Labubu dolls ride China's soft-power wave

Small, fuzzy and baring sharp teeth, Chinese toymaker Pop Mart's Labubu monster dolls have taken over the world, drawing excited crowds at international stores and adorning the handbags of celebrities such as Rihanna and Cher.

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Beijing-based Pop Mart is part of a rising tide of Chinese cultural exports gaining traction abroad, furry ambassadors of a "cool" China even in places associated more with negative public opinion of Beijing such as Europe and North America.

Labubus, which typically sell for around $40 (R700), are released in limited quantities and sold in "blind boxes", meaning buyers don't know the exact model they will receive.