What it takes to find Labubu dolls in New Orleans
Why it matters: Finding a Labubu, a spicy-eared collectible from China, isn't easy, especially for fans in New Orleans who are hours away from the nearest verified retailer.
The big picture: Millennials and Gen Z adults — aka " kidults" — are all in on a collectibles craze, and it's reshaping the U.S. toy market.
Labubus are among them, sold for between $8.99 and $27.99 in "blind boxes," which means buyers don't know which figure they'll get. It fuels a thrill-of-the-hunt resale culture.
Plus, each series includes rare "secret" editions, some of which resell for thousands of dollars.
Labubu is an elf-like character created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung.
After gaining a following through a 2019 collaboration with Chinese toy giant Pop Mart, its popularity has exploded with Rihanna, Kim Kardashian and David Beckham among celebs displaying the dolls on their bags.
State of play: But they're not so easy to get your hands on.
Labubu's official retailer, Pop Mart, routinely sells out of its online inventory, and the South's only locations are in Texas, Tennessee and Florida.
Zoom in: Still, Kammie Schnell, a fashion blogger and artist in New Orleans, is among Labubu's fans after a friend snagged one from a stranger on Facebook Marketplace.
"It looks so cute hanging off [his] bag like a little gremlin, so it started growing on me," Schnell laughs. Soon, she bought one from the same local seller, who became a friend to Schnell, too, as they bonded over a shared Vietnamese culture.
What they're saying: "Labubu is kind of bringing people together," Schnell says. "It's so wholesome."
"This is definitely reminding me of Beanie Babies and Furbys and I love Furbys."
The intrigue: Now, Schnell has seven in her growing Labubu collection, and she worked with friends to create LabubuCon NOLA, a gathering of Labubu fans last week that shocked Schnell in its popularity.
"We had a line out of the door trying to get in," she says. "We had to do crowd control because of overcrowding. It rained that day, so people were waiting in the rain."
Reselling for a friend who couldn't attend, Schnell says, she sold out of about 65 Labubu dolls, priced between $55 and $65, in less than an hour. Even another seller's knock-off "Lafufu" dolls were popular, she says.
What's next: The LabubuCon team is hosting another edition, likely in October, Schnell says.
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