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Cuckoo For Labubu

Cuckoo For Labubu

June 26, 2025

How Labubu Is Leading Accessorization

Every time I go outside, I keep noticing that people are accessorizing their purses, backpacks, and pants with Labubu. Over the past year, the plush collectible has completely exploded, getting free endorsements from Lisa from Blackpink, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, and Dua Lipa. As big as Labubu is, I think it’s part of a larger trend: keychains and charms are quickly becoming the next big thing in fashion.

Rihanna and her Labubu

Who Is Labubu and How Big Is This Trend?

Created in 2015 by Hong Kong illustrator Kasing Lung, Labubu is a little elf-like collectible figurine with pointy teeth and big ears, inspired by Where the Wild Things Are and Nordic folklore. The figurines are sold in blind boxes, which means you have a chance to get any version of Labubu shown on the back of the packaging. I actually didn’t know this before writing it, but her name is Labubu, and she appears in Lung’s picture book series The Monsters. She apparently also has a boyfriend named Tycoco.

Pop Mart, the company that owns Labubu, is now worth 46 billion dollars, with Labubu alone bringing in 1.8 billion in 2024. Just to emphasize how big this company actually is: Pop Mart is now worth more than Mattel, Hasbro, and Sanrio combined.

Source: Caixin

How Did We Get Here?

It obviously didn’t hurt that celebrities like Kim K and Lisa were showing off their Labubu hauls. But I definitely think this points to a bigger trend: physical collectibles and charms are having a real moment in fashion right now.

1️⃣ Labubus are collectibles sold in blind boxes (a market projected to hit 38 billion dollars by 2031). Each box comes with a chance at a special “chase figure” that appears in only a small percentage of boxes.

2️⃣ They’re becoming a huge part of fashion and self-expression. Carrying charms and plushies on your bags signals to other people that you’re in on the trend.

3️⃣ As the world gets more digital, physical collectibles gain value. I think demand will only grow as people look for tangible ways to show off personality and taste.

Accessorization Is the Trend Right Now

It’s not just Labubus that are popular right now. Pop Mart has a ton of other collectibles like Skullpanda, Molly, and Pucky. Charms and keychains have been getting more popular over the past year, and I think that’s made a huge impact on the blind box and plush market.

There have even been a few Labubu knockoffs called “Lafufus,” which actually sell well and have inspired all kinds of Labubu customization. I think we’ve only seen the tip of the Lafufu iceberg.

Customized Labubu from Such-Big5830 on Reddit

My Conversation With Night’s Resident Labubu Expert…

Sydney, Labubu Expert

When I walk through the Night office, everywhere I look I see a Labubu. Sydney, a talent coordinator here at Night, has at least 15 scattered around her desk, so I figured I’d ask her what she thinks.

Although she didn’t buy her first Labubu until earlier this year, she started collecting Pop Mart’s Crybaby and Sonny Angel back in 2021 (the Sonny Angel to Labubu pipeline). She thinks getting your hands on Labubus really depends on what city you’re in. Here in LA, we’ve got a few Pop Mart stores, vending machines in our malls, and tons of resale shops that carry them.

This is only a small fraction of her collection.

Over the past few weeks, she’s noticed a price increase, especially on StockX. Another thing I found interesting is how big the trading market has gotten, and that there’s actually a booth at Melrose Trading Post (a local thrift market here in LA) where you can trade with other collectors.

Also, don’t sleep on the Angel in Clouds Zimomo. She thinks Zimomo is the next to take off, especially given how limited that character is.

The Big Takeaway

Labubus are completely dominating the collectible market right now. What started as a picture book character has become Pop Mart’s most profitable IP. Celebrities, TikTok, and accessory culture have blown up Labubu to the point where it’s now bigger than some of the largest toy companies in the world. Labubu has even inspired knockoff “Lafufus,” which are also selling surprisingly well. You heard it here first, stock in Zimomo is about to pop off.