Labubus, the Monsters that Ousted the Bare-bottomed Babies

Labubus now adorn handbags much like Sonny Angels once adorned mobile phones. These amusing monsters with large eyes and sharp teeth have replaced the bare-bottomed cherubs as a global trend, captivating multiple generations and becoming an unexpected fashion accessory, drawing comparisons to the Hello Kitty phenomenon.

The coveted item dangles from luxury handbags as desirable as Hermès, forming part of what is termed "emotional consumption," where young people—and not so young—spend on affordable products that bring them satisfaction, even if they don't own a Kelly or a Birkin like their idols.

The craze for these dolls is such that they sell out within minutes both online and at the Chinese collector's chain Pop Mart, the only retailer of the originals. People camp overnight outside its stores, willing to endure hours in the elements to acquire one of the popular Labubus, created by Hong Kong designer Kasing Lung, who resides in the Netherlands.

Lung drew inspiration from Nordic mythology elves—hence their pointed teeth and ears—for his creation, which dates back to 2015. Their first appearance was in a series of children's books by the author called 'The Monsters'. Four years later, Lung signed a deal with Pop Mart to commercialise them as collectible figures. The first series of the sought-after Labubu keychains was released in October 2023.

It wasn't until a few months later, in April, that the craze for these little elves truly took off. Thai singer Lisa, a member of the K-pop group Blackpink and also known for her appearance in the series 'The White Lotus', introduced them to the wider public by hanging one from a Louis Vuitton bag, turning it into a coveted item in Asia, from where it spread worldwide, with 'ambassadors' such as Rihanna, Dua Lipa, David Beckham—gifted by his daughter Harper—Emma Roberts, and Kim Kardashian, who has flaunted her growing collection on social media.

One way Pop Mart has further sparked interest in the dolls is by releasing some in surprise boxes, so buyers don't know which one is inside. This strategy helped the Chinese company report revenues of $1.8 billion in 2024, an increase of over 100% from the previous year. The Labubus, which start at 15 euros as keychains, and their companions contributed about $400 million in revenue in 2024, a 726% growth compared to the previous twelve months, according to 'The New York Times'.

The other monsters, such as Mokoko, Pato, Spooky, Zimomo, and Tycoco—Labubu's skeleton-like boyfriend (yes, she's a girl)—haven't achieved the same success as the mischievous-smiling protagonist of Lung's books. A couple of weeks ago, an exclusive human-sized mint green Labubu figure sold for over $150,000 in Beijing, setting a new record.