Latest news with #SonnyAngels
Euronews
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Euronews
Labubu: Why is everyone so obsessed with these 'creepy' dolls?
What's happening? Labubu dolls, that's what. Creepy cute little monsters with fluffy bodies and razor sharp grins. Originally created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung for his picture book series "Monsters", they were turned into figurines in 2019 as part of a collaboration with toymakers Pop Mart. Since then, their popularity has skyrocketed — especially in bag charm form. Everyone wants one! Why are they in the news? Last week, Pop Mart decided to pull the toys from all 16 of its UK shops until June, citing "potential safety issues". Many fans have responded angrily — but only have themselves to blame. The announcement followed a fight that reportedly broke out in a London store, where people had queued overnight to obtain the latest Labubu editions. "People were shouting, basically saying there were no more Labubus left,' one customer told the BBC. 'I even witnessed a fight between a worker and a customer." What's driving this craziness? As is the source of most contemporary trends, we can blame TikTok. The trend took off after Lisa, a member of the popular K-pop band Blackpink, was seen with one on her bag. At the time of writing, there are 1.4M posts under #Labubu, with people excitedly sharing their collections, unboxings, and even crocheting their own versions. In an age where most things are mass produced and easily obtainable, Pop Art's blind boxes and limited edition drops are exciting in their spontaneity. How much are they? In the UK, they tend to cost anywhere between £13.50 (€16) to £50 (€59), although rare editions can go for even more. One of the main reasons for the recent chaos is re-sellers, who frantically buy up new drops purely to hike up the price, leaving genuine buyers out of luck and frustrated. Ok, but can we talk about the fact grown adults are getting so upset over toys? Sure, but don't you know we're in the midst of a plushie pandemic?! From Jellycats to Squishmallows — adults have become key consumers of all things cute. According to research group Circana, one in five toys and games are now bought by over-18s for themselves. It's a rapidly growing market known as 'kidults', and led by a mixture of things — like people having children later and overwhelming existential anxiety. The world is on fire, might as well buy some weird little guys to cope. But… Why are they so scary looking? That's their appeal: the combination of sweet and sinister. Another example of this is the hugely popular Sonny Angels — cherubic little figurines wearing themed bonnets and no pants. Sure, they sound whimsical, but if you look closely enough at those perfectly poised arms and sideways glances... They're plotting something. But it's often these subtly unnerving/bizarre elements of certain toys that make them stand-out; the expressions and outfits characterful and endlessly adaptable. Sounds like Labubu have got this whole 'kidult' toy craze in the bag. On the bag, more like! Speaking of which — ours suddenly looks awful lonely without... Don't even... via GIPHY
Buzz Feed
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Labubu Doll Generator: Design Custom Labubu Monsters
It feels like every year or so we get a hot new trinkey! There were Beanie Babies, then Groovy Girls, then Squishmallows, then Jellycats, then Sonny Angels, and Dolls. Design your very own weird but equally adorable Labubu Doll below. Ready? Let's go! 👇 Drop your Labubu in the comments below and go check out what everyone else created!
