. Labubu, according to Pacheco, is simply the latest in a long line of cult collectibles. But what sets it apart? Saurabh Pacheriwal, co-founder and director of Gemius, said, 'With mischievous expressions and storybook-inspired aesthetics, Labubu sits at the intersection of designer art toys and emotional storytelling. It's a character from a larger fantasy world that resonates deeply with individual identity. ' According to him, Labubu's rise among Gen Z reflects a cultural shift, one where self-expression, nostalgia, and irony play significant roles. Labubu dolls are not conventionally 'cute'. Its wide eyes, mischievous grin, and slightly eerie vibe speak directly to Gen Z's love for the offbeat. 'Over 50 per cent of Gen Z seeks brands to reflect their unique personality,' said Pacheriwal, adding, 'Labubu does exactly that – it's a collectible and a symbol of emotional identity.' Brinda Agrawal, head of product Development and Marketing at Ultra Soft Toys, concurred. 'Each version of Labubu feels like a mood, a vibe. It's nostalgic, visual, and deeply emotional. That's what makes this wave so powerful,' she said. For Aparajita Saxena, who picked up a Labubu Crybaby while visiting Singapore, the appeal is psychological. 'Their face looks like they're smiling through a full-blown existential crisis. They say 'Welcome!' with their mouth and 'Send help' with their eyes,' she said, adding, 'It's perfectly millennial – we're 'woke' and we have better access to mental health stuff but still we know we're never going to be able to earn enough to buy a house.' She owns a Labubu pirate and snowman plush doll, along with a Labubu stress buster squeezy toy at her work desk. 'I love looking at it. In a weird way, it grounds me almost. It reminds me that life can get bad but you can smile through the bad shit,' she said. Several factors fuel Labubu's popularity: the boom in designer toy culture, the rise of niche online communities (especially on platforms like Instagram and TikTok), and the joy of mystery box collectibles. Gen Zs are not satisfied with just any product; they want stories, status, and community. Pacheriwal said that Labubu offers an immersive narrative: 'While collectible trends can be cyclical, the emotional connection Labubu creates with its audience gives it staying power. It taps into the same deep cultural veins as anime fandoms, gaming avatars, and nostalgia-driven fashion.' According to a spokesperson from InABox, one of India's leading collectible retailers, Labubu's early popularity in 2021 was fuelled by its design and emotional resonance. But today, two major trends are driving its appeal: – A desire to be part of an exclusive, premium collectible culture. – Its rise as a fashion statement, especially as a bag charm. 'Bag charms are fast becoming essential accessories,' the spokesperson noted. 'They're evolving just like bags did, from utility to personality statements.' Devansh Jain Nawal, co-founder & CEO of Culture Circle, noticed a pattern. 'As someone who's been in the sneaker game for years, I see the exact same pattern. When Travis Scott dropped his Jordan collab or when celebrities started wearing Yeezys, the demand went crazy overnight.' According to him, Gen Z doesn't just buy stuff – they buy the feeling of being part of something exclusive that their favourite stars are into. 'I remember when I got my first Jordan back in 2016, it wasn't just about the shoe, it was about joining this community of people who 'get it.' Labubus work the same way now,' he said, attributing their cuteness and limited availability as reasonsfor giving it celebrity connection and 'bragging rights' on social media. Nawal believes Gen Z's love for collecting exclusive stuff isn't going anywhere. 'Labubus might cool down eventually, but we'll just move on to the next thing. Smart collectors already know this. They don't put all their eggs in one basket,' he said. According to him, the real question isn't whether Labubus will last forever, but whether you're building a collection that actually holds value. That's why authentication matters so much to this generation. InABox spokesperson said that while Labubu's moment in the spotlight may eventually fade, giving way to other Pop Mart IPs like Skullpanda, Crybaby, and whatever's next, the broader trend of collectible bag charms is here to stay. Pop Mart excels at continuously refreshing its offerings with new characters and narratives. 'At InABox, we are now seeing a decline in labubu queries and a surge in Crybaby and Skullpanda,' the spokesperson said. 'As for fashion, we believe the 'bag charm' as a category is becoming an essential accessory, with greater variety, creativity, and collectability,' they said. Ishika Roy is a is a Trainee Sub Editor for the lifestyle desk at The Indian Express. She shares a keen interest in reading, writing and researching on all things beauty, entertainment, pop culture and lifestyle. Ishika holds a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from Miranda House, Delhi and a Post-graduate degree in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune. ... Read More
Hypebeast
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
POP MART and Uniqlo UT Unveil "The Monsters" Collection
Summary POP MARTandUniqlo UThave teamed up to celebrateKasing Lung's viral work 'The Monsters' — and yes, it highlights the popularLabubu. The collection features a selection of T-shirts in black, white, gray and pink. First up is a simple offering with a 'The Monsterland' logo across the chest, as well as one with graphics from the series on the back. A more colorful piece lands against the black T-shirt with a square piece and 'We Are The Monsters' on the left and bottom. Finally, a pink 'The Monsterland' T-shirt sees a character from the beloved universe. Check out the full collection above and stay tuned for more details on the POP MART x Uniqlo UT 'The Monsters' capsule.
