Latest news with #Labubu
Kuwait Times
3 hours ago
- Business
- Kuwait Times
China considers measures to avert economic slump
BEIJING: China has a 'plentiful' toolbox to avoid an economic slump in the second half of the year, its commerce minister said Friday as he admitted it faced a 'very severe and complex situation'. Growth hit 5.2 percent in the second quarter, official data showed Tuesday, but analysts have warned that more must be done to boost sluggish domestic consumption as exports face the knock-on effects of global trade turmoil. Retail sales rose far less than expected last month and were much weaker than May, suggesting efforts to kickstart consumption have fallen flat. 'We are still facing a very severe and complex situation. Global changes are unstable and uncertain. Some of our policies will provide some new responses according to the times and circumstances,' Wang Wentao told journalists at a news briefing. 'Our toolbox is plentiful, and we will be fully prepared.' Asked specifically about China's reliance on exports, Wang suggested the government was preparing policies to 'further stimulate the momentum of our consumption development'. 'China's economy is improving, and the long-term fundamentals have not changed, the consumption market's characteristics of great potential, strong resilience and vitality have not changed,' he said. Wang also namechecked Beijing-based toymaker Pop Mart, whose Labubu monster dolls have become a must-have item internationally, adorning the handbags of celebrities such as Rihanna and Dua Lipa. 'We are also promoting new forms of consumption... for example Pop Mart, these kinds of new trends, new fashions and styles... the Labubu phenomenon has swept the world,' he said. Beijing is battling to shift towards a growth model propelled more by domestic demand than the traditional key drivers of infrastructure investment, manufacturing and exports. That desired transformation has become more urgent since Donald Trump came to office. The US president has imposed tolls on China and most other major trading partners, upending trade norms and endangering Beijing's exports at a time it needs them more than ever to stimulate economic activity. The two superpowers have sought to de-escalate their row after reaching a framework for a deal at talks in London last month, but observers warn of lingering uncertainty. Wang said Friday that despite 'storms and rain', Washington remained an important trading partner. Even though China-US trade has declined proportionally for each country, overall bilateral trade has remained stable, Wang said. In a sign of progress, US tech giant Nvidia said this week that it would resume sales of its H20 artificial intelligence chips to China after Washington pledged to remove licensing restrictions that had halted exports. China's commerce ministry acknowledged the US decision in a statement Friday afternoon, even as it called for Washington to 'abandon its zero-sum mentality'. 'China believes that the United States should... continue to cancel a series of unreasonable economic and trade restrictive measures,' the statement read. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has met with Chinese leaders this week in Beijing, telling journalists Wednesday that his firm was 'doing our best' to serve the country's vast semiconductor market. Wang praised recent visits by Huang and other US executives on Friday, noting that the solid economic and popular basis for US-China cooperation 'makes artificial decoupling and severing supply chains impossible', he said. Yet an inconsistent tune has 'severely impacted and disrupted normal trade cooperation between China and the United States', said Wang. Since Trump's first term, 'the trend of the trade frictions provoked by the United States has had ups and downs', he said. –AFP
The Verge
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Verge
The frenzied, gamified chase for Labubus
On Thursday night, I toggled endlessly between a TikTok Live stream and a shopping app in anticipation of 9:30PM. For 30 minutes, I hunted for an available listing; many expletives were uttered. I exhibited bot behavior and got iced out of the app multiple times. I tapped so many times my thumbs got sore. This is Labubu drop night. Something that's lost in the Labubu mania is that actually buying one from the source is, in one word, maddening. There are, of course, countless fake options ('Lafufus') that some collectors have come to embrace. But if you want a guaranteed real one, you have to go to the source. Pop Mart, the Chinese toy company that sells Labubu products, has created a series of Sisyphean tasks to subject shoppers to, a humiliation ritual with the chance of getting a little figurine at the end. Unlike many other rare, trendy, or collectible items, the barrier to entry for Labubus is not the cost of the item ($27.99) — it's everything you need to learn how to do before you buy them. I spent about a day researching how to actually purchase a legit Labubu from Pop Mart. It's not a straightforward shopping experience of simply clicking 'check out' faster than everyone else. Pop Mart has created a digital frenzy that somewhat resembles what shopping in-person on Black Friday is like: interactive illustrations show display cases stocked with up to six boxes of Labubus. Seconds after they hit the site, all of the boxes are grayed out, meaning someone has at least temporarily claimed them. If you haven't secured a Labubu, you must scroll through a seemingly endless list of display cases, looking