Winnipeg Free Press
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Earth angels
In 2017, while visiting New York City, Winnipeg retailer Lauren Wittmann spotted a teensy-tiny baby in a gift shop window and asked, 'How much?' 'I had no idea what a Sonny Angel was,' says Wittmann, who, with her mother Trish, co-owns Riley Grae, one of the city's leading purveyors of cuteness and kitsch since opening on Corydon Avenue in 2019. 'I just thought it was so adorable and so I got one.' Riley Grae co-owner Lauren Wittmann has a personal collection of Sonny Angels Then another, and another, and another: the figurines, mostly naked, usually pantsless cherubic-looking boys wearing different kinds of headgear, about eight centimetres tall, quickly became a personal obsession for Wittmann. Ever since the shop began carrying the figurines in October 2022, the rate of adoption across Winnipeg has skyrocketed. In under three years, Riley Grae has sold more than 14,000 of the collectibles produced by Japan's Dreams Inc., retailing at a price range from $19 to $24. For the business, which opened on the eve of the pandemic, the seraphic babies, which, like hockey cards, are distributed in 'blind boxes,' have been an economic godsend. Every time a new shipment of Sonny Angels or associated products 'drops,' a horde of eager collectors assembles on Corydon, with the queue often exceeding 200 customers, each in pursuit of a trinket's worth of joy and moral support. 'They're so cute, they're so tiny and they bring me happiness,' says accounting student Eliza Param, who lined up at 9 a.m. last month to get her hands on a Sonny Angel Hipper, which sticks to the top of a cellphone and stares outward across the back. 'Mine are all on a shelf in my bedroom. They sit there and watch me study,' says 21-year-old university student Gabby Serek, who has as many figurines as she has years lived. The Sonny Angel product line has existed since 2004, but Dreams Inc.'s fortunes have risen with the advent of TikTok, where millions of posts highlight the figurines' charms and the thrill that comes with opening their hexagonal containers. 'A lot of the appeal is the adrenaline,' says Wittmann, who repurposed a shelf intended for an antique spoon collection as a display for her own array. While this form of babified trinkets is still relatively novel, Wittmann believes the current trend is the latest stage of a century-spanning tradition of comforting, infant-based art. 'As weird as it is, people have always liked cute, naked baby decor,' Wittmann says with a laugh. 'Think about bathrooms filled with cherubs and those prints you'd find at grandma's house of a baby sitting in a pile of vegetables or sitting in a pasta pot at an Italian restaurant in a movie.' According to the product's lore, Sonny is a 'little angel boy … who will always be by your side, watching over you and making you smile.' Since his birthday — May 15, 2004 — the Japanese manufacturer has introduced more than 650 variations to the market, contributing to the product's collectible appeal. While some customers were early adopters, Wittmann says Sonny Angels didn't exactly fly off the shelves until they achieved more ubiquity on TikTok and other social media. 'Now people come in on a mission,' she says. Last year, the figurines were the focus of a Saturday Night Live sketch starring pop star Dua Lipa. 'I think I've seen those on shy teenagers' phone cases. What are they?' asked cast member Marcello Hernandez. 'They're huge. They're companions for lonely 25-year-old working women,' Lipa replied. But the customer base is wider than that, says Wittmann, who estimates that her store regularly welcomes collectors who span expected gender and age demographics. Brothers King and Prince Camia — 15 and 24, respectively — are avid Sonny Angel fans. There have been more than 650 variations of Sonny Angels released since 2004, with most figurines only wearing different headgear and tops. 'It makes me happy to waste my money on stupid collectibles like this,' says King, a student at Tec-Voc. Fleeting joy, or the pursuit of it, is key to the Sonny Angel brand, perhaps best exemplified by the product's will-he-or-won't-he motto: 'He may bring you happiness.' 'I think specifically this past year there's been a trinket trend online, a trend about allowing yourself to treat and heal your inner child by buying anything playful and unnecessary, and I understand the hype: if we didn't sell them here, I'd be in line to buy them elsewhere,' Wittmann says. Six British Columbia retailers carry the products, along with one in Alberta and 13 in Ontario, but Riley Grae is the only Manitoba shop with angels in stock. With the ongoing volatility to international supply chains owing to U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff threats, Trish Wittmann anticipates that Sonny Angels, along with other shop staples, such as Baggu products, could be arriving with less frequency, at a higher price tag, or both, in the coming months. Between product-specific surcharges, tariffs and counter-tariffs, the independent retailer has had to carefully assess the viability of most international vendor relationships, she says. 'It's quite sad for us because there are so many awesome, small independent artists in the States that we support. The short and tall of this is that (the tariffs) are affecting our business greatly,' Trish Wittmann says. While Sonny Angel enthusiasts are keen on continuing to amass their personal collections, the figurines, which arrive at Riley Grae through an American distribution centre, have already seen their prices increase. 'It's not fun, but it's what's happening with everything,' says Lauren Wittmann. Ben WaldmanReporter Ben Waldman is a National Newspaper Award-nominated reporter on the Arts & Life desk at the Free Press. Born and raised in Winnipeg, Ben completed three internships with the Free Press while earning his degree at Ryerson University's (now Toronto Metropolitan University's) School of Journalism before joining the newsroom full-time in 2019. Read more about Ben. Every piece of reporting Ben produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Daily Mirror
