Labubu Furniture Is Happening

Yahoo

18 hours ago

Courtesy of Gina Alva
At first glance, the Labubu looks quite ugly, with its grotesque, mischievous face, Cheshire cat smile, and pointed ears like a cartoon bunny elf. But somehow this collectible, part of The Monsters series created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung, has swept the nation.
Popmart, the Chinese toy and character company that produces these viral figurines, often sells out of them in seconds, with one even being sold at auction for more than $150,000 last month, according to the BBC. Carrying a Labubu as a bag charm has become such a status symbol that American designer Marc Jacobs even carried one (still in its case) on a black Hermès Birkin 40 to his own 2026 runway show held at the New York Public Library on June 30. But now that many have gotten their hands on the coveted creatures, some are doing more than simply taking their Labubu home to display or putting them on bags. Some collectors are going so far as to create a miniature home for their Labubu dolls.
For Los Angeles–based content creator Gina Alva, the inspiration to make her own Labubu furniture began in the same place where she first discovered the creatures—TikTok. Part of the Labubu allure to her was that the figurines are purchased as 'blind boxes,' meaning you do not know which version of the character you will get until you open the container. The rare ones are known as 'secrets,' the most coveted of the bunch. The same day Alva set her eyes on a video of a Labubu, her sister secured one for her—a secret, no less.
That was in January, and at first she was been quite content with her collection. She was 'god's favorite,' after all, a term of endearment often commented to those blessed with a secret pull. But soon enough, TikTok showed her more to desire: Labubu clothing, Labubu furniture. She wanted to create a home for her creatures—a world.
While many creators she saw bought their Labubu accessory items off AliExpress, an online Chinese marketplace, with the ongoing tariff war (between the US and most of the world), Alva decided against that route. There has always been something inherently slow about collecting furniture and building a room, even if it's for a collectible toy, so with that in mind, Alva hit Dollar Tree (she found that Michaels craft store was more expensive) for supplies. With a hot glue gun, fuzzy fabric, and a dream, she created a Labubu car seat and TikTok tutorial that got over 1.9 million views.
'I get so many comments from people saying that they made a mini car seat for their child to play with, or for their friends. I saw one video where about five people were sitting at a table making car seats,' Alva tells AD. 'It's so amazing.'
Since then, she has truly created a home for her Labubus, which are named Glossy Gem, Lolo, Momo, and Toto, making bean bag chairs out of tissue paper and fabric and buying generic doll clothing and furniture at Dollar Tree, such as a miniature swimming pool, closet, chairs, and even a toilet.
YouTuber Unique Daily has always been an avid collector, of Barbie shoes, Pee Wee Herman merchandise, and Freddy Krueger dolls. Now, as a content creator and mother of six, she collects Labubus, and she recently documented her journey hunting for tiny furniture for them at the thrift store and, of course, Dollar Tree.
'It's nice to just kind of sit them on their furniture, it just kind of gives them a different ambience, not always hanging on my purse,' says Daily. 'I think it's adorable.'
A number of factors can motivate people who collect items like Labubu dolls. Dr. Shirley Mueller, a board-certified neurologist and psychiatrist, and world-renowned collector of Chinese porcelain, says collecting can even be a sign of a healthy brain.
'Not only do Labubus enrich the lives of the people who collect them, but [they do so] in a very meaningful way. Not only socially, not only because of the thrill of the chase, but also with the ability to reenact with the Labubu,' says the author of Inside the Head of a Collector: Neuropsychological Forces at Play. Adding furniture to a Labubu's world could be seen as part of this reenactment of real-life situations with the doll.
'I think the people who collect Labubu want to not only complete a set, but they want to make the Labubus whole, so to speak,' Dr. Mueller says. 'To a certain degree, it is realistic, but it's a bit of a fantasy with Labubu. It is placing oneself out of our own mental status into a whole different world—the Labubu world. That's very refreshing to have something outside of ourselves.'
If you want to make your own Labubu a home, Etsy and Amazon are excellent places to start. While there is no official Labubu branded furniture yet, a search for 'Labubu furniture' followed by the item you're seeking will turn up plenty of options. Amazon, in particular, has a great selection of seats and sofas, while Etsy has an array of 3D-printed furniture, such as closets and car seats. If you want to get even more creative (and have your doll's measurements), simply search for doll furniture and see if it fits.
Elsewhere online, retailer Living With Labubu sells goods such as bean bags and a motorized toy scooter for these little creatures. According to a Reddit thread on r/labubu, Labubus perfectly fit IKEA doll furniture as well, and this wouldn't be the first time the cult-favorite Swedish retailer found favor among collectors. Other threads on Reddit reveal that IKEA doll furniture is also popular among collectors of Monster High, Blythe dolls, and more. With so many options out there, the world is your Labubu's oyster.
Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
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