By: Ranim Elgabakhngi
Recently, the toy marked has noticed a giant surge in demand for “Labubu dolls.” Which are a line of endearing designed dolls that tend to capture the interest of many consumers in the online market, with their unique appearance, distinctive features, and a questionable price on its tag, what started out as a niche art toy that soon exploded into a global trend has created a debate in social media between being a must-have or a must-avoid product.
What Are They?
The Labubu dolls are flagship characters created from Hong Kong artist Kasing lung’s “The Monsters” series, including characters like Mokoko, Pato, Spooky, Tycoco, and finally, Zimomo. all produced by Chinese toy giant pop mart, as it most certainly have an interesting appearance inspired by Nordic mythology that captured the interest of many children seeking a companion doll or collectors in general, with their round, furry bodies, wide eyes, elfish high-pointed ears, and a mischievous smile formed in a devious yet cute shape by nine sharp teeth, it really is a master class in ugly yet cute aesthetic that sets a balance between being playful and fierce, as it differs from classic colors to themed costumes aesthetic-wise, as they also come with attachable clips as accessories.
Their Overpriced Allure
Many of them retailed for twenty to thirty dollars, as they feature an element of surprise which is “The Blind Box” that was meant to drive consumers with a thrill that fuels their collecting addiction, prices have indeed surged on the graphs for rarer limited editions, with some “Mega Labubu” plushies driving fans wild to obtain them, while specific collaborations being resold for not hundreds, but thousands, like the Labubu x Vans Old Skool Vinyl Plush Dolls being resold for three thousand dollars, and life-sized versions fetched over a hundred thousand dollars at auction.
Turning Into an Unstoppable Trend
These dolls most certainly do capture and illustrate how something so simply overpriced can still trend nevertheless, mostly due to social proof, of course. Consumers typically tend to mimic others with the assumptions that other’s actions are rather a reflection of desirable behaviour that tends to normalize it.
Influencers and celebrities simply have a power to inspire others, seeing content about these dolls being purchased by others creates a sense of FOMO “fear of missing out” by simply seeing everyone else acquiring things that brings out an urge to join in and follow along which solidifies these dolls as a must-have.
Recent Drama
With many people bringing out how these dolls don’t exactly tend to represent a healthy idea of collecting dolls for the fun of it in regards of older audience like collectors, and with how it had a negative effect on younger audience like children online, some authorities have banned their sale, perhaps for good.
While others theorized that these dolls are actually a representation of a demon figure from an ancient Mesopotamian mythology, it has created a sense of nervousness among people.
The Labubu Dolls Phenomenon is rather complex, drives by varied factors like their aesthetic, value, and influence.
While it indeed created a controversy from being overpriced and hefty, it still showcased how it managed to drive its trend on a deep psychological desire to be a part of its community in hopes of not missing out, no matter how much money is on the line.
