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Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Experts issue urgent warning over Labubu trend
Psychologists are warning that owning Labubu toys, the latest collectible craze among Gen Z, could be a sign of deeper emotional struggles. The sharp-toothed grinning toys have been inspired by the illustrated book series The Monsters, created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung, in which Labubus are a tribe of female elves. The characters became the must-have item for thousands of young adults and teens after Lung partnered with the Chinese toy company POP MART in 2019, producing toys based on his creations. But while the trend may seem harmless, it has raised eyebrows among mental health professionals - particularly as some fans admit to spending hundreds, even thousands, on the tiny toys. From unboxing videos to elaborate displays, fans of the quirky creatures say they're a cute collectable item, but experts say there might be more going on under the surface. Chartered clinical psychologist Tracy King, who has been tracking the rise of 'trinket culture' among younger generations claims it is a 'response to burnout and disconnection.' King claimed the Labubu toy craze is not 'a shallow trend', but is actually a 'psychological response' to the unpredictable climate Gen Z are growing up in. Speaking to Tyla, she explained: 'On the surface, they're fun and whimsical. But psychologically, they're deeply symbolic: these objects offer small, accessible moments of comfort, control, and identity in an unpredictable world.' She claimed Gen Z don't have the same financial security as past generations with home ownership on the decline - leaving many young people feeling out of control. However, collectibles are 'something you can control'. The psychologist went on to explain how, while previous generations were largely saving for mortgages and pensions, Gen Z are instead 'investing in now'. Dr King said: 'They've watched global crises unravel with pandemics, recessions, the climate emergency—so the big life goals that guided previous generations often feel out of reach. Dr King clarified that they are not collecting the toys 'out of immaturity' but instead is a 'form of emotional repair'. She added: 'These soft, playful objects evoke feelings of safety, care, and nostalgia, things that might've been missing or cut short in early life. This is inner child work in action.' Fellow psychologist and co-founder of US Therapy Rooms, Dr Daniel Glazer, agrees that the Labubu trend reflects deeper generational patterns. He told the publication that Gen Z came of age during a time marked by economic instability and the pandemic, a period when traditional life milestones felt delayed or out of reach. In response, many have turned to so-called 'micro-luxuries' like collectible toys, using small purchases to reclaim a sense of control and instant gratification in a world that often feels uncertain. Limited edition versions of Labubu can fetch staggering prices on resale platforms, and online communities are flooded with users showing off entire shelves filled with dozens of the figures. Meanwhile research psychologist Dr. Emma Palmer-Cooper warned Tyla that when collecting becomes obsessive, taking up too much space, money, or fostering unhealthy competition, it be harmful. While collecting can support psychological needs, it may also become a form of avoidance, distracting from deeper emotional issues. It comes after a one-of-a-kind Labubu doll sold for a staggering $150,000 (£112,000) at the Yongle International Auction in Beijing in June. Most of the plush, furry dolls, which have big teeth and elf-like ears, are pocket-sized and cost around £39–£65. The auction was the first to be dedicated to Labubu-brand products. Nearly 1,000 participants were bidding online or in person for at least one of 48 lots that were up for sale. By the end of the auction, all of the Labubu collectibles were sold, racking in more than $500,000 (£372,000) in sales. The auction house is now planning to hold more events dedicated to this toy brand due to the 'growing momentum of pop art in the auction market.' These trendy dolls have taken the world by storm, and have featured as arm candy for A-listers like Rihanna, Dua Lipa, and Blackpink member Lisa. Meanwhile brides in 2025 are updating the 'bouquet toss' ritual by throwing Labubu dolls at their single female friends in yet another sign of the growing obsession with these plush toys. The long-held wedding ritual sees the bride throw her bouquet towards the women in attendance, with whoever catches it said to be the next to get married. However, some newlyweds - presumably lucky enough to have a Labubu or two to spare - are ditching the flowers in favour of the viral bag charms that adult women can't seem to get enough of. For instance, one Melbourne-based bride threw a Labubu keychain at her waiting friends at her wedding reception, as footage of the woman riling up the crowd before chucking the mystery box at them was shared online. The video, posted on TikTok by one of the guests, showed them scrambling to get their hands on the toy while screaming in delight. 