Labubu dolls freak me out, reveals RTE star Claire Byrne as she insists popular plush toy ‘should only be €10'
The Radio One host discussed the collectable plush toys - also known as "The Monsters" - which has become the latest craze for A-list stars and youngsters.
2
Claire Byrne poses with a Labubu plush toy in the RTE studios
2
Labubus have become a major craze amongst A-list celebrities
Household names such as
Speaking on Today With
The Irish host invited RTE
Business
reporter Adam McGuire on the show to share his insights on the product.
Both Claire and Adam brought their very own Labubus into the studio, which they had "borrowed" from their kids.
READ MORE IN CLAIRE BYRNE
Describing the teddy, Byrne said: "It's a teddy that looks a bit like a Gremlin, the one that I have has nail polish."
The 49-year-old admitted that the mouth of the teddy "freaked her out".
The
teeth
, 10 teeth going up into its hairline and the eyes are a little bit angry, but it is
nice
and soft I suppose?'
McGuire laughed: 'It's somewhere between creepy and cute.'
Most read in News TV
He explained that Labubus are just regular teddies but are often used as keychains on purses or schoolbags.
The official name of the franchise is The Monsters, and one character goes by the name of Labubu, which stuck with customers going forward.
They became popular after the
pandemic
, as McGuire explained: 'People were looking for something that wasn't perfect or polished; they wanted something a little bit strange and
weird
.'
RTE star makes hilarious response to Joe Duffy replacement rumours
Claire was shocked to hear that the tiny toy is priced between €20 and €30 in
Europe
, but costs just under €10 in
China
.
She said: 'Jesus that's what they should be, they should only be €10, like look at them.
"People are going wild for them, you even have stories of brawls breaking out.
Where to buy Labubu dolls and how to know if they are real
LABUBU dolls are the latest craze to have taken over the internet, going viral on TikTok especially.
The new viral trend has reached Ireland leaving stores across the country scrambling to stock the colourful and fluffy dolls.
But what actually are Labubus and why is everyone so obsessed with them?
The Labubu doll is an animated character with large eyes and several pointed teeth.
They come on a keyring with people attaching them to their keys, bags and decorating their
The fluffy creature comes bagged in sealed packaging and you have to open them up to reveal what colour you got in your box.
Katelyn Brown, who posts under
Katelyn revealed to followers she paid £8.99 for the furry friend which is around €10.50.
However, prices across different stores in Ireland vary and can range from €10 up to €20 or €30.
In Dublin, Forbidden Planet in Temple bar are selling Labubus for €19.99.
McGuire told how the Labubu plush toy is a "lucky dip" as customers have no idea which character they will get.
He added: "Some people will queue overnight outside
shops
for them for the latest drop."
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RTÉ News
19 hours ago
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Creepy or cute? It depends who you ask. But what's undisputable is how incredibly popular the Labubu has become in recent months. Usually taking the form of a small, plush-like keyring, a Labubu can also take the shape of a larger teddy or figurine. Although they're not actually called Labubu – that's just the name of one of the characters that people can buy. Officially the range of toys is known as 'The Monsters'. And they've been around for a lot longer than you might think. They were created in 2015 by an artist called Kasing Lung, who was born in Hong Kong but raised in the Netherlands, before moving to Belgium. Initially they were little vinyl figurines – and they proved relatively popular within China. But in 2019 Lung struck a partnership with a Chinese toy company called Pop Mart, which is where things began to really take off. Because they were the company that made the plush versions of the monsters, including ones that you could clip onto your bag. 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The counter argument to this is that 'blind boxes' are really just a more developed version of the lucky dip bag – which have been around for generations. Many will remember other 'surprise' products from their childhood – like Premier League stickers, Pogs and Match Attax cards. So we've always had this kind of thing. What's different now, though, is that there are so many different 'blind box' type products that consumers are being urged to collect – and they're much more expensive, too. But this has all been very good news for Pop Mart… Yes they've enjoyed incredible growth since being established in 2010 – selling various ranges of collectable dolls and toys, including Labubus. For a long time they were very much focused on the Chinese market – but in recent years have made a real effort to push their products into other markets. They now have 530 stores worldwide, and around 2,470 'robostores' – which are essentially vending machines that sell some of their products. 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The Irish Sun
a day ago
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Labubu dolls freak me out, reveals RTE star Claire Byrne as she insists popular plush toy ‘should only be €10'
RTE star Claire Byrne has revealed how the popular Labubu toys 'freak' her out as she hammered the cost people shell out for them. The Radio One host discussed the collectable plush toys - also known as "The Monsters" - which has become the latest craze for A-list stars and youngsters. 2 Claire Byrne poses with a Labubu plush toy in the RTE studios 2 Labubus have become a major craze amongst A-list celebrities Household names such as Speaking on Today With The Irish host invited RTE Business reporter Adam McGuire on the show to share his insights on the product. Both Claire and Adam brought their very own Labubus into the studio, which they had "borrowed" from their kids. READ MORE IN CLAIRE BYRNE Describing the teddy, Byrne said: "It's a teddy that looks a bit like a Gremlin, the one that I have has nail polish." The 49-year-old admitted that the mouth of the teddy "freaked her out". The teeth , 10 teeth going up into its hairline and the eyes are a little bit angry, but it is nice and soft I suppose?' McGuire laughed: 'It's somewhere between creepy and cute.' Most read in News TV He explained that Labubus are just regular teddies but are often used as keychains on purses or schoolbags. The official name of the franchise is The Monsters, and one character goes by the name of Labubu, which stuck with customers going forward. They became popular after the pandemic , as McGuire explained: 'People were looking for something that wasn't perfect or polished; they wanted something a little bit strange and weird .' RTE star makes hilarious response to Joe Duffy replacement rumours Claire was shocked to hear that the tiny toy is priced between €20 and €30 in Europe , but costs just under €10 in China . She said: 'Jesus that's what they should be, they should only be €10, like look at them. "People are going wild for them, you even have stories of brawls breaking out. Where to buy Labubu dolls and how to know if they are real LABUBU dolls are the latest craze to have taken over the internet, going viral on TikTok especially. The new viral trend has reached Ireland leaving stores across the country scrambling to stock the colourful and fluffy dolls. But what actually are Labubus and why is everyone so obsessed with them? The Labubu doll is an animated character with large eyes and several pointed teeth. They come on a keyring with people attaching them to their keys, bags and decorating their The fluffy creature comes bagged in sealed packaging and you have to open them up to reveal what colour you got in your box. Katelyn Brown, who posts under Katelyn revealed to followers she paid £8.99 for the furry friend which is around €10.50. However, prices across different stores in Ireland vary and can range from €10 up to €20 or €30. In Dublin, Forbidden Planet in Temple bar are selling Labubus for €19.99. McGuire told how the Labubu plush toy is a "lucky dip" as customers have no idea which character they will get. He added: "Some people will queue overnight outside shops for them for the latest drop."
