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Last summer (2024), a craze about collectable cute mini-figures took over Gen Z with the trend of Sonny Angels. Sonny Angels, the naked baby figurine with a lil hats, took the internet by storm with their mysterious blind box reveal. Young 20 year olds were flocking to the markets to relive their childhood dreams of hoarding collectors items and lining their shelves with toys. Personally, I do not get the appeal of buying plastic dolls of clothing-less children (it just SOUNDS weird!), but to each their own. However, a new hot item is emerging on social media in east Asian countries for those who like fuzzy yet feisty characters to collect. Labubus are fairytale anthropomorphic creatures that have a sweet button nose, wide devious eyes, sharp chompers coming out of their smile, and itty bitty hands and feet. The US hasn’t quite caught on to their adorable factor yet, so learn about the wonderful world of Labubus before you’re late to the game.
nordic and chinese Origin
The creator of these bunny-eared monsters is Kasing Lung, a Hong-Kong illustrator. In 2015, he produced a storybook in a series called “The Monsters” featuring a new species deemed “Labubu” inspired by ancient Nordic elf folktales. Lung spent his childhood in the Netherlands reading about mischievous faeries and creatures of old eastern European legend and began drawing picture books in his free time. In his career as an artist, he developed this magical world of benevolent and sneaky monsters such as the Zimomo, Tycoco, Spooky, Yaya, and the most iconic- the Labubu. The creator of these cuddly but scary beings state that these characters have a personality similar to their devious looks- where they are sweet at heart but manage to create trouble for others. Kasing Lung made a shift from storybook illustrator to dollmaker in his home production studio. In 2019, he signed a deal with PopMart (Chinese collectable toy company) to bring these little devils to life. The Monsters come in different color options, sizes, and facial expressions in 300 variants. Labubus are typically sold in the trendy “blind-box” format where you cannot see which color or design of the Labubu you will receive until you open the packaging.
celebrity prestige
Due to its emergence in China and the popularity in East Asia, mostly Asian celebrities have been spotted touting this doll around. Korean pop idols from sensational girlgroup BLACKPINK (members Rose and Lisa) are avid fans of The Monsters. Lisa especially promotes her obsession with Labubus on her personal Instagram, becoming the unofficial ambassador for the brand. Filipino-Hawaiian TikTok and Instagram influencer Bretman Rock has also posted their Labubus as accessories on designer bags. Some fans of American stars have been gifting these unique collector items to celebrities at fan signings. However, the Labubu has still not saturated American social media yet despite its high demand.
why labubus?
If you were a Monster High lover as a kiddo, you may enjoy Labubus for their similar endearingly odd aesthetics and creepy-cool style. Labubus are reminiscent of children’s fantasy book, “Where The Wild Things Are“, with their gigantic bobbleheads, furry biped bodies, and lion-bear faces. A throwback of the 70s, your mom may find similarities between the soft Labubu with the silly expression and the vintage Monchhichi. You can dress Labubus in various special clothing either from PopMart or old Webkinz garb from your childhood play bin. The Labubu has actually been identified as a girl (gal power!) and now you can own her as a clip-on bookbag charm to take her on the go with you! The latest release from PopMart offers a Macaron-inspired Labubu design where you can receive Soymilk, Lychee Berry, Green Grape, Sea Salt Coconut, Toffee, Sesame Bean, or the lucky Chestnut Cocoa edition. “The Monsters” exist in the same playing field as the collectible items like Smiski Glow In the Dark humanoids (that look like a Studio Ghibli spirit) or Funko Pops. These cuties are being sold-out at an incredibly high rate, so if you want to hop on the trend, you better do it fast before the Labubus infiltrate the US stores and skyrocket the prices even more.