Karl Marx's grave gets a Labubu toy, Internet says, ‘just as God intended'
Yet, that's exactly what happened this week at London's Highgate Cemetery, where visitors were stunned to see a Labubu plush toy perched on Marx's grave.
Labubu is a mass-produced collectible doll, a wide-eyed, gremlin-like figure that's become something of a cult obsession. It's the kind of object that thrives on late-stage capitalism: marketed endlessly, bought compulsively, and quickly turned into social media content.
The image of the toy sitting on the tombstone of the 'Father of Communism' quickly went viral, racking up over 10 million views online.
the concept of knowing there is currently a labubu on karl marx's grave https://t.co/OScz48LsOB
— helen (@helen) July 22, 2025
Comments poured in, with many pointing out the bizarre irony of it all. One user said, 'Late-stage capitalism really said: Labubu x Karl Marx collab.'
Another wrote, 'Wait until you know that it cost you £10 to enter the graveyard… but that's fine for me to manage the site, they have such amazing tour too to explain about the graveyard.' The contradiction wasn't lost on anyone.
'There's something deeply poetic — and unhinged — about a collectible capitalist gremlin sitting on the grave of the man who critiqued capitalism itself. Peak irony,' one person wrote, while another offered a harsher take: 'The Labubu: perfectly symbolic of unthinking people with infantile tendencies, wasteful and trendy. Just like Marxism.'
Amid the plastic mascot of consumerism, there were also traditional tributes: fresh flowers, handwritten notes, and quiet tokens of respect.
Labubu belongs to the Pop Mart universe, a line of vinyl collectible figures sold in blind boxes, meaning buyers have no idea which version they're getting until they open it. This element of surprise, paired with limited availability, is designed to stoke desire and create a sense of urgency. In today's Gen Z consumer culture, these toys have become status symbols, with rare editions often fetching hundreds or even thousands of dollars on resale markets.
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