What's a Labubu and why do I need one? Everything to know about the viral stuffed toy that has people talking.

Yahoo

09-06-2025

Take a quick scroll through your social media feed, and chances are you'll come across a furry, fluffy, stuffed monster with devious eyes and a wide, toothy smile hanging proudly from a luxury handbag. In a matter of months, this mischievous critter — known as a Labubu — has exploded in online popularity, becoming one of the world's most coveted bag charms.
So what's with the fascination? Why are these creepy-looking collectibles the hottest accessory of the season?
With a stamp of approval from A-listers like Rihanna, Kim Kardashian and Dua Lipa, a Labubu is a 'blind box' toy manufactured by Pop Mart, a Chinese toy company. A blind box toy is a collectible figure sold at random in a sealed box, so the buyer has no idea what they're getting.
The Labubu was introduced in the 2015 children's picture book, The Monsters Trilogy, which was created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung. Lung drew inspiration from Nordic mythology when crafting these monsters, setting his trio of picture books in a mystical world occupied by magical creatures.
Lung signed a deal with Pop Mart in 2019 to put his characters into production as collectible figures. Labubus were eventually turned into bag charms in 2023 with the 'Exciting Macaron' collection, which features six pastel-colored plushies from Pop Mart's 'The Monsters' collection. But Labubu isn't the only creature from Lung's books that has been turned into plushies and charms — there's also Zimono, who has a tail and is bigger than Labubu, and Mokoko, who is pink and has a heart-shaped nose.
Labubu, who is canonically female, is described by Pop Mart as being 'a small monster with high, pointed ears and serrated teeth' that is 'kind-hearted and always wants to help, but often accidentally achieves the opposite.'
While TikTok has definitely taken the Labubu craze to the next level, the furry critters were originally popularized by Blackpink and White Lotus star Lisa. An early adoptee of the Labubu craze, the 'Rockstar' singer first shared photos of herself with a Labubu in April 2024, later decorating her Christmas tree with several of them.
'I just got into Pop Mart like early this year, and I learned about this from one of my close friends in Thailand,' Lisa told Vanity Fair in November 2024. 'I go [to] Pop Mart everywhere. If I fly to New York, I go to Miami, I try to find Pop Mart there. Paris, you know, everywhere. [It's] kind of like treasure, finding treasure.'
Rihanna has since been spotted at a private L.A. airport with a pink Labubu clipped to her Louis Vuitton Speedy in February. David Beckham, who was gifted a brown Labubu from his daughter Harper Beckham, was seen toting the plushie around on his black leather bag in May. Chris Evans, while promoting his upcoming film Materialists in June, was also seen unboxing a Labubu during a premiere. Bethenny Frankel has even gotten in on the craze — The Real Housewives of New York City alum debuted her pink Labubu, dressed in head-to-toe Chanel, on June 9.
Lipa, who's made her love for Labubus known, was spotted with one on her Birkin bag at JFK Airport in New York City last December. Kardashian, meanwhile, has an extensive Labubu collection, which she's shared on Instagram.
More than 300 Labubu variants have been released, which include collections like 'Fall in Wild,' 'Have a Seat' and 'Big Into Energy.' Pop Mart has even collaborated with brands like Coca-Cola and Uniqlo to create their own collection of Labubus. In addition to introducing new types of Labubus in each series, there's often a rare, 'secret' figure that's made available too.
'Every collection, they have like the rare one,' Lisa told Vanity Fair in November 2024. 'It's really hard to get. We call them 'secret.' So I always wish that I got secret.'
Some Labubu aficionados also dress their critters up in branded clothing to better distinguish 'what kind of girl' she is. Labubus have been seen wearing a slew of designer garments, from Alo Yoga and Prada to Louis Vuitton and Miu Miu.
Unfortunately, nabbing one of these coveted creatures is easier said than done. While Pop Mart does weekly restocks of their Labubu collections — online on Thursdays and in store on Fridays — they sell out immediately. Resellers are often your best bet for nabbing one of these stuffed toys, though prices can reach up to $7,000 for limited editions — a far cry from the Pop Mart retail price of around $32 per blind box.
Fake Labubus, otherwise known as 'Lafufus' are popping up en masse as a result. Independent doll designers like August Dahl are also selling handmade, one-of-a-kind 'Bratzbubus' — a take on the Labubu doll craze using Bratz doll heads.
Because of how coveted they are, Labubu theft has also become a growing concern. Thieves in Hempstead, Hertfordshire, in the U.K. raided a vehicle carrying more than $203,000 in Pop Mart products in April of this year. Labubus are also being snatched directly off people's purses.
The Labubu craze has even gone so far as to incite full-on mobs and brawls at some Pop Mart locations. In an effort to 'prevent any potential safety issues,' in May, Pop Mart chose to stop selling Labubus in all 16 of their U.K. stores until June, following increased reports of customers fighting one another for them.
'Labubu will return to physical stores in June, and we are currently working on a new release mechanism that is better structured and more equitable for everyone involved,' the manufacturer told the BBC last month. Those in pursuit of the plushie in the U.K., however, are still awaiting its return, both online and in stores.