Labubu: the 'creepy' dolls sparking brawls in the shops

Tiny, toothy and mischievous, a peculiar-looking doll is taking the world by storm and causing chaos among shoppers across the UK.

Labubu is a "wildly popular keyring doll" that resembles a "crossover between a creature from 'Where the Wild Things Are' and an evil Teletubby", said The Independent. Whether this doll is cute, cursed or "well… a little bit scary" remains a matter of personal opinion. But thousands of adoring fans will do anything to get their hands on one.

Labubu has risen from a niche designer toy to an international icon, contributing "about $400 million" to Chinese toy company Pop Mart's revenue last year, said The National. And with the latest arrivals routinely selling out "within minutes", its popularity does not appear to be slowing down.

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'Eagerly stocking up'

The first Labubu dolls were designed by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung, who created a "whimsical and slightly eerie cast of characters" as part of his "Monsters" picture book series in 2015, said Mashable. The "turning point" came in 2019, when Lung struck a deal with Chinese toy "powerhouse" Pop Mart to turn his Nordic mythology-inspired designs into "wildly collectible designer toys".

Labubu dolls are the latest product to emerge from the explosion of the adult toy market during the pandemic, when people began "chasing nostalgia" and the joys of childhood, said The Times. The toys became a viral sensation in April last year when Lalisa Manobal, a member of K-pop sensations Blackpink, shared a photo of herself posing with a Labubu doll and "single-handedly launched a Gen Z global fixation with the cuddly monster".

Another major part of Labubus' attraction is their "cutesy sealed plastic packaging". The dolls come in a "blind box", so what is inside remains a secret until opened. Although this has enabled counterfeit dolls – known as "Lafufu" – to thrive, the mystery packaging means collectors are "eagerly stocking up until they have full sets of the toys".

'Mass brawl'

"To the untrained eye", the doll's "demonic eyes and menacing snaggle-tooth smile" seems just a little bit "creepy", said Metro. But after sneaking its way into hearts and homes around the globe, Labubu has fast become the "ultimate IT-girl accessory".

This has been helped by a Labubu being "spotted accompanying" a host of A-listers, from Rihanna to Dua Lipa, and because it "dangles" from countless designer handbags.

But if you're hoping to get your hands on one, it's likely to be a "battlefield", said the Daily Mail. The furry toys are so "must-have", a "mass brawl" recently broke out at the Westfield shopping centre in Stratford, east London. Video footage showed "several men hurling punches at one another as security guards and others desperately try to separate them". In response, Pop Mart announced it would pull the product from its stores across the UK until June, citing "safety issues".

The ongoing success of the doll could be in doubt as the "more viral and hyped an item becomes, the earlier adopters move on", said Vogue Business. Alice Brightmore, a fashion designer who began buying Labubus last year, said she has stopped using them as bag charms due to their extreme virality. "Now everyone's got them, so I'm kind of a bit sick of seeing them."