Labubu: What Makes Kids and Parents Alike Collect Them
The mischievous-looking elf-like creatures, Labubu, have been flying off the shelves! Here’s what they are:
Going for as low as PHP900.00 per key ring, the plush Labubu dolls are cute but monstrous looking dolls that became famous ever since Blackpink K-Pop Idol Lisa was seen holding one. Since then, kids and parents alike have been hoarding them by the numbers. These dolls come in all sorts of clothes while sporting its signature fanged smile and googly eyes and considering its Halloween, it’s no surprise that the style has an appeal.
Here’s what else we know about the Labubu doll!
Who designed the Labubu doll?
While the doll may be European inspired, its origins are Asian. Belgium-based, Hongkong-born Artist KasingLung had a fascination for Nordic folklore and was also inspired by children’s limitless imagination. Thus, he crafted the Monsters story where Labubu, a mischievous-looking she-elf would interact with other monstrous creatures. The adventures would be found in children’s books or concept arts that he would display in art galleries.
Eventually, in 2015, KasingLung collaborated with global brand Pop Mart — a Chinese company responsible for producing all sorts of pop culture related merchandise.
What makes it so popular?
Besides having endorsement from Lisa, a member of globally beloved K-Pop group Blackpink, Labubu appealed to those who loved things that were both cute and monstrous. The Chinese and Japanese even have a fashion sub-culture where the doll seamlessly fits in, which some fashion enthusiasts may recognize as the Cute or Innocent Monster aesthetic. Besides finding its place in both maximalist and minimalist fashion styles, Labubu also appears to fit under the beloved Japanese art style chibi — an aesthetic where characters are anatomically deformed but in a cute way. Kids and teens may have fallen in love with the design for its balance in what they would argue mature enough to be taken seriously but still cute enough to reflect their age.
Parents, on the other hand, may recognize the appeal via nostalgia for another franchise that reflects a similar aesthetic: Gremlins! Unlike Labubu however, Gremlins were small but outlandishly destructive. Their mischief would sometimes end up causing far more damage than their cuteness would let them get away with, which is why some of us call our kids that — as a term for both endearment and insult.
Besides, Labubu has also made its way into the hearts of local celebrities like fashion icon Heart Evangelista and queen of primetime TV Marian Rivera who have matching dolls!
Labubu: A cutesy and monstrous aesthetic for parents and kids
That’s the dream of most artists or creators: to create a toy or character so iconic it would become beloved for generations to come. Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse, Studio Ghibli’s Totoro, Pokémon’s Pikachu, Star Wars’ R2D2 and many others made such a big impact in our childhood that we sometimes can recall very specific details about them and find joy in sharing these with our kids.
Maybe the Lababu will do the same thing for the kids of today.
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