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Woman unboxes £200 of Labubus and can't believe what she finds inside
A woman has spent more than £200 on viral Labubu dolls despite the fact she "didn't understand the trend", and when she opened her order she was left gobsmacked A woman has spent more than £200 on Labubu dolls and was gobsmacked what she found inside - including what she branded "the secret". It's one of those trends that you either get or you don't. There has been a significant rise in unboxing videos showing people unveiling their collectibles online, prompting huge interest in these toys. First it was Jelly Cats, then Sonny Angels, and now Labubus are all the rage. The Japanese dolls, created by Hong Kong-born, Netherlands-based artist Kasing Lung, have become a global phenomenon. The viral dolls are sold in 'blind boxes', meaning you don't know what you'll get before you unbox your new friend. People have spent hours queuing outside Pop Mart stores in London and Manchester to get their hands on the odd-looking dolls, which are fashioned with a keyring. It is not just influencers and collectible-lovers hopping on the trend, either; they have been spotted dangling from the handbags of Rihanna, Dua Lipa, Blackpink star Lisa, and Olivia Attwood. But everyone's favourite new collecting hobby is not cheap; Labubu dolls are priced from £13 for the smallest size. Some have been buying large boxes of six and 10 boxes to open from the different collections and spending hundreds. One Brit says she "didn't understand the trend" but said "look at me know" as she recently spent £210 on a box of the mystery collectables. Tasha Newcombe has taken to TikTok to share her ever-growing collection. She recently visited Westfield in Stratford, east London and bought two large boxes with six dolls in each, from the 'Exciting Macaron' and 'Have A Seat' collections. Tasha said: "The hyperfixation is real, sorry not sorry." After someone was stunned to learn how much she spent, Tasha said: "I mean, the way I see it is I could be spend 210 great British pounds on something a lot worse. But instead I choose to spend it on little monster doll things." One other commented: "No you couldn't Tasha, that really is the worst way to spend £210." "I beg to differ," she responded. She unboxed the macaron collection and was gobsmacked after saying she "really wanted a green one" and she got that one in her first box. Much like everyone else who loves the trend, Tasha really wanted to get 'the secret' - a rare doll named Chestnut Coca that collectors reportedly have a one in 72 chance of getting. WARNING: The clip below contains explicit language. Viewer discretion is advised. Tasha said: "I really, really want to get the secret. I'm just so competitive. I haven't really seen many UK people get the secret." Opening her second box, she said: "Wait, shut the f*** up, I swear that's the secret, it's not even on the box." She managed to get her hands on the rare doll. Tasha also got Toffee, Lychee Berry, and Sesame Bean, and gave away a box to her followers. People rushed to comment as one agreed and said: "So obsessed with Labubus. I need one so bad, all I do is watch unboxing videos." One other said: "Politely can you stop please? I saw your first couple and they creeped me out. But the more I see, the more you're making me want one." Another agreed and wrote: "I have to stop watching Labubu unboxings because I'm now starting to find them cute and I don't need another expensive addiction." "Omg stop I want one so bad," added another. "I didn't understand the hype but OMG I need a Labubu," commented one other.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
It's the One Thing Holding Many People Together. Trump's Tariffs May Just Take It Away.
Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. It's no secret that much of this country's social contract rests on the ability to access little sweet treats to break up the painful slog of eking out a living. Look no further than the therapeutic objective of trinkets like Sonny Angels for young working women, or the popularization of festooned coffees among Gen Z and millennials as a form of self-care and escapism. The fact of the matter is, many people in this country were made promises that were never realized; the idea that working hard equals making enough money to comfortably live a life that could not be found anywhere else in the world is about as true and reasonable as telling everyone that the tooth fairy runs a sweatshop inside your mouth. The cost of living has ballooned, salaries have not, and baby boomers are not retiring, making career and pay growth difficult for younger generations. At what point does continuing to stare down the abyss of this reality start to become self-flagellation? The only string tying many people's brains together is the promise of a small little expense to get them through the day. Alexa, 28, who asked to only use her first name for privacy concerns, told Slate that she also fears for the viability of accessing her little treats, which include Thai takeout. Already in the past few weeks, she's seen the prices at her favorite Thai restaurant increase, while strawberries—one of her other favorite indulgences—are one of the fruits most likely to be most impacted by Trump's tariffs on Mexico. 