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India.com
a day ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
From Barbie To Labubu: 10 Dolls Obsession That Broke The Internet
photoDetails english 2924932 Updated:Jul 01, 2025, 04:45 PM IST 1 / 12 Dolls have long been more than just playthings — they are cultural reflections of the times, often representing fashion trends, social values, and evolving ideals of beauty and identity. From classic cloth dolls to modern collectible figures, the world of dolls has continuously reinvented itself for new generations. Here's a look at 10 of the most popular and iconic dolls through the years, from Barbie to Labubu. Barbie – The Ultimate Fashion Icon 2 / 12 Barbie, introduced by Mattel in 1959, forever changed the doll industry. She wasn't just a toy; she was a role model. With over 200 careers — including astronaut, president, and doctor — Barbie has evolved with society, embracing diversity and inclusivity with new body types, skin tones, and hair textures. Her enduring popularity proves she's more than a fashion doll — she's a cultural phenomenon. American Girl Doll – History Meets Heart 3 / 12 Launched in 1986 by Pleasant Company (now owned by Mattel), American Girl dolls are known for their deep storytelling and educational value. Each doll represents a specific historical period or modern-day theme, paired with a series of books. Characters like Felicity, Addy, and Kaya have taught kids about courage, kindness, and resilience through meaningful narratives. Cabbage Patch Kids – The Adoption Craze 4 / 12 With their chubby cheeks, yarn hair, and unique names, Cabbage Patch Kids took the 1980s by storm. Marketed as adoptable children, each doll came with its own birth certificate and adoption papers. The frenzy over these dolls created one of the biggest toy crazes in history, making them nostalgic icons for millions. Bratz – Bold, Fashion-Forward Rebels 5 / 12 Bratz dolls arrived with a modern and edgy vibe that stood in contrast to Barbie's classic style. With oversized eyes, full lips, and ultra-trendy outfits, characters like Yasmin, Sasha, Jade, and Cloe represented a diverse, confident generation. Bratz influenced fashion, music, and media with their unapologetic self-expression. Raggedy Ann – A Classic American Favourite 6 / 12 Created by author Johnny Gruelle, Raggedy Ann is one of the oldest and most beloved cloth dolls in America. With her red yarn hair and simple stitched smile, Raggedy Ann (and later, Raggedy Andy) became symbols of innocence and comfort. These handmade-looking dolls have appeared in books, cartoons, and homes for over a century. Troll Dolls – From Lucky Charms to Pop Culture Icons 7 / 12 First created in Denmark in the late 1950s, Troll Dolls gained popularity in the 1960s and had several revivals — most recently thanks to the Trolls movies. Known for their colorful, spiky hair and wide eyes, they've been loved both as good-luck charms and quirky collectibles across generations. Blythe – The Doll with the Big Eyes 8 / 12 Blythe dolls were a flop when first released in 1972, but their unique design — oversized heads and changing eye colours — gained cult status when they were reintroduced in 2001. Now a favorite among collectors, artists, and fashion enthusiasts, Blythe dolls are often customized and styled in artistic photoshoots and exhibitions. Monster High – Where Horror Meets High School 9 / 12 Monster High brought a fresh concept to the doll world by blending fashion with fantasy. Characters like Draculaura, Frankie Stein, and Clawdeen Wolf are the children of famous monsters, attending high school together. With gothic glam, edgy fashion, and strong messages about embracing uniqueness, Monster High gained a loyal fan base among tweens and collectors alike. L.O.L. Surprise! Dolls – The Unboxing Sensation 10 / 12 L.O.L. Surprise! dolls sparked a new trend in the toy industry: the joy of unboxing. These tiny dolls come hidden inside layers of packaging, each revealing accessories, clothes, and clues. Their collectible nature, bright styles, and social media-friendly format made them a huge hit with younger kids — and a viral sensation online. Labubu Dolls – The Art Toy Favourite 11 / 12 Labubu, a mischievous little creature from the world of The Monsters by artist Kasing Lung, is the star of Pop Mart's blind-box collectibles. Known for its quirky smile, large ears, and dreamy vibes, Labubu has quickly become a collector's favorite — especially among teens and adults drawn to designer toys and the intersection of art and play. 12 / 12 From soft cloth companions to edgy collectibles, dolls have reflected societal shifts, creative trends, and personal identity across decades. Whether you grew up with Raggedy Ann or recently unboxed a Labubu, these 10 dolls have left a lasting impression on playrooms and pop culture alike. Each doll tells a story — of childhood dreams, evolving beauty standards, or artistic expression. And as long as people continue to imagine and create, the world of dolls will keep evolving, too.
