Less than a year after the Jellycat craze swept social media, grown women in the UK are now eyeing two new ‘designer toys’ as TikTok is flooded with videos of creators ‘unboxing’ their Labubu Dolls and Sonny Angels.
The platform is awash with clips of millennial women showing off their collections of Labubus – plush toys that look like elves – and plastic figurines called Sonny Angels that ‘bring you happiness’.
While the cherub figurines wearing a wide range of hats – from garlic tops and pear caps – are manufactured by Japanese toy manufacturer Toru Soeya, Labubu dolls are the brainchild of Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung.
Today, they have travelled across the world – thanks to TikTok-fuelled hype and celebrity endorsements – with both Labubu Dolls and Sonny Angels the latest entrants to the burgeonining kidult toy market.
Women in their 20s and 30s are splashing out their salaries and spending hundreds of pounds on these playthings, with Olivia Attwood describing a Labubu Doll as ‘modern art’.
Labubu refers to the name of Lung’s elfish-looking plush toys that are described as having a playful yet fierce look – thanks to their wide eyes, sharp teeth, and pointed ears.
He adapted his design to create The Monsters series that included Labubu as well as other fantastical beasts – inspired by Lung’s interest in Nordic mythology – like Zimomo, Spooky, Pato, and Tycoco.
They are currently produced and distributed by Pop Mart after Lung signed an exclusive licensing deal with the Chinese toy company in 2019 – when Labubu Dolls first found fame in southeast Asian countries like Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Less than a year after the Jellycat craze swept social media, grown women in the UK are now eyeing two new ‘designer toys’ as TikTok is flooded with videos of creators ‘unboxing’ their Labubu Dolls and Sonny Angels
The platform is awash with clips of millennial women showing off their collections of Labubus – plush toys that look like elves – and plastic figurines called Sonny Angels that ‘bring you happiness. Pictured: Olivia Attwood showing off her newest Labubu Doll
A fan showed off the contents of her latest haul of Labubu Dolls that cost nearly £100
Since then, these limited-edition ‘designer toys’ have become a global sensation – with women in the UK now trying to get their hands on these collectibles that cost between £17 and £100.
Some of the brand’s most famous fans include Olivia Attwood, Rihanna, and Dua Lipa – with the Love Island star showing off her ever-expanding collection of Labubu dolls on her social media accounts.
In one such video, Olivia, 33, ripped open a ‘blind box’ (meaning the buyer doesn’t know what kind of Labubu they’ve purchased) after telling her followers she really wants ‘soy milk’ – referring to a highly sought-after variant that’s part of the Tasty Macaron collection.
However, Olivia’s blind box contained ‘sea salt coconut’ Labubu dressed in ice-blue fur.
In another video, posted last week, Olivia vowed she’s going to stop buying ‘blind boxes’ before revealing the contents of her latest purchases.
In the clip, which showed Olivia light-heartedly suggesting her Labubu obsession might cause her husband Bradley Dack to divorce her, the TV host described Lung’s creations as ‘modern art’ while warning her rottweiler Stitch against ripping it up.
‘It’s modern art,’ she said. ‘I’m not ashamed. God forbid a girl has hobbies.’
A third clip showed Olivia browsing through the Labubu collection at Harrods, with the presenter noting: ‘They can’t keep me away.’
Since they were launched in 2015, these limited-edition ‘designer toys’ have become a global sensation – with women in the UK now trying to get their hands on these collectibles that cost between £17 and £100
Some of the brand’s most famous fans include Olivia Attwood, Rihanna, and Dua Lipa – with the Love Island star showing off her ever-expanding collection of Labubu dolls on her social media accounts
Just like Labubu Dolls, Sonny Angels are also sold in mystery boxes so that customers have no idea which kind they’ve ended up with
It appears that collecting Labubu dolls is now a pastime for many women, with videos posted on TikTok showing creators lining up outside the Pop Mart store in London’s Soho ahead of a restock.
Pop Mart’s range includes pendants, keychains, bag charms, phone cases, earphone bags, and badges featuring the mischievous-looking creatures in a wide variety of settings and costumes.
At the time of writing, most of the collection is out of stock online.
Part of the appeal of Labubu Dolls is the limited run of designs that means supply almost always exceeds demand, with collectors trawling sites like Reddit for information about the next ‘drop’ or release.
Some creators like @ellensinwonderland also share details of upcoming Labubu restocks on their TikTok accounts.
In one such video, the 30-year-old declared she was on the hunt for the ‘Have a Seat’ and ‘Excited Macaron’ labubus before telling her followers the Pop Mart store on Wardour Street is restocked every Tuesday and Friday.
‘I love this!’ one person commented on Ellen’s video. ‘I’m in my thirties when I get excited about labubu my Gen Z sister tells me to get a grip.’
Another TikTok creator (@smurfimena) revealed she spent £105 on a box of six Labubus at the Pop Mart store in Soho, with each one priced at £17.50.
Part of the appeal of Labubu Dolls is the limited run of designs that means supply almost always exceeds demand, with collectors trawling sites like Reddit for information about the next ‘drop’ or release
Pop Mart’s range includes pendants, keychains, bag charms, phone cases, earphone bags, and badges featuring the mischievous-looking creatures in a wide variety of settings and costumes
A third fan showed off the contents of her latest haul on TikTok while revealing the price of each time – including a £25.50 Coca-Cola variant (among the most popular designs), and the ‘Excited macaron’ and ‘Have a Seat’ worth £17.50 each.
In total, the creator @aimeedoesthings5 spent nearly £100 on the plush toys.
Just like Labubu Dolls, Sonny Angels are also sold in mystery boxes so that customers have no idea which kind they’ve ended up with.
In one video, Manchester-based TikToker Lidia Baylis-Zullo showed off her Monkey Sonny Angels from the brand’s Animal Series, while her friend ended up with the Eggplant angel from the Vegetable Series.
These three-inch pastic figurines typically retail for upwards of £15 but the ultra-rare dolls such as the ‘Golden Pig’ can sell for more than £2,000 on resale websites like eBay.
It appears that is a price customers are willing to pay if these angels ‘bring you happiness’ as promised by the brand.
According to Vox, women were always the target market for these angels that were created by Soeya in 2004.
The director of marketing at Dreams Inc, which is the US distributor for Sonny’s Angels, Jackie Bonheim told the news outlet that Soeya made these toys to help alleviate the stresses of young working women in Japan.
Sonny Angels typically retail for upwards of £15 but the ultra-rare dolls such as the ‘Golden Pig’ can sell for more than £2,000 on resale websites like eBay.
According to Vox , women were always the target market for these angels that were created by Toru Soeya in 2004
‘He referred to them as a “pocket boyfriend” which I think may have gotten lost in translation a little bit,’ she said, noting the angel figures are a source of ‘platonic, silly comfort’ for women.
The trend also extends to celebrities, with models Bella Hadid and Iris Law previously sharing a picture of the dolls to their Instagram accounts.
The website describes Sonny Angel as a ‘little angel boy who wears headgear, will continue to watch over you, give healing, and give more smiles to all of us in the world’.
It continues: ‘He is always by your side to make you smile. Sonny Angel will provide healing moments in your everyday life.
‘He is a welcome sight at the entrance to your home, next to your bed, on your desk and so many other places.’