Berlin: Germany's first Labubu toy store opens doors to fans – DW – 07/25/2025
The fluffy toy with the toothy grin and pointed ears, called Labubu, arrived in Germany on Friday with Chinese toymaker Pop Mart opening its first physical store in the country.
The eerie plush doll that has swept the internet appeared to be at home, as China's Pop Mart opened its first store in Berlin, a city known for its edgy and energetic style.
Hundreds of people waited in line, including with camping chairs, with one even working on her computer, according to DW's business reporter, Marie Sina.
"I'll wait till I get one," said one person waiting in line who spoke with Sina. She had a fake version of the toy, Lafufu, at home, and she wanted an original doll.
Lafufus gained popularity because of a shortage of original toys. China last month warned that the counterfeit Lafufu toys could pose a choking hazard for children.
A big reason for the popularity of the eerie little monster toys is that they are packaged inside boxes and people buying them only learn about their character when they open the boxes.
The surprise element adds to the mystery and creates more hype, and people are willing to put more money to get the doll they want.
By now, there are more than 2.4 million #Labubu TikTok posts and counting. Even Brad Pitt and the cast of "F1 The Movie" filmed a TikTok unwrapping the boxes.
DW's Sina says many people waiting in line in Berlin earlier today were influencers and journalists, the with Gen Z and millennial age groups present at the opening.
Labubu, by artist and illustrator Kasing Lung, first appeared a decade ago in three picture books inspired by Nordic mythology in 2015.
In 2019, Lung struck a deal with Pop Mart, a Beijing-based company that caters to toy connoisseurs, to sell Labubu figurines.
In 2023, Pop Mart began selling the plush toys on key rings and the phenomenon blew up overseas.
K-pop singer Lisa of Blackpink talked about her love for the toy on Instagram where she has more than 100 million followers, fueling the hype.
Celebrities like Rihanna and Dua Lipa have been spotted with the toys attached to their handbags.
Pop Mart's revenue more than doubled in 2024 to 13.04 billion yuan ($1.81 billion, €1.55 billion), thanks in part to the wild explosion in popularity of Labubus.
Revenue from Pop Marts' plush toys soared more than 1,200% in 2024, nearly 22% of its overall revenue, according to the company's annual report.
The Chinese toymaker said earlier this month it expects at least a 350% profit and about a 200% jump in revenue for the first six months of the year.
Even though the vast majority of Pop Mart's revenue comes from Asia, global demand for Labubus has turned Pop Mart into a $40 billion company, according to Bloomberg.
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The Labubu craze has found a new home, as hundreds of people lined up to get the eerie ugly dolls at Chinese toymaker Pop Mart's first store in Berlin. The fluffy toy with the toothy grin and pointed ears, called Labubu, arrived in Germany on Friday with Chinese toymaker Pop Mart opening its first physical store in the country. The eerie plush doll that has swept the internet appeared to be at home, as China's Pop Mart opened its first store in Berlin, a city known for its edgy and energetic style. Hundreds of people waited in line, including with camping chairs, with one even working on her computer, according to DW's business reporter, Marie Sina. "I'll wait till I get one," said one person waiting in line who spoke with Sina. She had a fake version of the toy, Lafufu, at home, and she wanted an original doll. Lafufus gained popularity because of a shortage of original toys. China last month warned that the counterfeit Lafufu toys could pose a choking hazard for children. A big reason for the popularity of the eerie little monster toys is that they are packaged inside boxes and people buying them only learn about their character when they open the boxes. The surprise element adds to the mystery and creates more hype, and people are willing to put more money to get the doll they want. By now, there are more than 2.4 million #Labubu TikTok posts and counting. Even Brad Pitt and the cast of "F1 The Movie" filmed a TikTok unwrapping the boxes. DW's Sina says many people waiting in line in Berlin earlier today were influencers and journalists, the with Gen Z and millennial age groups present at the opening. Labubu, by artist and illustrator Kasing Lung, first appeared a decade ago in three picture books inspired by Nordic mythology in 2015. In 2019, Lung struck a deal with Pop Mart, a Beijing-based company that caters to toy connoisseurs, to sell Labubu figurines. In 2023, Pop Mart began selling the plush toys on key rings and the phenomenon blew up overseas. K-pop singer Lisa of Blackpink talked about her love for the toy on Instagram where she has more than 100 million followers, fueling the hype. Celebrities like Rihanna and Dua Lipa have been spotted with the toys attached to their handbags. Pop Mart's revenue more than doubled in 2024 to 13.04 billion yuan ($1.81 billion, €1.55 billion), thanks in part to the wild explosion in popularity of Labubus. Revenue from Pop Marts' plush toys soared more than 1,200% in 2024, nearly 22% of its overall revenue, according to the company's annual report. The Chinese toymaker said earlier this month it expects at least a 350% profit and about a 200% jump in revenue for the first six months of the year. Even though the vast majority of Pop Mart's revenue comes from Asia, global demand for Labubus has turned Pop Mart into a $40 billion company, according to Bloomberg.
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