It is said to be small, teething and often slightly creepy. However, this gorgeous doll called Labubu quickly became an unlikely status symbol.
Over the past few weeks, social media has been filled with videos of collector trading tips on how to get a fluffy doll with lovebu, pointed ears and mischievous smirks.
The latest Labubu collection, which fell on Friday and sold out in seconds, has retailers at $27.99 for one blind box and $167.94 for six sets, but resellers have already more than doubled those prices on sites like eBay.
Labubu Dolls is made and sold by Pop Mart, a Chinese retailer known for its “blind box” collectibles.
Online restocking has earned a fierce Tull-at reputation for selling out quickly, and buyers around the world are known to camp for hours in front of Pop Mart stores.
From baby beanies to squish mallows to naked Sony Angel figurines that exploded in popularity last year, collectibles are frequently fueled by consumer trends one after another. As limited supply increases rarity, many fans are looking for the thrill of hunting certain coveted versions, like the special edition “secret” lovebu that can only be found by winning the blindbox lottery.
Thania Gonzalez, 31, said she collected almost every colour of Lovebu from all her collections. However, since dolls began exploding online late last year, the creator of Los Angeles-based fashion content said it has become virtually “impossible” to buy from Pop Mart. Today, she gets her love bus from a reseller who calls her “love plugs.”
“I like to put them in my bag and dress them like I do. I wear multiple love baths,” Gonzalez said. “I put them on my belt. If I could put them as earrings, I would, but it would hurt.
The trend has created a market for fan-made outfits that can be used to dress up Lovebu dolls. Gonzalez said she had been getting her from Chinese e-commerce platform Aliexpress before finding a local pop-up shop specializing in these accessories.
“As adults, I think we have a lot of responsibility, a lot of care, a lot of bills, people. “And I think Lovebus brings people back when they were kids. It’s like dressing them, how cute they are, just looking at them. It’s like a little stuffed animal that can make you look like you. I think it heals people’s inner children.”
Created in 2015 by Belgium-based Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung, Labubu is one of “The Monsters,” a group of characters inspired by Norse mythology from the Lung’s Children’s Book series. Labubu, according to Pop Mart’s explanation, “hearted and always wants to help, but often accidentally achieve the opposite.”
Pop Mart and Lung did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
The doll, which has become a symbol of its own exclusiveness, is now often paired with luxurious bags and luxurious bags, and is a trend and seemingly trending, where status signals are still not traditionally high-end.
They are also boosted by celebrities like Rihanna and Lisa from Blackpink. Lisa sometimes shares Labubus on her Instagram stories, and last year her shopping for Pop Mart Collectibles became her “secret obsession.”
“Love is my baby,” she told Teen Vogue last month.
From Asia to North America, collection release dates at Pop Mart stores often attract crowds of customers eager to get their own lovebu. At Michigan Avenue Pop Mart in Chicago, many people stretched the blocks Friday morning as many people brought foldable chairs and blankets waiting for the store to open.
@nbcchicago
Early Friday morning, people walking along Michigan Avenue camped and found a huge line wrapped around the block. A popular designer toy store for adults and children, opened in Chicago in 2024. The brand began in China in 2010 and is widely known for its “blind box” concept, which is unknown to the toys that buyers purchased until they opened the package. #labubu #chicagonews #popmart #chicagothingstodo
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“I got here early so I can get my hands on Lovebu,” Orvera, in August, who was lined up at 1:30am, told NBC Chicago. “My boss called them horrible, but I think they’re adorable.”
The frenzy also fell into confusion. Videos online at Pop Mart at Westfield Century City Mall in Los Angeles on Friday appear to show hundreds of people rushing towards the store to spark police presence before dawn. Posts from attendees reported that the event was later cancelled. NBC News reached Westfield Century City for comment.
In communities like R/Labubu Subreddit, hopeful collectors are distributing tips on how to improve the chances of catching online restocking before all Labubu dolls sell out. Others have warned online that they left the Love Bus aside and abandoned, and that people claimed that they had stole the car and broke into the car.
And this trend is creating sand dunes or replicas of popular collectible toys. Lovebu lovers were guided to advise others on how to find fakes.
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