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
9 of the most popular trading cards from the 80s and 90s, and how much they're worth today
The most expensive trading card ever was sold for a staggering £9.2 million Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The 80s and 90s was a golden era for trading cards and stickers Some trading cards from back then are worth thousands of pounds today We've put together a list of some of the best-loved cards and stickers from the 80s and 90s, and how much they could be worth all these years later These were among the most popular trading cards and stickers of the 80s and 90s, some of which are hugely collectable today, selling for thousands of pounds | Various They have provided countless hours of entertainment to generations of children, and adults, and been the cause of a few playground fights over the years. We're talking trading cards and stickers, of course, which enjoyed their heyday during the 80s and 90s. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad From gross-out cards to stickers celebrating the biggest movies and most popular TV shows of the era, there was a card or sticker for nearly everything back then. Today, some of those cards change hands for hundreds of pounds, with the very rarest selling for thousands. The most expensive trading card ever sold was a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle baseball card, which was snapped up for an astronomical £9.2 million in 2022. The most valuable cards tend to be American sports cards, which are particularly collectable, but a Pokémon card sold in 2022 for an eye-watering £4.325 million. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad We've put together a list of some of the most popular trading cards and stickers from the 80s and 90s, which you may remember from your childhood. Some are worth big money today, while others have sentimental value only. Although Pokémon cards came out in the late 90s, we've not included them as they were more of a noughties and beyond phenomenon, particularly in the UK. Garbage Pail Kids Garbage Pail Kids | Getty Images These bad taste stickers, which parodied the popular Cabbage Patch Kids dolls, were huge during the 1980s. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The stickers, sold in packs containing a stick of bubble gum, first went on sale in 1985. They depicted a bizarre range of characters, often seen suffering a horrific death or with an unusual deformity. Rare Garbage Pail Kids stickers can sell for huge amounts today, with one showing 'Nasty Nick' listed on eBay for more than £600, and another, of 'Adam Bomb' on sale for more than £250. Neighbours trading cards Everyone was watching Neighbours during the late 80s, when Scott (Jason Donovan) and Charlene's (Kylie Minogue) romance gripped the UK. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Topps cashed in by releasing a series of trading cards in 1988, which fans of the Australian soap rushed out to buy. All the characters were featured, from Harold and Madge to Bouncer the Dog. Sadly for those who still have their cards, they do not appear to be worth a lot today. A set of Neighbours cards from 1988 is listed on eBay for just £10. Topps football cards Football fans attemped to assemble their dream team during the 80s and 90s by collecting these popular trading cards. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The most expensive sold recently on eBay include an 'Iconic Kits' card of Arsenal striker Ian Wright in the early 90s, which fetched more than £400, and one of Manchester United winger Andrei Kanchelskis, which sold for more than £300. Snoots Collectors were invited to wear Snoots cards on their noses | eBay/chilledmitch These collectable cards stuck out from the crowd - literally - as they featured a hole for you to stick your nose through to complete the image. The series released in the late 80s included Nosy Bodies and Nosimals. The cards included a humorous summary on the back of the character depicted. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad They don't appear to have increased in price greatly, with a set available on eBay for less than £40. WWF cards The WWF's (World Wrestling Federation) heyday came during late 80s and early 90s, when big personalities like Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage had fans glued to their screens. WWF trading cards were hugely popular back then, and the rarest cards from that era can sell for hundreds or even thousands of pounds. A collection of over 200 WWF cards from 1986 is listed for sale on eBay for just under £7,000, while a single Hulk Hogan card from that same year is priced almost £500. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Star Wars Trading cards were produced to mark the release of the original Star Wars film in 1977 and the sequels in the early 80s | Getty Images Star Wars merchandise is hugely collectable, and the cards which accompanied the first films in the franchise are no exception. Trading cards were produced to mark the release of both The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983), as they had been for the original 1977 film. Today, a set of 11 'prismatic' vending machine sticker cards is listed on eBay for just under £1,000, while a Millennium Falcon card from 1983 is priced just over £400. Batman Returns Batman Returns was directed by Tim Burton | Getty Images Batman Returns, directed by Tim Burton, received mixed reviews upon its release in 1992 but is now considered a cult classic. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A single trading card signed by Danny DeVito is listed for sale on eBay for a whopping £850, while an almost complete set of cards is priced £500. Top Trumps Top Trumps began life in the 1970s and remains a hugely popular card game today | National World Top Trumps aren't technically trading cards but they are hugely collectable. They first came out in the 70s but the game really caught on during the 80s and is still massively popular with children and adults alike. Top Trumps has celebrated everything from supercars to supervillains over the years, with players doing battle to see who boasts the best stats. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The most valuable Top Trumps game from the 80s, according to eBay, is the Super Top Trumps Fantasy edition, which is listed for just over £80. Power Rangers Mighty Morphin Power Rangers first hit TV screens in 1993 and became an overnight sensation. Power Rangers trading cards came out the following year and the rarest cards can be worth a small fortune. A set of 48 cards from 1994 is listed on eBay for £1,750, while a single Green Ranger card from the same year is priced £1,181.10. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Other memorable trading cards and stickers from the 80s and 90s include the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Jurassic Park, and Magic: The Gathering.
