Latest news with #dolls
The Verge
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Verge
‘Honestly, the more botched they look, the better.'
Posted Jun 27, 2025 at 5:11 PM UTC 'Honestly, the more botched they look, the better.' Labubus — those kind of scary little dolls with teeth that people are obsessed with — are hard to come by these days. It's no surprise that the knock off industry is filling the gap; what is funny is that the fake dolls ('Lafufus') are popular, too. For some Labubu owners, the authenticity of their doll doesn't even matter. It's part of the fandom experience all the same. What Is a Lafufu? Fake Labubus Find Some Fans Online. [
Bloomberg
2 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
The Real Threat To the Labubu Economy
Labubu has become a global pop-culture sensation but other Chinese companies are looking to give Pop Mart's famous dolls a run for their money. Bloomberg Opinion columnist Shuli Ren told Insight with Haslinda Amin how the company can hold on to its monstrous market lead. (Source: Bloomberg)
Free Malaysia Today
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Free Malaysia Today
Living with over 1,000 dolls keeps Elizabeth young at heart
Elizabeth Chrysostom has cabinets full of dolls in her Petaling Jaya home. (Andrea Edmonds @ FMT Lifestyle) PETALING JAYA : At 67 years old, Elizabeth Chrysostom is living the dream of every little girl – a house with over 1,000 dolls. In Malaysia, there is no one who knows dolls better than Elizabeth. She has it all: Barbies, Sindys, Robert Tonner dolls, celebrity dolls, baby dolls, and even dollhouses. And for World Doll Day today, FMT Lifestyle visited Elizabeth at her condominium here, where her staggering collection is on full display. Coming from a family of six daughters – Elizabeth being the youngest – it's no surprise that dolls were a big part of the household. Elizabeth has over 1,000 dolls, including limited edition barbies. (Andrea Edmonds @ FMT Lifestyle) 'I loved playing with dolls as a child. I remember my mother would crochet clothes for them and hang them as accessories in the car,' she recalled. But her real interest in doll collecting was triggered at seven years old when her sister brought home a child-like red-haired doll from overseas. Lovingly named Fergie, the doll now sits safely in its glass case atop a high cabinet. Stepping into her home, the dolls are the first thing that catches the eye. Cabinet upon cabinet filled with dolls line the living room. Even her wardrobe in the bedroom is mostly dedicated to dolls. 'In this wicked world I think you need pretty and fun things, something to look forward to each day, to make yourself happy,' she said, smiling broadly. One of Elizabeth's favourite pastimes is dressing up her dolls. (Andrea Edmonds @ FMT Lifestyle) Having worked in media publication before retiring, and never marrying, her dolls have long been her closest companions and most treasured possessions. She even makes sure her sister's grandkids don't lay a finger on them! She shared that many of her dolls were sourced from overseas, particularly the UK and the US, where doll collecting is a much more prominent culture. 'People think this is child's play but it is not. It's a grown-up passion. If you can't afford it, don't go for it. But if you can, it gives you a lot of joy.' She added, 'When I try to sell them, my heart goes with them as well.' Elizabeth has a collection of vintage baby dolls, some dating back to the 1970s. (Andrea Edmonds @ FMT Lifestyle) And pro-tip, never ask who her favourite doll is. 'Do you ask that of your kids? Which one is your favourite kid? Every doll is my favourite, there's a piece of my heart in all my dolls.' And, she doesn't discriminate. Whether it's plastic or porcelain, big or small, each doll is special to her. She has given names to every single one of them, and even remembers the stories behind how they came into her life. 'When my sister got married in 1977, I insisted we have a doll on the bonnet of the bridal car. Nobody does that anymore. I took the doll to the tailor that was doing her wedding dress and we dressed up the doll in the same material as the bridal outfit,' she recalled with a smile. 'Her bridal outfit is now destroyed but I still have a piece of the outfit.' Elizabeth hopes that one day her dolls will be exhibited for the public to enjoy. (Andrea Edmonds @ FMT Lifestyle) One of her favourite activities for relieving stress is dressing her dolls and giving them a fresh makeover. 'People like to say you're playing with dolls, you're so old. Many have called me strange.' But none of these comments have waned her spirit. 'One of my neighbours came when I first shifted in, and he looked around and he said, 'you've got a lot of dolls that belong to old humans who have passed on. He said, 'It's not good at all, because of the spirits in the doll.' I said no way, they're dolls to me.' While she worries about the fate of her dolls when she's no longer around, her dream is for them to be exhibited for public viewing and to live on, long after she's gone.
