Is Labubu mania still going strong or has India moved on? And how do you snag one?

The Hindu

2 days ago

They are small, mischievous, and impossible to ignore. With their fang-toothed grins and pointy ears, Labubus — once just quirky vinyl toys — have unexpectedly become 2025's 'It' accessory. No longer the preserve of toy collectors, these blind-box figurines are now dangling from luxury bags, trading hands across continents, and powering a global consumer craze.
Labubu first sprang to life in 2015 as a character from The Monsters, a children's book series by Hong Kong–born, Belgium-based illustrator Kasing Lung, whose work draws heavily from Nordic mythology. Initially produced in Taiwan, it was not until Pop Mart — the Beijing-based toy giant founded by Wang Ning in 2010 — licensed the character in 2019 that things really took off. Using a signature blind-box model, where each sealed box contains a mystery figure, Pop Mart turned Labubu into a must-have collectible.
But the tipping point came in November 2024, when Lisa of South Korean girl group Blackpink clipped one to her Louis Vuitton bag and later revealed her 'Labubu obsession' in a Vanity Fair interview. The Internet lost it. And just like that, labubu became a viral hit across Asia and beyond.
It did not stop there. International stars like Dua Lipa, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian and even David Beckham have been spotted with Labubus — often attached to their bags, backpacks or keychains — catapulting the character into global fashion consciousness. By mid-2025, Pop Mart had released over 300 variants, with a mint green, 131 centimetre (4.3 feet) tall Labubu figure being sold at Yongle International Auction in Beijing in June 2025 for 1.08 million yuan (approximately ₹1.3 crore).
As Labubu mania went global, Pop Mart CEO Wang Ning's personal stake in the company skyrocketed, placing him among China's 10 richest individuals. With an estimated net worth of ₹1.734 trillion, Wang is now one of the youngest billionaires in the country.
The India craze
In India, Labubu's rise has been just as wild. The Pop Mart outlet at Bangkok's Siam Centre has become a kind of pilgrimage site, as Mumbai-based filmmaker Faraz Arif Ansari discovered earlier this year. 'So, I got my first one (labubu) end April, early May, from Bangkok's Pop Mart. It is the best stocked and priced,' Faraz recalls. 'Then I started hunting for limited editions. Got a few from resellers in Bangkok and others through friends travelling around Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore.' While blind boxes cost around 550 THB (almost ₹1,500) in Thailand, resellers in India list the same figurines for ₹6,000–7,000. 'It's mad,' they (Faraz identifies as non-binary, their pronouns are they/them) laugh. 'Even the Thai resellers are way cheaper — and they bargain too. I picked up a few limiteds for about 1,500 THB (₹4,035) each.' Their collection now sits at around 20 figures — placing them somewhere between casual collector and hardcore enthusiast.
Shelf appeal
Anchit Kapil, co-founder of CrepDog Crew (CDC), was quick to spot the trend brewing on Instagram. 'Honestly, it was both demand and instinct,' he says. 'Collectors in India were already hooked, but there wasn't a reliable source to buy from — at least not without months of waiting or risking fakes. We've always curated what's culturally relevant, so bringing Labubu into the CDC world just made sense.'
The reaction was instant. 'We teased a drop in May, and it went off,' he says. 'It validated itself before we even launched.' Unlike traditional retailers working off projections and data, CDC taps directly into the pulse of youth culture. 'Sometimes the community tells you what's hot before the numbers do,' he says with a shrug.
What has been surprising, even to Anchit, is the diversity of Labubu fans. 'You had sneakerheads who were like, 'Why would I buy a toy?' And now, some of them are our most die-hard collectors,' he laughs. 'It's not just lads in their 20s either. Labubu's gone beyond 'toys'. It's gender-neutral, age-neutral, everything-neutral. We've seen uni students and working professionals alike building collections.'
While CDC took the organic route, another player moved fast and commercial. Abbas Ali Zaveri, founder and CEO of HypeFly India (an online retailer of sneakers and streetwear), approached Labubu like he does all things viral — with a sharp eye and even sharper instincts.
'We're always scanning global trends. If it's hot internationally, we want to be the first to bring it here,' he says. 'It's about aspiration. People see something trending in the US or Korea and don't realise they can get it locally.'
Abbas's team first clocked Labubu in May. 'We did a test run. My team wasn't convinced, they were like, 'Who's paying ₹5,000 for a toy?' So I posted a few videos myself. First day, we sold 10. I knew we were onto something.'
A bold 'buy one, get one' launch followed just as the buzz reached fever pitch. 'In that first week of pre-orders. It wasn't just a toy anymore; it was a flex.'
Abbas believes Labubu's success is about access. 'It's a gateway to the culture. Before, being part of the hype scene meant dropping ₹45,000 on Off-White or Jordans. Now with ₹5,000, you're in.'
Of course, success breeds counterfeits. 'Fakes are everywhere,' Abbas says bluntly. 'We've got a zero-tolerance policy. If it doesn't come with a Pop Mart invoice, we won't stock it.' He recalls spotting a fake barcode (the only way to tell if the Labubu is fake) that said 'Top Marie' instead of Pop Mart. 'The bootleggers are getting smarter. It's a full-time job keeping ahead.'
That is where trusted platforms like HypeFly and CDC stand apart, offering guarantees in a sea of fakes. 'Anyone can buy a ₹2,000 labubu online,' he says. 'But they've no idea what they're getting. There is no regulation.'
Interestingly, while demand in Mumbai and Delhi is beginning to plateau, interest is spreading elsewhere. 'Now it's Dehradun, Sikkim, the Northeast,' Abbas says. 'Tier-2s and 3s are waking up to it. It's going national.'
From toy to trophy
In the world of luxury resale, Labubu has taken on a new identity, that of an accessory enhancer. 'Bag charms are very 'in' right now,' says Anvita Mehra, founder and CEO of Confidential Couture. 'We've always seen that desire to personalise classics like Birkins and Kellys. Now, Labubu fills that space.'
Hermès has long capitalised on this with its Rodeo charms, and Anvita believes Labubu works on the same principle. 'It's about adding personality. We once gave out free Labubus to some of our customers from stock we picked up in Thailand. But in the resale market in India, they can fetch up to ₹20,000 because most people want Labubus almost immediately. But like all trends, it eventually cools.'
She believes Labubu landed at just the right moment. 'It's access, availability, and the thrill of the hunt. People were asking friends to pick them up from Dubai or Singapore. Now they're everywhere. That might cool the hype slightly but the desire to personalise luxury is here to stay.'
A collector's tale
Still, few stories capture Labubu's magic quite like Ensito's. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, he has a collection of over 500 Labubus — figurines, pendants and plushies. 'It all started when a friend asked me to pick some up during a trip to London,' he says. 'I queued for three hours. Sold out two people ahead of me. But I was instantly hooked.'
He was drawn in by the designs, the blind-box surprise, and the narrative behind each release. 'At first, they were just fun accessories to go with my designer bags. Then it became about the stories. The thrill of the hunt is real.'
Ensito has shopped Labubus across the US and Europe, visiting over 15 Pop Mart stores. 'London used to be the best, but now it's all lottery-based. In the US, you've got to be fast online. I've found Seattle and parts of Texas are easier — less competition.'
But for him, the real game-changer has been TikTok Lives. 'Pop Mart has live shopping channels in the US, UK, and now Canada's gearing up too. That's where I score most of mine.'
And yes, he has spent over $20,000 on his collection. 'It's a lot, I know. But it's more than a hobby. It brings joy. And every piece has a story.'