From simple (rather ugly) stuffed toys to a global phenomenon.

Everyone is crazy about Labubu, the dolls designed by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung and sold by Pop Mart stores in “blind boxes”: buyers don’t know which doll or specific design they’ll receive until they open the box. There are miles-long lines to buy them around the world , and the euphoria has grown, fueled by celebrity endorsements that have pushed resale prices of the rare dolls to more than $3,000.

Labubu debuted in 2015 as part of the story series "The Monsters", inspired by Norse mythology, by Hong Kong illustrator Kasing Lung who in 2019 officially signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Chinese toy manufacturer Pop Mart to produce physical products in blind box format. A partnership that brought Labubu to the world stage. The variety of designs, expressions and colors, has further fueled the public's interest in collecting these toys, which today counts over 300 variations.

Everyone from Dua Lipa and Rihanna to Gemma Collins have been spotted with a Labubu dangling from their handbags. The real spark came when Thai rapper (and The White Lotus actress) Lisa of Blackpink shared her own Labubu collection, capturing the attention of K-pop fans and pop culture enthusiasts alike, and resulting in multiple sell-outs around the world.

The Chinese toy monster exploded overnight with over 1 million posts on TikTok from consumers. For Pop Mart, they have become yet another driving force: in Milan, after the success of the store in Corso Buenos Aires, the brand has opened a pop-up store in Rinascente Milano Piazza Duomo, which will be open until July 1, 2025. The second-hand market has also immediately adapted to this new phenomenon. This is confirmed by data from Wallapop, which recently recorded a 104% increase in searches for Labubu on the platform.

Available in different versions, these little monsters have become real “statement pieces” to attach to bags and backpacks. Even in China, where Pop Mart is based and where most of its toys are produced, , finding that Labubu were nowhere to be found on the shelves, with only samples displayed in the windows.