Latest news with #Labubu
South China Morning Post
4 hours ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong customs ‘powerless to stop fake Labubu, Chiikawa toys without records'
Hong Kong customs has approached the trademark owners of popular brands Labubu and Chiikawa to establish records that will help combat counterfeits, with the Post learning the city currently has no way of cracking down on fakes featuring the characters. Advertisement The distributor of hugely popular doll Labubu, Pop Mart, and Nagano Co, the firm that registered the trademark for Japanese manga character Chiikawa, have not completed recordation procedures needed by the Customs and Excise Department to root out fakes, according to a source. A customs spokesman said the department had contacted the trademark owners. 'The department is greatly concerned about the matter and has proactively reached out to the relevant trademark owners for liaison and follow-up [action],' he said. The source said that trademark holders had a procedure to conduct with customs' Recordation Office so the department could investigate suspected piracy or counterfeiting activities and seize goods. Advertisement 'Customs cannot act upon any suspected fake dolls if there is no recordation with the department,' the source said.
The Independent
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
I'm losing my mind over Labubu dolls – and the fake Lafufu
'Can I have a Labubu – pleassssse, mum?' This is all I hear day in, day out from my young children. Call these gremlin keychain dolls that adults actually hang off their Miu Miu and Birkin bags ugly or cute – even demonic, as is claimed by conspiracy theorists on TikTok – I don't care. All I know is I can't get my hands on one. That's because they are a global sensation – and demand is so high they sell out in seconds. Pop Mart, the Chinese company behind the Labubu doll, reported this week that it expects at least a 350 per cent increase in profit for the first six months of 2025, as revenues more than tripled, no doubt helped by the fact Labubus became a popular fashion accessory earlier this year among celebrities including Dua Lipa and Rihanna – before trickling down to the rest of us. But now, as the Labubu craze sweeps through primary schools, misguided mums like me are blindly rushing to buy these toys with furry bodies, wide prominent eyes and a toothy grin. I unknowingly bought two fake ones – otherwise known as a Lafufu – at my local mini supermarket for £10 each. But they fell apart, a common issue apparently, according to local authorities across the UK and Europe, who are warning against it due to choking hazards and toxic chemicals – and confiscating counterfeit products in bulk. This week's haul includes 32 keyrings and 95 boxes of counterfeit Labubus seized from the Pontypridd area in Wales. And according to the BBC, more than 370 of the dolls were confiscated in North Ayrshire, Scotland recently due to safety concerns. Rochdale Borough Council sent a toy safety alert on Facebook this month alongside a photo of a fake Labubu doll. In my case, we bought the Monsters Big into Energy Vinyl Plush Blind Box – albeit fake. But a day later the eye fell out of my seven-year-old Liberty's purple 'Labubu' known as Luck, and then the red one that Lola, nine, got, called Love, had 10 teeth not nine, and she was teased at school for having the wrong one. But it turns out these problems are the tip of the iceberg. I'm now losing my mind over Labubu dolls – and Lafufus. A dad friend replaced our fraggled Lafufus at a hardware store in London's North End Road – naively believing they were the real thing. But they also disintegrated. As I fell deeper into the Labubu universe, I worked out how to tell the difference between a real and a fake. Mainly, it's the presence of a QR code on the back of the packaging, which should take you to the official Pop Mart website. So traumatised were the kids by now that I googled how to buy them real ones from Pop Mart – the only place to buy them direct, or on Amazon from their online shop. But it's near impossible to get one. Demand for Labubus is so high, rare dolls are being resold for £1,500 each – some online cost from about £54.99 to £99, but you can't be sure they are real. Next, I ended up marching the kids to a Pop Mart store in a Westfield shopping centre, but to our absolute horror, there was not one plush toy Labubu to be seen on any shelf. Pop Mart temporarily halted in-store sales of Labubu dolls in its UK stores earlier this year to address safety concerns arising from the high demand and resulting pandemonium by obsessed customers during restock. Clearly this situation has not changed. I walked up to the cash till, with both my children, who I have to embarrassingly admit were now sobbing, and asked how on earth this could be possible. No Labubus? I was then told the only way to buy a Labubu was to enter a live launch draw for free. It felt like applying for a mortgage as I signed up for a chance to purchase one for £17.50 from the Monsters Big into Energy Series - Vinyl Plush Pendant Blind Box by manically adding in tons of details before the cut off in a few hours. I was advised to request more than one Labubu to increase the likelihood of winning it. I could always cancel extra ones at the point of purchase – I requested the maximum total of six dolls. We waited until Monday morning for the results, but we didn't make it through. My children, by this point, were floored by not having a Labubu. On every street corner, Labubus started to haunt us. As we went to a children's ballet with Lola's class four friends in Piccadilly Circus, they ran over to street vendors selling gruesome fakes for £15 begging me to buy them. 