Known for its impish appearance and devilish smile, the Labubu doll has been the latest talk of the town. You’d have most likely seen pictures of it floating around social media or spotted its keychains dangling off people’s bags. Having gained a cult following, the character is currently one of Pop Mart’s most sought-after series.
What is a Labubu?
The furry elf figure was created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung in 2015 as part of The Monsters universe. These characters were inspired by Nordic fairy tales and first made an appearance in children’s books. Characterised by its sharp fangs and pointy ears, Labubu’s personality is described as energetic and mischievous. However, despite its good intentions, it unwittingly causes harm while attempting to help others.
In 2019, Lung entered a partnership with the Chinese toy company, Pop Mart, known for its collectable toys and blind boxes. This exposed The Monsters to a mainstream audience. Since then, Labubu has been released in various colours, shapes and sizes. Some collections include the Happy Halloween Party, Lazy Yoga, and the Singapore-exclusive Hide and Seek series.
Additionally, the dolls come in various forms, such as plush toys, vinyl figures, keychains, and pouches.
Celebrity fans of Labubu
1. Lalisa Manobal
Earlier in April, BLACKPINK’s Lisa was seen hugging a giant Labubu from the Fall in Wild series on her Instagram story. She then posted another story of a Labubu keychain attached to her bag. This publicity caught the attention of many fans, leading to an overnight explosion in its popularity.
2. Rosé Park
Interest in the character was further heightened when Lisa’s bandmate, Rosé, posted a story of her with a Labubu doll while visiting Lisa’s house. The Labubu in question is part of the Exciting Macaron series, in the colour Sea Salt Coconut.
3. Mario Maurer
Thai actor and model Mario Maurer has posted himself posing with a Labubu x Mario toy. Dressed in a leather jacket and blue jeans, the character is a collaboration with Mario himself and fashioned after him.
4. Araya Alberta Hargate
An avid fan, Thai actress and model Araya Alberta Hargate has also featured Labubu multiple times on her Instagram page. In one post, she posted a carousel of luxury bags decorated with trinkets as bag charms. This includes some Labubus from the Exciting Macaron series. The chances of pulling the secret Chestnut Cocoa colour is 1 in 72, and Araya has not only one of this rare doll, but two.
5. Kim Lim
In Singapore, billionaire heiress Kim Lim posted a photo of herself hugging her son with boxes of Pop Mart collections stacked behind them. Amongst the boxes were several Labubu toys from the Exciting Macaron series.
This article was originally published in Harper’s Bazaar Singapore.