for the rare box up for grabs; more often, though, you must tap constantly, looking for a gray box with a timer that is about to expire, at which point it will be released and available again. You have to play what is essentially a mobile game to even get a chance to buy a Labubu. The complexity and finickiness of the Pop Mart app mean that there is no shortage of content with tips, hints, and hacks for securing a Labubu. Some influencers have racked up millions of views almost exclusively making videos about how to score popular Pop Mart products. Some of the tips I studied ended up helping me: when I tapped too many times and was blocked by the app, turning Wi-Fi on and off did indeed fix the problem. But other suggestions from collectors were impossible to follow. Some fans swear by camping out on Pop Mart's hourslong TikTok live streams, waiting for the host to randomly list Labubus for sale on the platform's shopping page; the auctioneer-style monologues were simply too much for me to listen to. After about 30 minutes of uninterrupted two-handed tapping, close encounters, and error messages, I finally spammed a gray box right at the moment it was released. The mystery Labubu was mine. I 'shook' the virtual box, which gave me a hint as to what color character was inside: it was not orange or green (I didn't have a color preference, but other shoppers might at this point abandon a box that Pop Mart says does not contain their color of choice). After checkout, I opted to reveal which Labubu I had purchased — it was the blue one, named 'Hope.' It's not entirely surprising that Labubus have taken off like this: the more you are forced to look at them, the cuter they become (maybe). They're not the first so-called blind box toy to gain a cult following, and there's a somewhat dark comparison to be made between Labubus and gambling — for serious collectors, the thrill is in the reveal, the chance that you hit the rare color that Pop Mart says is in one out of 72 boxes. It's addictive, plain and simple. But the longer I spent on Labubu forums or on the Pop Mart site, the more I understood that the toy at the end is almost beside the point: legit Labubus represent the time and effort that came before the unboxing, along with the pure luck of what's inside. A friend who has scored dozens of Labubus for their network told me flipping the dolls isn't even worth it unless it's an unopened box or a rare color — the margins are too low to make real money. The pervasiveness of Lafufus no doubt helps to push prices down. The real value of Labubus is in the ridiculous hoops you have to jump through to get a shot at something collectible. According to Google Trends, search volume for 'Labubu' is as high as it's been. The TikTok livestreams will drone on, the bots will be deployed nightly, and the viral unboxings will pull in views. The hype will die down only when it's no longer torture to buy one, when the little guys (who are actually canonically girls) are just a toy, not a stand-in for your effort. When that will happen is anyone's guess; my Labubu is scheduled to ship out in September.
NDTV
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Labubu Fever Hits Amul's Topical Game, Internet Says, "Amul Is Always Cooking"
When it comes to owning the moment, no brand does it quite like Amul. Their topicals are sharp, funny and always on point – whether it is a political twist or a pop culture frenzy. They do not just join the conversation; they often lead it. Basically, if something is trending, chances are Amul has already dropped a buttery take on it. Right now, the buzzword in luxury lifestyle circles is Labubu. These quirky dolls have become a status symbol – think of them as the new-age fashion flex. From limited edition drops to celeb endorsements, Labubu is everywhere. So, of course, Amul had to weigh in. Their latest topical gives the Labubu craze a fun spin. The image shows the iconic Amul girl sitting on the floor, holding a slice of bread smeared with butter. Next to her is a stool with a Labubu doll perched on top. There is also a round table nearby with a block of butter and a knife stuck in it. But the best part? The wordplay. The poster reads, ' Labubhook laggi hai? ' at the top, and 'Eat doll-ops' at the bottom. Classic Amul. What's more they captioned the post, "#Amul Topical: Labubu dolls are all the craze." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Amul - The Taste of India (@amul_india) Needless to say, the internet had thoughts. The comments section quickly filled up with Labubu GIFs, heart-eyed emojis and lines like, 'Amul is always cooking.' While scrolling through social media, you must have come across celebs showing off their Labubu dolls. A few days ago, Disha Patani was papped with a cute green Labubu keychain hanging from her Dior bag. She looked effortlessly chic in an all-white outfit, but it was the quirky little Labubu that really caught everyone's eye. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Varinder Chawla (@varindertchawla) Meanwhile, Urvashi Rautela was spotted with not one, not two, but four Labubu dolls hanging from her bag. The diva was headed to London to attend the Wimbledon Championship. While her lacy white dress was definitely a head-turner, it was her brown Hernes Birkin handbag – and the little Labubu doll charms party it carried – that truly made us stop and take notice. View this post on Instagram A post shared by URVASHI RAUTELA (@urvashirautela) Are you also hooked on the Labubu trend? Because the internet definitely is.