'Is it a 2025 wedding if there isn't a Labubu toss?' the caption read. This isn't the only wedding that's featured a 'Labubu toss' in recent times; in fact, 3,235 miles away in Jakarta, another newlywed couple did the exact same. In a video shared on TikTok, the pair can be seen throwing the tiny box into a sea of guests who all rushed to claim the Labubu doll. The clip was posted by the bride's sister, who goes by the username @sellarmoonnn, as she revealed her 'boyfriend caught the Labubu toss' in the caption. 'Bouquet toss < Labubu toss,' she added. Elsewhere, another bride seemingly decided to attach the lavender-coloured figurine to her wedding bouquet - before clarifying 'it's for the video'. Krish Parathan, from Toronto, shared a video of a woman getting ready to tie the knot and captioned the clip: 'Your Labubu is the main character of your wedding bouquet.' But the woman believed to be the bride later told people to 'calm down' while explaining that she did not walk down the aisle with the Labubu but simply posed with it for the video. She wrote: 'Everyone calm down it's for video I didn't walk down the aisle with it.' Not only have Labubus been thrown at guests and fastened onto bouquets, but guests have also offered the keyrings as a wedding gift to the bride and groom. One such person, TikToker @babybalut, who attended a wedding in San Jose filmed herself running over to the happy couple with two mystery boxes as they each picked one. 'POV: You give Labubus as a wedding gift,' the caption read. She was filmed running over to the happy couple with two mystery boxes as the bride and groom said which ones they wanted. It comes after shocking footage of several men hurling punches at one another to secure Labubu dolls surfaced on social media. The group had supposedly been trying to purchase some Labubu dolls at an outlet for Pop Mart, which makes the gremlin-like bag charms, in Stratford's Westfield shopping centre when the brawl ensued. It is not the first time the Labubu plushies have sparked violence among fans of the furry fashion accessory, with one woman also telling the BBC she witnessed a fight between a worker and a shopper in the same store. Pop Mart - a Chinese toy store for adults - has since announced it would be pulling all of its Labubu plushies from its 16 UK stores until June to 'prevent any potential safety issues'. The company told the BBC this was 'not the kind of customer experience it aimed to offer' and promised the dolls would 'return to physical stores' next month as they work on a 'new release mechanism'. But some devoted fans have reacted in fury to the company's decision to pull the toys, blaming them for causing 'hype' by only releasing a few dolls at a time. Others have also complained of re-sellers making it increasingly difficult to purchase the dolls, which can be bought in-store or online for as little as £13.50, by selling them on second-hand sites for up to £600. Ashley Bushey, 32, said she spent more than £1,000 on 13 Labubu toys and countless hours scrolling on TikTok Shop, Vinted and Facebook re-sale groups to expand her collection. Miss Bushey, a Northamptonshire-based coffee shop supervisor, said she predominantly tunes in to Pop Mart's regular TikTok livestreams, which showcase the toys for fans to purchase. 'It's a battlefield. (Pop Mart) are live every day from 2pm to 7pm and I sneak out at work, like I'm always trying to score one on the (livestream),' she said. She said she spends 'more time than I care to admit' finding Labubus, but added 'especially now, because they're so hard to get' after Pop Mart's decision to pause UK sales. 'I'm not even a big collector in the scheme of things. If you go into Facebook groups, I mean, some of them are insane,' she said. Miss Bushey said she collects the '90s and early 2000s toys and started buying Labubus from Pop Mart's The Monsters series in December, describing them as 'so ugly that they were cute'. All the Labubus in The Monsters collection are female, making male versions of the toys extremely rare. The toy collector said she managed to find a rare male toy named Zimomo, which she bought for £200, but added that she had seen some limited edition Labubus listed at £600 on Vinted and eBay.
