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The Hindu
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Is Labubu mania still going strong or has India moved on? And how do you snag one?
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.'
Washington Post
15 hours ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Titan America: Q2 Earnings Snapshot
BRUXELLES, Belgium — BRUXELLES, Belgium — Titan America SA (TTAM) on Tuesday reported second-quarter profit of $51.1 million. The Bruxelles, Belgium-based company said it had net income of 28 cents per share. The results did not meet Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 31 cents per share.
NBC News
22-07-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Belgium questions 2 Israelis at music festival over Gaza crime allegations
Belgian police questioned two members of the Israeli army who were attending a music festival in Belgium over allegations of serious violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza, the Federal Prosecutor's Office in Brussels said in a statement Monday. In a statement to The Associated Press, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said an Israeli citizen and an Israeli soldier who were on vacation in Belgium 'were taken in yesterday for interrogation and were released shortly afterward.' It said Israeli authorities 'dealt with this issue and are in touch with the two.' It was not immediately clear why the Israeli Foreign Ministry referred to one civilian and one soldier, while Belgian prosecutors spoke of two Israeli army members. The whereabouts of the two people who were questioned was not immediately clear. The case was hailed as a 'turning point in the global pursuit of accountability' by a Belgium-based group called the Hind Rajab Foundation, which has campaigned for the arrest of Israeli troops it accuses of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The group was named for a young girl who Palestinians say was killed early in the war by Israeli fire as she and her family fled Gaza City. It isn't the first time an Israeli has been targeted overseas for legal action. In January, Israel helped a former soldier leave Brazil after legal action was initiated against him by the group, which uses geolocation and social media posts to identify soldiers they accuse of war crimes. Since forming last year, the Hind Rajab Foundation has made dozens of complaints in more than 10 countries seeking the arrest of both low-level and high-ranking Israeli soldiers. It was not immediately clear if any soldiers have been arrested as a result of the group's actions. The group did not immediately respond to an email seeking details. 'We will continue to support the ongoing proceedings and call on Belgian authorities to pursue the investigation fully and independently,' the group said in its statement. 'Justice must not stop here — and we are committed to seeing it through.' Israel says its forces follow international law and try to avoid harming civilians, and that it investigates allegations of wrongdoing. In a written statement, the prosecutor's office said that the two army members — who were in Belgium for the Tomorrowland festival — were questioned after the office received legal complaints on Friday and Saturday from the Hind Rajab Foundation and another group. The prosecution office requested the questioning after an initial assessment of the complaints 'determined that it potentially had jurisdiction.' The Hind Rajab foundation said it filed its complaints along with the rights group Global Legal Action Network. The decision to question the two Israelis was based on an article in Belgium's Code of Criminal Procedure that went into force last year and grants Belgian courts jurisdiction over acts overseas that are potentially governed by an international treaty, in this case the 1949 Geneva Conventions and the 1984 United Nations convention against torture, the prosecution statement said. 'In light of this potential jurisdiction, the Federal Prosecutor's Office requested the police to locate and interrogate the two individuals named in the complaint. Following these interrogations, they were released,' the statement said, without elaborating. It said it was not providing any further information at this stage of its investigation. The European Jewish Association criticized Belgian authorities for acting on what it called a politically motivated complaint. 'These soldiers were carrying out their lawful duties in defense of their country, duties comparable to those of any soldier serving in a democratic nation,' the association said in a statement. The news in Belgium came as the U.N. food agency accused Israel of using tanks, snipers and other weapons to fire on a crowd of Palestinians seeking food aid, in what the territory's Health Ministry said was one of the deadliest days for aid-seekers in over 21 months of war. The death toll in war-ravaged Gaza has climbed to more than 59,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Its count doesn't distinguish between militants and civilians but the ministry says more than half of the dead are women and children. The ministry is part of the Hamas government, but the U.N. and other international organizations see it as the most reliable source of data on casualties.
