BEIJING: It's dangling from Hermès bags in Paris. It's selling out in seconds in Tokyo. In Bangkok, it's now a cultural ambassador — officially endorsed by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Labubu, a snaggle-toothed, wild-eyed forest creature from Chinese toy brand Pop Mart, has gone from underground oddity to global fashion icon.
In New York, fans are camping outside Pop Mart stores like they were heading to a concert. In London, collectors are clashing over the last blind box. And in Beijing, a human-sized Labubu recently fetched US$150,000 at an auction. The brand's latest feat? A collaboration with Louis Vuitton — the plush gremlin turned luxury icon.
