How Labubu turned into a global sensation

Online and in person, people are clamouring to get their hands on Labubu, which are dolls that are 'well-intentioned' but somewhat mischievous, writes Alisha Haridasani Gupta from New York

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There was a line of hundreds of people in front of the Pop Mart store in Los Angeles at 4:45 am on April 25.

Korin Reese arrived thinking she was somewhat early and was stunned to find customers already waiting. Some brought stools and foldable chairs to sit on, while others came with bags full of snacks and drinks. Ms Reese heard that some of the people in line had been there since 10 pm the day before.

They, like Ms Reese, wanted to get their hands on the latest series of a new key-ring doll called the Labubu, which is sold exclusively at Pop Mart, a Chinese collectibles retailer. The dolls, which belong to a tribe called The Monsters, are the latest in a long line of iconic collectible characters from Asia, including Hello Kitty — now a 50-year-old matriarch — Sonny Angel and Gudetama.

Labubu dolls are fuzzy little Nordic elves with snaggletoothed, mischievous grins and impish ears. They're all female, they're kindhearted, but sometimes, as they go about spreading joy, they get into trouble. "Well-intentioned" trouble, though, said Emily Brough, head of licensing at Pop Mart North America. "It's never malicious."

The creatures, conceptualised in 2015 by an artist born in Hong Kong, Kasing Lung, began as characters in a children’s book series. In 2019, Mr Lung signed a partnership with Pop Mart to turn the storybook elves into collectible designer toys. Pop Mart's first Labubu series, called the Exciting Macaron, was released in October 2023.

Each time a new Labubu has been released, it has sold out within minutes online. (Each doll costs roughly $30 — about 1,000 baht — but some limited-edition items can cost more.) They have spawned communities, in real life and online — where fans discuss tips on how to score dolls or dress them up and share images of their collections — and have turned into unexpected fashion accessories, often juxtaposed against luxury handbags.

LABUBU TAKE OFF