The Sun
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I've spent £20k on 24 doll babies – I spend hours a day playing with them, my boyfriend thinks it's odd but I want more
When it comes to babies, I definitely have my hands full. Right now, Louisa is in her baby seat and Albee and Harmony are sleeping in their cots. Zadie and Zelda are in the living room, while their big sisters Pieta, four, and Daida, two, are relaxing on their chairs. 4 Meanwhile I'm walking in circles in my living room, soothing Ozzie in my arms. In total I have 24 babies, but my house in Lake City, South Carolina, is peaceful and quiet and my beautiful children never get a day older. That's because I'm a 'reborn mummy'. As a child, I loved stuffed animals and My Little Pony, but I didn't really play with dolls. Then, in October 2022, when I was 39, I was shopping for Halloween decorations when I spotted a zombie doll called Ruby. 'Reborn mummy' I was so excited to bring her home and couldn't bear to box her away when the holiday was over. Suddenly, I had a reason to buy cute baby clothes I'd seen while out shopping. It was such fun to dress Ruby that I started to Google other dolls I might buy. That's the first time I read about reborns, which are hyper-realistic, life-sized baby dolls. They're works of art, sculpted and hand-painted to look just like real babies. I was blown away. Inspired by Ruby, I wanted to pick something a little different. In March 2023, I saw a reborn with two faces, painted to look like clowns. I fell in love instantly and called them Penny and Dima. Ozzie came next, and after I'd removed the nappy that is always placed over the doll's face by sellers to protect their delicate features, it was so exciting to unwrap him from his box and see his gorgeous face emerge. I've spent £350 on a reborn doll to battle my empty nest - my hubby is 'weirded out' by it but it's been life-changing By April, Albee had arrived, quickly followed by Zadie and Zelda. I never do things by halves. Within months I had three more – Daida, my gorgeous two year old, who is 81cm tall, tiny baby Harmony and Burgundy Rose, a reborn baby werewolf. It made me so happy to see them in my house. I even bought a baby car seat and took Ozzie to work with me. My shift patterns meant I had a room at work to sleep in that I shared with a colleague. I know it's a hobby many people don't understand – men in particular find it strange She walked in one day to see Ozzie on the bed and was shocked, thinking I'd left a real baby in there alone! Another colleague gave me an outfit for Pieta, my 101cm-tall four year old, that his daughter had grown out of. They never made me feel that it was weird to have the dolls, and, like my friends and family, they always want to hear about my new arrivals. But I know it's a hobby many people don't understand – men in particular find it strange. That's why I put a photo of me holding a reborn on my Facebook dating profile in November 2024. They're a huge part of my life – I can spend hours a day playing with them – and that isn't going to change. I've since met my boyfriend and he accepts it, but finds it odd. The other day we were sitting on the sofa watching TV as I held Ozzie. As I got up to get a drink, I handed him Ozzie, but he looked at me like I'd grown an extra head! 4 4 When I take the babies out in public, I get all kinds of reactions. Most people just think they're real, but when I explain they're reborns, I get everything from confusion and intrigued questions, to shock and fear. To me, they have their own personalities. Melitina and Burgundy Rose are energetic and cheeky, Daida is sweet and kind and Ozzie is peaceful. Unlike real children, they're all clean and quiet. They don't make a mess or damage things And, unlike real children, they're all clean and quiet. They don't make a mess or damage things. They're only there to make me feel happy. I love to share our life on my YouTube channel. I might take them for walks, 'feed' them with a real baby bottle filled with fake formula, dress them up for Valentine's Day or just cuddle them. Trolls have made comments, but they don't bother me. I think part of what upsets people is how much they cost. So far, I've spent £20,000, with Pieta and Daida costing £1,500 and £2,300 each. I've also made lots of friends with other reborn mums online. I can't wait to keep welcoming reborns into my life. If anyone thinks that's a waste of money, I don't care. I work hard and my dolls bring me a lot of joy. What could possibly be wrong with that?'
Wall Street Journal
07-06-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
China Tariffs Already Mean Fewer, More Expensive Dolls for American Kids
Carly has auburn hair, blue eyes and stands 18 inches tall. Like most dolls sold in the U.S., she is made in China. That is now a problem for her maker, William Su, who sells tens of thousands of dolls and their accessories a year to Americans through Amazon, Walmart and Target. When President Trump raised tariffs on China to 145% in April, Su, who is based in New York and Taiwan, stopped production because he and his buyers couldn't afford the tariffs.