Indian Express
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Everybody wants a Labubu doll
What can a plushie fetch you? If the plushie in question is Chinese company Pop Mart's Labubu doll, the answer is $22.7 billion dollars, soft power and explosive popularity. Based on a character from The Monsters, a toy series created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung, the dolls were launched in 2019. The stories are centred around Labubu, who is described by the creators as having a 'cheerful grin' which 'reminds us that no matter what challenges we face, a smile can lift our spirits and lead us towards happiness' . Their popularity rose steadily, until it blew up this year after celebrities, including Rihanna, Dua Lipa and K-Pop star Lisa of Blackpink were spotted toting Labubu dolls. This is not the first time a toy has caused a frenzy. In 1983, the craze for Cabbage Patch Kids dolls — which came with birth certificates — caused riots in several shops in the US, even landing customers in hospital. The 1990s saw a similar fad with Beanie Babies, which were marketed as limited edition collectibles amid a scenario of contrived scarcity. What explains the dizzying interest shown in a doll, including by adults? Part of it may come down to the fuzzy cuteness of the design: With their big eyes and toothy smile, Labubus have a goofy appeal. In its home market of China, for example, the doll shot to popularity during the pandemic as a cuddly distraction from the gloom and doom. Its character description also says that the Labubu is 'kind-hearted and always wants to help, but often accidentally achieves the opposite'. Perhaps this is also key to the toy's popularity. After all, who hasn't felt a little bit useless or inept, despite the best intentions? It may be the Labubus' relatability that has made them one of the most viral toys of recent times.
Tatler Asia
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tatler Asia
From Barbie to Labubu: a history of iconic collectable dolls that shaped generations
2. Raggedy Ann Above Raggedy Ann (Photo: Prisencolinensinainciusol / Wikimedia Commons) Created by Johnny Gruelle, Raggedy Ann was less about fashion and more about values. Barbie wasn't the first feminist doll icon, after all. Raggedy Ann promoted kindness, loyalty and resilience. She debuted in 1915 and came with her own series of wholesome, sometimes gently preachy books. Her popularity endured for nearly a century thanks to her unthreatening design and 'let's talk about our feelings' energy. While they don't command toy shelves anymore, Raggedy Ann's impact is still hand-stitched into the fabric of American nostalgia. 3. Barbie (1959) Above Barbie is probably the most famous of all iconic collectable dolls. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons) Barbie has been a teenage fashion model, a surgeon, an astronaut and President. She's worn plastic heels and cultural expectations in equal measure. Since 1959, she's embodied both empowerment and controversy—a dream girl and a feminist battlefield in six-inch platforms. She's still selling faster than you can say 'Dreamhouse', thanks to that Greta Gerwig film. 4. Trolls (1959) Above Trolls (Photo: Meg Jenson / Unsplash) Originally carved by a Danish woodcutter as a lucky charm, Troll dolls exploded into global fame in the 1960s and again in the '90s. They had a kind of kitschy renaissance with neon hair and jewel belly buttons. Equal parts adorable and creepy, these stubby-limbed creatures captured hearts with their chaotic charm and 'so-ugly-it's-cute' energy. Today, they're back with a glitter-soaked vengeance thanks to DreamWorks' musical franchise, but vintage collectors still seek the classic, beady-eyed originals with hair like a windstorm in Ibiza. 5. Blythe Dolls (1972) Above Blythe Dolls (Photo: Kathy B / Wikimedia Commons) Launched in 1972 and relaunched in the 2000s, Blythe dolls were initially considered too weird. They have oversized heads, colour-changing eyes and an eerie stare, but the art and fashion world fell hard for these iconic collectable dolls. These days, they're styled like miniature Vogue editorials and sold for thousands. Think of them as the Anna Wintour of dolls—intimidating but iconic. 6. Cabbage Patch Kids (1982) Before there were TikTok drops and sneaker raffles, there were toy store stampedes for Cabbage Patch Kids. Debuting in the early 1980s with their soft cloth bodies, pudgy faces and adoption certificates, these iconic collectable dolls ignited an unmatched consumer craze. Every child wanted their own oddly adorable baby with a unique name and birth story. Part wholesome, part headline-making mania, Cabbage Patch Kids weren't just a toy; they were a social phenomenon. 7. American Girl Dolls (1986) These 18-inch iconic collectable dolls brought context to the playroom. With detailed historical backstories and accessory sets that cost more than your rent, American Girl Dolls taught kids about abolition, immigration, war and suffrage, one embroidered bonnet at a time. They're now as beloved by grown women on eBay as they once were by nine-year-olds in prairie dresses. 