'They are real, mum, look!' Other mums would call me from near Selfridges claiming to have found originals for around £60 – but I wanted to be sure I got the real deal. The silver lining is that – according to Pop Mart – I'll have a better chance of winning next time. 'You missed out this time, so your EQLizer has increased,' I'm told. God alone knows when the next live launch is. It's now an obsession – logging in and checking twice daily so I can apply. Every day, my children ask me if I'm getting anywhere. I feel a sense of failure. Their friend got one in Finland – can we go there? A Labubu feels so near, yet so far away. I have lost all perspective. I don't even get why people like them. It's taking over my waking day. It's ironic that the Labubus my children want are called Love, Happiness, Loyalty, Serenity, Hope and Luck – since getting one is such a horror show. But I hope we get a rare one, and I hit the jackpot. Then I can sell it for a fortune on eBay.
Economic Times
10 hours ago
- Business
- Economic Times
China economy still facing 'very severe, complex situation': commerce minister
China's Commerce Minister acknowledged the nation's economy faces a "very severe and complex situation" despite 5.2% growth in the second quarter. The government is preparing new policies to stimulate domestic consumption and counter the impact of global trade turmoil on exports. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Beijing: China's economy is still facing a "very severe and complex situation", its minister of commerce said Friday, suggesting the government would take action to counter challenges came in at 5.2 percent in the second quarter, official data showed Tuesday, but analysts have warned that more work was needed to avoid a slump in the second half of knock-on effects of trade turmoil abroad threaten Beijing's exports just as it becomes more reliant on them to stimulate economic activity, as domestic consumption remains stubbornly sluggish."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."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."Beijing-based toymaker Pop Mart's Labubu monster dolls have become a must-have item internationally, adorning the handbags of celebrities such as Rihanna and Cher.
Forbes
21 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
How This Biotech Billionaire Outmaneuvered Merck In China. Plus: Your At-Home Office Is Adding To Burnout
This is this week's ForbesWomen newsletter, which every Thursday brings news about the world's top female entrepreneurs, leaders and investors straight to your inbox. Click here to get on the newsletter list! W hen K-pop star Lisa from Blackpink casually flaunted a Labubu keychain on her bag in early 2024, she likely had no idea of the phenomenon it would soon become. In the year and a half since Lisa's Labubu outing, the mischievous plush elf from Pop Mart has turned into a cultural and commercial juggernaut, doubling Pop Mart's 2024 revenue and appearing on the bags of stars like Rihanna, Dua Lipa, Madonna and more. Chances are good you've seen Labubus (and chatter about these creatures) on social media and out in the wild… or maybe you also own one? My colleagues on the Forbes breaking news desk reported earlier this summer that 'the hashtag #labubu has been used in 32,000 TikTok posts over the past week in the United States alone and in more than 1 million posts overall.' That was in early June. This week, those same colleagues reported on 'a limited edition collaboration' between Vans (the popular shoe brand) and Labubu that could 'sell for five figures on the secondary market as an eBay auction for the doll creeps toward the $10,000 mark.' Five figures! My Beanie Baby-collecting younger self is beside herself with jealousy… but the Pop Mart founder, Wang Ning, is laughing all the way to the bank. Cheers! Maggie McGrath Exclusive Forbes Profile: How This New Biotech Billionaire Outmaneuvered Merck In China aseko Michelle Xia gained experience at U.S. pharmaceutical firms before launching her own biotech company back home in China. In a trial last year, the firm's cancer drug outperformed the world's best seller—and its surging stock just made her a billionaire. With a $1.2 billion fortune, based on her and her family's 8.5% stake in the company, Akeso (named for a Greek goddess of healing), Forbes estimates she