NDTV
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
"Labubhook Laggi Hai?": Amul Joins The Labubu Doll Mania With Latest Topical
Amul has a knack for grabbing eyeballs with its cheeky takes on what is trending. Yes, you guessed it right. We are talking about Amul's creative topicals. From viral pop culture moments to major global news, their topicals always manage to steal headlines and hearts. No wonder fans wait for their next drop. The latest craze Amul's tapped into? Labubu dolls. These not-so-cute-looking collectibles are everywhere. You have probably seen Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, Rihanna, or Simone Biles posing with them. They are flying off the shelves. Now, Amul has jumped on the trend with its signature style. The new topical shows the iconic Amul girl sitting cross-legged, holding a buttered slice of bread. On a nearby stool sits a Labubu doll, and there is a round table with a butter block and knife. But what really makes it pop? The wordplay. The poster reads, 'Labubhook laggi hai?' at the top, and 'Eat doll-ops' at the bottom. Classic Amul. '#Amul Topical: Labubu dolls are all the craze,' read the caption with the post. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Amul - The Taste of India (@amul_india) So, what is the deal with Labubu, you ask? It is part of a designer toy line called "The Monsters' by artist Kasing Lung. With its wild hair, pointy teeth and oddball expressions, Labubu has become a must-have for collectors. It is weird, it is cool, and totally viral. From limited drops to celeb shoutouts, it is the doll of the moment. Amul always knows how to jump in with a clever take on whatever's trending. Earlier this month, it was all about Prada. The famous Italian fashion house became the centre of online chatter when it showcased a pair of sandals that looked a lot like India's traditional Kolhapuri chappals. These were part of Prada's collection at the Paris Men's Fashion Week 2025 and caught people's attention for all the wrong reasons. Many online felt the brand had borrowed heavily from Indian culture without proper credit. Amul did not waste any time and released a new topical around the controversy. The artwork was split into two sides. On one side, a person – most likely a model – is seen wearing the much-talked-about Kolhapuri-style sandals. On the other side, there is an Indian man in a traditional turban, holding up the same kind of sandal in one hand and pointing at it with the other. Above them, the witty line reads, " Kolhapoori tarah se copy hai," a fun twist on the phrase 'Poori tarah se copy hai,' which means 'It's a complete copy.'
Korea Herald
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
팟캐스트 (706) 세계가 열광하는 라부부의 정체는?
진행자: 홍유, Chelsea Proctor Why are Labubu monsters taking over the world? 기사 요약: 괴짜 같은 외모의 피규어 라부부가 젠지 세대의 개성과 불완전함을 상징하며 패션계의 새로운 아이콘으로 떠오르고 있다. [1] In an industry that thrives on constant reinvention, a mischievous, elvish toy called Labubu is quickly becoming fashion's most unexpected new star. thrive: 번창하다 mischievous: 장난기 있는 elvish: 요정 같은, 신비롭고 장난기 있는 [2] With its jagged teeth, wild hair and wide-eyed grin, Labubu has leapt from collectible curiosity to cultural symbol. Originally designed by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung, Labubu was introduced through the Pop Mart x How2work series, initially appealing to a niche group of toy collectors. jagged: 들쭉날쭉한 appeal: 매력을 끌다 [3] But Labubu's popularity has surged well beyond that audience, especially among Generation Z consumers drawn to its offbeat, anti-cute aesthetic. offbeat: 색다른, 일반적이지 않은, 독특한 aesthetic: 미적 감각 [4] Unlike the smooth, symmetrical mascots that once dominated toy shelves, Labubu's oddball charm resonates with young people who reject conventional standards of beauty. The imperfections — sharp teeth, awkward grin, untamed hair — have become a statement of identity in an age where uniqueness is increasingly celebrated. oddball: 괴짜 yoohong@