8. Bratz (2001) Bratz dolls burst onto the scene in the early 2000s like a glitter bomb with attitude—huge heads, heavy makeup and a wardrobe straight off a Y2K music video. They were the antithesis of Barbie: unapologetically edgy, ethnically diverse and dressed for the club at age 13. Bratz threw traditional beauty out the window and replaced it with street style and smudged eyeliner. Though these iconic collectable dolls were accused of being 'bad influences', they're now embraced by fashion kids and drag queens alike. 9. Sonny Angel (2005) If Kewpie had a trendy Gen Z nibling, it'd be Sonny Angel. These tiny, wide-eyed baby boys wear nothing but elaborate headgear: strawberries, hamburgers, snowmen—you name it. Designed in Japan by Toru Soeya, they were made to 'bring healing' and quickly became surprise must-haves. Sonny Angels are now a collectable phenomenon and a favourite among aesthetic girlies who like their serotonin in miniature form. 10. Monster High (2010) If Bratz were the rebel teens of the doll world, Monster High was their gothic, undead cousin who listened to My Chemical Romance and drank iced lattes in a haunted cafeteria. Launched in 2010, Monster High reimagined the children of classic monsters—Draculaura, Frankie Stein and Clawdeen Wolf—as stylish, self-aware high schoolers navigating teen life with fangs, bolts and killer heels. Every doll had a backstory, a punny name and a look that was equal parts horror movie and haute couture. It was the first mainstream doll line to centre freakiness as fabulousness—and kids ate it up. 11. Noodoll (2009) Born in London with Taiwanese roots, Noodolls are kawaii-style plushies with names like Ricecarrot and Ricemonster. They're the therapy plushies of the design world. Now regaining momentum after the Labubu brouhaha, Noodolls are a soft power staple for millennials who grew up and now need something soft to cry into at their WFH desk. 12. Labubu (2015) Part goblin, part woodland spirit, Labubu was created by Hong Kong-based artist Kasing Lung and produced by POP MART. With snaggle teeth, devilish eyes and twisted whimsy, Labubu dolls look like they've crawled out of a haunted Lisa Frank sketchbook, and Gen Z is obsessed. Ultra-coveted and often sold out, these iconic collectable dolls have become part of the new wave of 'designer toys' that blur the line between doll and fine art. See more: The rise of Labubu: Why are people obsessed with this plush toy accessory?
Perth Now
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Labubu mania: The viral plushie that is sweeping the nation
Blink and you'll miss the chance to buy them, that's just how popular the viral plushy trends have become and at the height of this is the Labubu doll. A little monster plush toy has become the go-to accessory for designer handbags, coming in all different styles the toys have taken over Australia with the allure of the plush coming in mystery boxes. The toy craze is in full force across the country, leaving many Australian's counting down the newest release for the monster plushie's. But where have they come from? The Hong Kong plush toy has been around since 2015, but it's only in the past year after a member of Korean band Blackpink, Lisa, was spotted with it as both a toy and bag accessory. Blackpink member Lisa with a Labubu in 2024. Credit: Lisa / Instagram They are dropped in batch releases with a variety of different quirky designs, dropping in mystery boxes so the excitement of which one a buyer will receive can heighten the elation or increase the heartbreak when they unbox the toys. Perth customers have to go through Pop&Fun, a distributor for the primary retailer the product PopMart, with each blind box costing $32 each and are limited to one per person. With the high demand and limited supply of the toys, scalpers have been cashing in on the hype and reselling the toy with insane markups. The small plush toys are being resold online from upwards of $100 each, with some of the rarer items on the market for thousands. PARIS, FRANCE - MARCH 08: A guest wears a burgundy bordeaux woven Bottega Veneta Andiamo leather bag, light blue Labubu bag charm, cream Labubu bag charm, outside Elie Saab, during the Paris Fashion week Women's Fall/Winter 2025-2026 on March 8, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by) Credit: Edward Berthelot / Getty Images For those out of the loop or left perplexed about the trend, think back to Cabbage Patch Kids or Beanie Babies with the hype of social media ballooning the demand. Labubu's join the likes of Sonny Angel's, Smiski's and Pokemon Cards which saw a skyrocket in value and popularity thanks to online hype. The craze has taken social media by storm, with influencer's posting videos of their unboxing's online and garnering hundreds of thousands of views. The Labubu toys have become a hot commodity. Credit: Instagram It's not just Australia that's been seeing red at the sight of the toys, with shops in the UK recently pausing all sales of the plushie's due to allegations of violence from people lining up to buy the collectables.