'My sweet-treat consumption has scaled upward over the years because I make more money, but I would also say because I feel more cynical about the world,' she said. 'Climate disasters are more frequent and extreme, the microplastics are even more embedded in our brains than we previously realized, we just laid off the federal workers who were taking care of Florida's manatee refuge. I feel discouraged often these days and want to have a sweet treat on deck.' An iced vanilla latte with oat milk. A fast-fashion skirt purchased online. A eucalyptus tea–scented candle. A collectible Labubu doll or Smiski blind box. A pain au chocolat from a nearby bakery. 'Sweet treat' has become a common diminutive phrase used to describe the small purchases (which are sometimes neither sweet, nor an edible treat) meant to help you feel something throughout the day. But as with so many of the positive things in life, the sweet-treat economy is under attack with the rollout of President Donald Trump's wide-ranging directives. The president's mass deportations have thrown the agriculture and restaurant industries into panic and uncertainty, as farmworkers and restaurant employees have feared returning to work due to nationwide Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids. Meanwhile, the oscillating rollout of Trump's proposed tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China have affected companies scrambling to figure out how to mitigate anticipated cost increases. Temu and Shein loyalists in particular have already felt the brunt of Trump's levies against China, with delayed shipping and rising prices weighing down the dirt-cheap retailers and their legions of fans. Add on rising inflation and ballooning costs of living, and many people are worried that their sweet treats—already little luxuries—will soon become totally unaffordable. Michelle, 27, said she's experienced fear over loss of her nearly daily sweet treat: a Sumo orange, which she described as 'the most juicy and easy-to-peel orange with the best orange flavor you've ever had.' Sumo oranges, a seedless satsuma–mandarin orange hybrid, only began shipping to the United States a decade ago. The fruit originated in Japan but is now grown domestically in the San Joaquin Valley, which recently experienced disruptions to harvests amid the fear of ICE raids. Otherwise, they are only imported from Australia, where exports like steel and aluminum have also been targets of Trump tariffs, and other major exports like beef and dairy could be next. Otherwise, the Sumos haven't been immune to inflation—Delish reported that they cost north of $3 per pound in 2021, but today, they cost $10 for a 2-pound bag at Whole Foods. With all of these factors, Michelle, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of her friends and family learning how much she consumes Sumo oranges, is worried that they will soon become out of her budget entirely. She said that she usually likes to keep at least one on hand at all times in case she has a rough day at work. 'If we didn't have Sumo oranges in the New York winter I would probably have to move out of New York,' Michelle said. 'It is the only thing I have to look forward to in the winter.' It's possible that many of these common treats will soon come under the same kind of price attack as Sumo oranges and strawberries. Coffee and chocolate have experienced climate change–induced crises over the years, with cacao and coffee beans both facing record high prices and record low supply. Foods that are largely imported, like tomatoes, avocados, and bananas, are also at risk of tariff-induced increases. To consider these produce purchases as 'treats' in and of itself feels symptomatic of a larger trend: Everyday expenses like housing, groceries, and clothing have all experienced price hikes and quality decreases since the onset of the pandemic, turning them from basic purchases to special things. Meanwhile, the things we consider to already be 'treats,' like toys, concerts, vacations, or special occasion–wear, are slowly being priced out of our budgets altogether. China is still the biggest producer and exporter of textiles, electronics, and toys, and in light of Trump's 10 percent tariff for all Chinese imports that went into effect this month, prices for everything from clothes to phones to Squishmallows and Jellycats are likely to jump higher. There doesn't seem to be much relief coming in the near future. Despite Trump employing splashy branding for ideas like the $1 billion egg-price reduction plan, the reality is that things are getting more expensive—and that could be the end of sweet treats for even the most dedicated. Alexa said she feels that if prices continue to rise, there will be a time when she has to stop buying both her beloved strawberries and takeout. 'I'm afraid of the disappointment of paying $6 for a tiny clamshell of strawberries only for them to taste like a bland Hello Kitty eraser,' she said. 'I will still shell out an indecent amount of money for some Thai takeout, but if prices keep going up I don't know how financially or emotionally sustainable that is. If I had to put a hard number on it, I would say that more than $16 for a pad see ew really wounds me.' At some point, though, when the sweet treats run dry, all you have left is the uncomfortable truth of how acutely everyone is suffering. Michelle said that the loss of her treat of choice—Sumo oranges—'could radicalize me further. I'm not sure, but this winter has been so fucked up politically, and outside is so cold, I think anything could happen.'
