Is your Labubu wearing Cartier? Do you have one (or more) hanging from your Birkin? If not, you’re missing out on one of the luxury world’s biggest trends.
Labubu, a plush toy monster, has become an inexplicable viral sensation. The diminutive creature, created by Hong Kong-based artist Kasing Lung, resembles a funkier version of Maurice Sendak’s characters from Where the Wild Things Are, and has been likened to everything from Furbies to wild-eyed, sharp-toothed Beanie Babies.
While Lung designed the toys in 2015, they didn’t gain popularity until 2018, when the Labubu became part of Chinese toy purveyor Pop Mart’s blind box lineup. The sales strategy meant customers could buy the toys, but wouldn’t know which Labubu they’d gotten until after the transaction. These surprise sales have helped the toy gain a mythical cult following: In the last year, Pop Mart’s market valuation has climbed to $38 billion, more than Barbie-maker Mattel, Nerf-seller Hasbro, and Hello Kitty-owner Sanrio combined. But what’s more shocking than Labubu’s financial success is its transformation into a must-have accessory for the Hermès-collector set.
“I first heard about Labubu at a vintage clothing market,” says Jake, a 25-year-old creator known on Instagram as @whatsjakin. “A dealer there had a bunch of the blind boxes for $30. I knew nothing about them, but thought it’d look cute on a Birkin, so I had to get it. This was in March of 2024, so I was a little ahead of the trend.”
This designer cottage industry may be the truest indication of the toy’s success. On eBay, you can find faux-Chanel duds and other luxury label imitations for the tiny dolls. The retailer Lizzie and Friends offers matching sets with logos swiped from Gucci and Louis Vuitton for around $14.99. And while none of these luxury brands have sanctioned these affiliations with the tiny monsters, one can safely assume the more adventurous luxury houses will soon be cashing in on the craze. Pharrell’s Joopiter auction site recently offered a set of 14 blind-boxed Labubus wearing custom-designed Sacai x Carhartt WIP onesies. The limited-edition capsule collection that inspired them was made to honor the K-pop boy band Seventeen. All told, the auction raised $337,500, with the top lot—a bright green version of the plush toy—selling for an astounding $31,250.
But if you think this fad is just for the kids, think again. We spotted Candy Udell, co-owner of London Jewelers, rocking her pink Labubu on her white Birkin at the Couture jewelry conference in Las Vegas earlier this month. Rihanna and Dua Lipa have also been seen with the dolls hanging from their own bags. Cher has one, too. Not to be outdone, David Beckham recently posted an image of a Labubu his daughter, Harper, purchased for him hanging from a Louis Vuitton duffel. They’ve even infiltrated the realm of high-end travel: Tokyo’s Edition Hotel has taken to drawing Labubus on its welcome cards.
For Labubu, it seems, the sky is the limit. Will we soon see jewellery made explicitly for Labubu? Perhaps a miniature fur from Fendi? Only time will tell.