Telegraph
30-04-2025
- Telegraph
I figured out the perfect family holiday for teenagers
If you're looking to test your parenting mettle, try holidaying with teenagers. My three are 19, 18 and 13, with few converging interests. It's still worth it, apparently. Clinical psychologist and parenting specialist Dr Tracy King says, 'Despite the eye rolls, family bonding is still crucial in adolescence. It provides an emotional anchor during a time of rapid change. Shared memories remind teens who they are and where they belong.' She adds, 'Novelty is powerful. It lights up the brain and creates stronger memories.' A survey by Original Travel shows that 62 per cent of parents consider their children's wants and needs more than their own when planning a family holiday. For teenagers, this is further complicated as often the last thing they want to do is hang out with their parents. King warns: 'Many parents hope for quality time, but for teens, being seen in public with their family can feel socially risky. It's not personal – it's developmental.' With all this in mind, I set out to plan a trip with our three, confoundingly different, offspring. As my husband was going to Milan for the weekend, I thought I could use this as a hook to put together a holiday, thinking breezily that entertaining the eldest two would be easy: they can explore Milan together. But as Mike Tyson said, 'Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.' Eldest son tells me he will join us later in the trip. After some discussion, I made a holiday-planning WhatsApp group, asking for ideas and giving some suggestions. After a few days, only the eldest has responded, with his thoughts on the city break he's now not attending. I turned to other parents. 'Italy is ideal,' one mother told me. 'It's safe, well-connected, easy on dietary requirements, and you can split up without anyone getting lost.' Thus validated, I pieced together a plan: start with three nights in Milan, head to Lake Como, then drive to Cervinia for skiing. Milan is not front of mind for families, but it turned out to be a hit. Vintage shopping, a passion for my daughter, was an unexpected highlight. We began with high-end vintage boutiques run by flamboyant fashionistas on Via Gian Giacomo, and went on to more affordable second-hand stores around Corso di Porta Ticinese. We drank fresh juice and people-watched in the golden light. The city's pace, lively but not frantic, suited us. Our rented flat was central, opposite the superb Gelato Fatto con Amore, and incredibly, on the same street as Leonardo's Last Supper. I failed to book the necessary three months ahead for Cenacolo Vinciano tickets, but it's free on the first Sunday of each month, for which tickets are only released the Wednesday prior, and, thrillingly, I managed to get us in. To preserve the painting, only 40 visitors are permitted at a time, lending the moment a hushed and privileged reverence. We stood in front of the monumental painting, soothed by its golden-ratio proportions, and wondered at the way Da Vinci made the sky glow. A short walk away, the Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology was more of a mixed bag. My youngest, art-loving teen enjoyed sketching Leonardo's anatomical drawings, while my son quickly decided he'd had enough and abandoned us to explore Milan on a Lime bike. All of us, however, were awestruck at the ghostly beauty of the Duomo and the hallowed gilded high-fashion temple, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. I regretted not having made time to get to the Fondazione Prada with its Wes Anderson-designed bar (next time). We continued on to more success: a blow out, relaxed lunch at Il Cairoli, recently listed in the Michelin guide, where I ate saffron-golden osso buco risotto, and we enjoyed the unusual and lovely feeling of being together, with no particular plans, no rush. The middle son's big ticket? San Siro with his Dad. The curvaceous 'Scala di Calcio' (opera house of football) has a different cadence of noise, smoke flares set off during the match, and seats 80,000. Middle son was suitably awestruck. 'It was so much louder, and the football felt different, more technical,' he explained. Holidaying with teens? A doddle. We were clearly killing it. But pride comes before a fall: in Como, an hour's drive from Milan, I'd booked a central Airbnb to allow easy exploration, which turned out to be a misstep. Piazza roadworks rattled our flat, and no one was interested in the Duomo view. A winding drive along the lake proved too much for my daughter, and a walk was quickly aborted. I should have let everyone rest for a bit, and I wished I'd booked somewhere in the countryside rather than thinking we needed to be in the thick of the (limited) action. But Italy has a way of redeeming itself. That evening, we found an open-air restaurant screening an AC Milan game. We sat in the square eating pizza, enjoyed the fizzing excitement of the local supporters, with everyone relaxed and happy again. It might not have been my lakeside dream, but often, the simplest moments land best. Leaving Como, we scooped the eldest from Milan's Malpensa airport, and drove 2.5 hours north to another world. Breuil-Cervinia has an altitude of 2,005m, and Europe's longest ski season, lasting from October to May, and year-round for advanced skiers on the glacier. We rented ski gear and spent a day with cheerful, skiing-before-they-could-walk instructors from Scuola di Sci del Cervino. Our proficient sons took on the steeper routes, delighted to get the chance to ski over the Swiss border, while my husband, daughter and I skied the resort's broad blues that begin remarkably close to the great beak of the Matterhorn ('Cervinia' in Italy), with my daughter leading the way on every run. Fierce sunshine lit up the 'Meadow Horn' in all its jagged glory, and we zigzagged down and down again, insignificant specks against the sawtooth backdrop. We skied all day, cooked delicious Italian produce, and visited the five-star Valtur Cervinia Spa, which we all loved, relaxing our ski-weary muscles, with plunge pool with jets, steam, saunas, and lots of entertaining novelties, such as a doccia scozzese ('Scottish shower') where jets were cold and from all sides. Did the holiday work? There were a few wobbles en route, but there were also breakthroughs: big laughs, the shared wonder of seeing the Last Supper, then the quiet, snow-white brilliance of the Alps. When travel with teens works, it really works. Most importantly, though, this trip felt like a precious moment in time – like catching a butterfly on your hand before it flutters away. Essentials