Irish Independent
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Belgium questions two Israelis over Gaza crime allegations after they travelled for music festival
In a statement to The Associated Press, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said an Israeli citizen and an Israeli soldier who were on vacation in Belgium 'were taken in yesterday for interrogation and were released shortly afterward'. It said Israeli authorities 'dealt with this issue and are in touch with the two'. It was not immediately clear why the Israeli Foreign Ministry referred to one civilian and one soldier, while Belgian prosecutors spoke of two Israeli army members. The whereabouts of the two people who were questioned was not immediately clear. The case was hailed as a 'turning point in the global pursuit of accountability' by a Belgium-based group called the Hind Rajab Foundation, which has campaigned for the arrest of Israeli troops it accuses of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The group was named for a young girl who Palestinians say was killed early in the war by Israeli fire as she and her family fled Gaza City. Israel says its forces follow international law and try to avoid harming civilians, and that it investigates allegations of wrongdoing. In a written statement, the prosecutor's office said that the two army members – who were in Belgium for the Tomorrowland festival – were questioned after the office received legal complaints on Friday and Saturday from the Hind Rajab Foundation and another group. The prosecution office requested the questioning after an initial assessment of the complaints 'determined that it potentially had jurisdiction'. The Hind Rajab foundation said it filed its complaints along with the rights group Global Legal Action Network. The decision to question the two Israelis was based on an article in Belgium's Code of Criminal Procedure that went into force last year and grants Belgian courts jurisdiction over acts overseas that are potentially governed by an international treaty, in this case the 1949 Geneva Conventions and the 1984 United Nations convention against torture, the prosecution statement said. 'In light of this potential jurisdiction, the Federal Prosecutor's Office requested the police to locate and interrogate the two individuals named in the complaint. Following these interrogations, they were released,' the statement said, without elaborating.
The Hill
21-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Belgium questions 2 Israelis at music festival over Gaza crime allegations
BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgian police questioned two members of the Israeli army who were attending a music festival in Belgium over allegations of serious violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza, the Federal Prosecutor's Office in Brussels said in a statement Monday. In a statement to The Associated Press, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said an Israeli citizen and an Israeli soldier who were on vacation in Belgium 'were taken in yesterday for interrogation and were released shortly afterward.' It said Israeli authorities 'dealt with this issue and are in touch with the two.' It was not immediately clear why the Israeli Foreign Ministry referred to one civilian and one soldier, while Belgian prosecutors spoke of two Israeli army members. The whereabouts of the two people who were questioned was not immediately clear. The case was hailed as a 'turning point in the global pursuit of accountability' by a Belgium-based group called the Hind Rajab Foundation, which has campaigned for the arrest of Israeli troops it accuses of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The group was named for a young girl who Palestinians say was killed early in the war by Israeli fire as she and her family fled Gaza City. Israel says its forces follow international law and try to avoid harming civilians, and that it investigates allegations of wrongdoing. In a written statement, the prosecutor's office said that the two army members — who were in Belgium for the Tomorrowland festival — were questioned after the office received legal complaints on Friday and Saturday from the Hind Rajab Foundation and another group. The prosecution office requested the questioning after an initial assessment of the complaints 'determined that it potentially had jurisdiction.' The Hind Rajab foundation said it filed its complaints along with the rights group Global Legal Action Network. The decision to question the two Israelis was based on an article in Belgium's Code of Criminal Procedure that went into force last year and grants Belgian courts jurisdiction over acts overseas that are potentially governed by an international treaty, in this case the 1949 Geneva Conventions and the 1984 United Nations convention against torture, the prosecution statement said. 'In light of this potential jurisdiction, the Federal Prosecutor's Office requested the police to locate and interrogate the two individuals named in the complaint. Following these interrogations, they were released,' the statement said, without elaborating. It said it was not providing any further information at this stage of its investigation. The news in Belgium came as the U.N. food agency accused Israel of using tanks, snipers and other weapons to fire on a crowd of Palestinians seeking food aid, in what the territory's Health Ministry said was one of the deadliest days for aid-seekers in over 21 months of war. The death toll in war-ravaged Gaza has climbed to more than 59,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Its count doesn't distinguish between militants and civilians but the ministry says more than half of the dead are women and children. The ministry is part of the Hamas government, but the U.N. and other international organizations see it as the most reliable source of data on casualties. Since forming last year, the Hind Rajab Foundation has made dozens of complaints in more than 10 countries to arrest both low-level and high-ranking Israeli soldiers. 'We will continue to support the ongoing proceedings and call on Belgian authorities to pursue the investigation fully and independently,' the group said in a statement. 'Justice must not stop here — and we are committed to seeing it through.'
