Labubu

Labubu is a brand of popular collectible plush toys that look like monster-like elves. They were designed by a Hong Kong designer for the Chinese market, specifically for the retail store Pop Mart. Labubu is also the name of a character in the series.

History

Pop Mart Labubu began selling out in huge quantities. This character was created by Kasing Lung, an artist from Hong Kong. Labubu doll became part of The Monsters series, which was influenced by Scandinavian folklore and myths that he was fascinated with as a child.

Labubu first appeared on sale in 2015 and was a series of ‘monster’ figurines released by How2Work. It became a worldwide hit in 2019 thanks to a collaboration with Pop Mart. This partnership made it a must-have item for collectors.

The shaggy, cute doll with bead eyes won over girls first. Videos with ‘my first Labubu’ quickly began to multiply on social media. Labubu became a star first in Asia and then around the world.

Design

Labubu clothes give it an even more playful look, although it also appears somewhat fierce. It has a round, furry body, large eyes, pointed ears, and nine sharp teeth that form a mischievous smile.

In addition to Labubu itself, the ‘tribe’ called ‘The Monsters’ includes the characters Mokoko, Pato, Spooky, Tycoco, and Zimomo. The dolls were released in different designs.

They are usually sold in surprise boxes, forming themed series that contain a toy chosen at random from the line. In addition to the advertised models, the series may contain a rare ‘secret’ doll.

In October 2023, a line of keychains called ‘Exciting Macaron’ Fall in Wild was released, including a series of seven ‘Have a Seat’ dolls.

Pop Mart collaborated with various brands, presenting a series of boxes for winter curtains with eleven Labubu toys in the Coca-Cola style at the end of 2024 and a line of 13 monster dolls embodying characters from the manga and anime One Piece in early 2025. Other figures were released as exclusives, such as the ‘Labubu's Artistic Quest’ series, which was sold at the Pop Mart store in the Louvre in Paris. Labubu, an elf girl with protruding teeth, is the star of the show.

• Zimomo is the tribe's leader and the only boy, with a dragon's tail;
• Mococo is a pink cutie with a heart-shaped nose;
• Tycoco is a skeleton boyfriend;
• Spooky resembles a bag and feels like a mystery;
• Pippo, Pato, and Yaya reflect the entire spectrum of characters, from dreamers to devils.

Why is Labubu so popular?

The toy managed to attract the attention of the general public and become popular. It rose to fame in April 2024 after Liza, a member of the pop group Blackpink, was spotted with a keychain in the form of a monster-like doll. The toy instantly became popular in Thailand and other parts of Southeast and East Asia.

Soon, other celebrities followed Liza's example, including Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, and Amelia Hamlin.

Labubu can often be seen on luxury bags. The plush monsters have been equated with stylish accessories, decorating backpacks and shopping bags, often using transparent covers to make them look beautiful.

Some even repaint the toys, sew outfits for them, add eyelashes, tattoos, scarves and even mink coats.

Pop Mart's interim report for 2024, published on 20 August, states that in the first half of the year, its sales amounted to 6.3 billion Chinese yuan (approximately 870 million US dollars).

Why has the sale of LABUBU toys been suspended in the UK?

The manufacturer of fashionable soft toys, Labubu, has decided to temporarily suspend sales in stores in Great Britain. The reason lies in excessively high demand.

In this country, monster dolls are manufactured by Pop Mart UK. On its official website, the company said it was concerned about the safety and comfort of people queuing up outside shops to buy the unusual toys. There were even fights over the elf dolls outside London shops where they were on sale.

Pop Mart UK has 16 stores across the country. However, company representatives have announced that the toy will still be available for purchase online.

Prior to this, a huge number of videos appeared on social media showing long queues outside Pop Mart stores. People gathered in front of the shops in crowds from three in the morning, several hours before opening. This was due to the growing popularity of toys imitating fictional creatures with protruding teeth and rabbit ears.

Today, they are popular not only in the Asian region, but also beyond.

The image of this toy takes people back to their childhood and revives positive emotions. Labubu are carried on bags, placed on shelves, filmed in reels and hunted for like rare Pokémon. The fluffy, toothy doll looks very mysterious. The doll has become a viral cult, with YouTube and TikTok overflowing with unboxing videos of boxes with secret contents. The elf with a sly smile and cute ears has won over everyone without exception. It has no history, moral or mission; it is a concept. Everyone can come up with their own meaning.

Price

Labubu UK can be ordered online by anyone. The affordable price makes these toys even more popular. They have become a real hit both in their home country and abroad. Buyers are primarily attracted by their unusual appearance. And when a celebrity appeared in public with a themed keyring, demand increased several times over. The main thing is to buy from the official online store to ensure that the doll is genuine and not a fake.

The toothy face is the embodiment of a meme, fashion and clever marketing.

Frequently asked questions