Daily Mirror
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Freaky 4ft Labubu doll sells for more than £110,000 at auction
The Labubu craze has seen recent fights in POP MART stores; 235,984 mentions online; celebs like Dua Lipa, Rihanna and LISA sporting the bag-charm; and now a million yuan sale for a life-sized doll Labubu-mania has reached a new peak as a human-sized Labubu was recently sold at auction for a huge sum of 1.08 million yuan, equivalent to just over £110,000. Reported by a Chinese auction house, the 4ft4inches doll was bought at the Yongle International Auction in Beijing. At 131 cm, the life-size figuring was said to be the most expensive toy in the world by the auctioneer, reports the BBC. The monster dolls -turned-bag-charms were made by Kasing Lung, an artist from Hong Kong, and have seen a massive incline in popularity and sales, loved by children, Gen Z and celebrities alike. Sold mainly in Pop Mart for just over £5, the recent auction - which took place this week - saw that price multiplied by thousands. The auction included 48 items for sale and hosted 200 potential buyers, in total raining an enormous 3.37 million yuan - that's £349,000. The worldwide craze has seen fights break out between customers and staff, 'never-ending' queues and now a removal of the toys from Pop Mart shelves as they try to manage the insatiable demand for all things Labubu. Pop Mart informed fans on their official Instagram on May 19, saying: "Due to the increasing demand for our beloved Labubus, we've seen a significant rise in customer turnout on restock days – with long queues forming outside our stores and Roboshops. To ensure the safety and comfort of everyone, we will temporarily pause all in-store and roboshop sales of THE MONSTERS plush toys until further notice". Help us improve our content by completing the survey below. We'd love to hear from you! Celebrity sightings with the 'love-or-hate' bag charms include Rihanna, Dua Lipa and LISA. David Beckham has also tried the viral trend by posting a snap on Instagram showing a Labubu clipped to his bag. Their popularity appears to come down to one thing: not knowing which one you're going to get. The illusive mystery boxes are sold as "blind boxes" that excite buyers who wonder which one they are fated to get. The Labubu reveal has massively given rise to Pop Mart's success where the business' more than doubled their revenue for 2024, 13 billion yuan, £1,335,100,000. The stores have now opened in five additional countries such as Italy and Spain as of last year and have resulted in social research that found an increase of 273 percent of daily mentions since May 30. The research, done by Sprout Social also discovered that the viral dolls had accumulated a total of 235,984 mentions across social apps, proving they are here to stay.
Hype Malaysia
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hype Malaysia
Rare Life-Size Mint Green Labubu Sold For Over RM700k In Recent Auction
We already know that Labubu dolls are highly sought after and can cost a pretty penny – how much are you willing to pay for a rare piece? Recently, a rare first-generation Labubu figure was sold at a Shanghai auction, garnering attention for its jaw-dropping price. On 11th June 2025 (Wednesday), a mint-green Labubu figure was sold at the Yongle 2025 Spring Auction for an astonishing 1.08 million yuan (approximately RM634,400). However, the winning buyer was required to pay another 15% commission on top of the hammer price, bringing the total cost of the auction to approximately 1.242 million yuan (approximately RM729,600). The piece was highlighted as 'one of a kind' and is said to be the world's only mint-green Labubu. The figure stands at 131cm and is made of PVC. It was sold at the auction alongside 47 other Labubu collectable items. Another rare figure sold at the auction was a limited-edition brown Labubu for 820,000 yuan (approximately RM481,700). The total value of the sale for the auction was 3.73 million yuan (approximately RM2.2 million). The winning bidder of the rare mint-green Labubu wasn't disclosed. Reports suggest that the buyer is a prominent collector of first-generation Labubu pieces, as are the other buyers in the auction. However, it's unsurprising that the auction raised such an astonishing figure, because many fans are dedicated to collecting these trendy figurines and would pay inflated prices to get the toy. Labubu and its accompanying 'Monsters' line were created a decade ago by Hong Kong designer Kasing Lung. BLACKPINK's Lisa's love for the doll helped catapult its popularity in the last two years. The Thai idol sparked a trend in Southeast and East Asia, with many rushing to get their own Labubu to match the star. Labubu and the 'Monsters' line is now POPMART's best-selling series, raking billions in sales for the toy company. It appears the Labubu craze won't die anytime soon, but what are your thoughts on this? Would you pay RM700,000 for a rare Labubu? Sources: The Star, Dim Sum Daily What's your Reaction? +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Wacky Mart convenience store snack series to release on Fri
Toy collector POP MART has unveiled its The Monsters Wacky Mart Series Figures that will drop on Fri (13 Jun). Inspired by convenience store snacks, the 13 characters are: Grilled Sausage, Fried Shrimp, Corn, Chips, Cup Noodles, Milk, Canned Sardines, Yakitori (Japanese grilled chicken), Chow Mein (Chinese stir-fried noodles), Sandwich, Salad, Onigiri (Japanese rice ball) and a secret character. POP MART is a Chinese company that sells collectables, often designer toys. It is known for its blind box format. This allows buyers to buy an item without knowing what they will get until after opening the box. Its range includes original figurines such as Labubu and Pucky. Labubu is a monster elf in a series called 'The Monsters' by artist Kasing Lung. Inspired by Nordic fairy tales, Lung modelled the series' characters after goblins, fairies and monsters. On 6 Jun (Fri), POP MART also released a 1-minute 11-second video trailer that starts with 4 humans shopping in a convenience store. They chance upon the 4 food items: Corn, Milk, Fried Shrimp and Onigiri. The video ends with a Labubu mascot escaping from the humans. The trailer came just 2 days after the company uploaded a carousel teaser revealing the Fried Shrimp character onto its Instagram account. In the background of one of the images, you can see the other food items that inspired the other figurines in the series. From 6pm SGT, you can buy the Wacky Mart figures online or from their physical stores in Singapore. A Wacky Mart blind box is priced at (S$25.78) in the United States. POP MART has also announced The Monsters Wacky Mart Series that will drop on 13 Jun (Fri) at 6pm SGT, comprising accessories such as the (US$44.99) (S$57.84) (above, left) and the (US$34.99) (S$44.99) (above, right). Make a dash for them when the items are released on Fri as they will likely be snapped up. This famous Malaysian-owned convenience store has finally opened its 1st outlet in JB The post Wacky Mart convenience store snack series to release on Fri appeared first on