is one of just nine Chinese women billionaires in healthcare (including two who inherited their fortunes)–-and one of 13 self-made female billionaires in healthcare globally. ICYMI: News Of The Week Tunisia's Ons Jabeur celebrates victory against Colombia's Camila Osorio during their women's singles match on day five of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 16, 2025. (Photo by Yuichi YAMAZAKI / AFP) / — IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE — (Photo by YUICHI YAMAZAKI/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Ons Jabeur, two-time Wimbledon runner-up, posted on X that she is taking a break from tennis. She said she's no longer happy playing the sport and it's time to put herself first. We talk a lot about the sectors of work in which women are underrepresented, but did you know that women make up a majority of tipped waitstaff and bartending staff in the U.S.? And this week, we at Forbes released the first episode of a new video series hosted by one of the nation's top mixologists (of any gender), Pam Wiznitzer. In this first episode, Pam demystifies America's #1 drink, the Margarita, and she also interviews Indian Matchmaking" star Aparna Shewakramani. Check out the full episode here! While some reviews hail it the 'best show on Netflix,' an extensive press rollout that included a feature in The New York Times and hype around show creator Lena Dunham's much-talked-about return to television, her new show, 'Too Much,' didn't take off on Netflix during its debut week. Adelita Grijalva secured the Democratic nomination this week for Arizona's 7th Congressional District special election to fill the vacancy created by her father's death. If successful in September, she will become the first Latina to represent Arizona in Congress and will bump Latina representation in Congress to an all-time high, according to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. The Checklist 1. Switch up your work-from-home set-up. Physical clutter and visual distractions can drive stress, reduce focus and lead to emotional exhaustion. If you're feeling burned out in spite of a hybrid or virtual work structure that helps you avoid the drain of commuting, here's how to revamp your home office with wellbeing in mind. 2. Safeguard employees with your reproductive healthcare benefits. The most common mistake that companies make when offering reproductive health benefits is failing to protect the private data from employee benefits use, according to researchers at RMH Compass. Adopting the wrong delivery process for abortion care benefits can place you and your employees at significant legal risk. 3. Job search without losing your mind—or motivation. The emotional toll of looking for a new gig is real. There's the ghosting, the automated email rejections seven minutes after you hit 'submit' on your application, and the five rounds of interviews only to be told that the position went to an internal candidate. Here's how to buttress your sense of resilience. The Quiz Michelle and Barack Obama joked about the latest round of divorce rumors in a joint podcast appearance this week, with the former first lady shutting down speculation that their 32-year marriage was on the rocks. What has Michelle previously attributed divorce rumors to? Her candid statements on struggles when their children were young That she keeps a schedule separate from her husband's Speculation that she may run for president Changes to her physical appearance thanks to a new workout routine Check your answer. Liked what you read? Click here to get on the newsletter list!
Time of India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Klay Thompson flexes $300K Audemars Piguet watch gifted by Megan Thee Stallion during gala red carpet debut
(Image Source - Getty Images) Klay Thompson and Megan Thee Stallion made their first public appearance as a couple at the Pete & Thomas Foundation Gala in New York City. But it wasn't just the red carpet moment that caught attention. Fans quickly noticed the expensive watch on Klay's wrist—a reported $300,000 Audemars Piguet gifted by Megan. Gotham Hall gala becomes stage for Klay Thompson to show off Klay Thompson and the rapper Megan Thee Stallion caught everyone's attention at their first public event together as a couple during the Pete & Thomas Foundation Charity Gala at Gotham Hall in New York City. This occasion was a big deal for their relationship and also allowed Thompson to showcase a stunning $300,000 Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch, a gift from Megan herself. Megan Thee Stallion gave it to Thompson prior to their debut on the red carpet. The gala was the first time he displayed it in front of the cameras, implying it might have been a recent gift—possibly related to their developing romance or the special event. The watch, rumored to be a $300,000 Royal Oak model recognized for its octagonal bezel and sleek look, instantly became a representation of their affection. Klay Thompson calls Megan Thee Stallion a 'sweet lady' Thompson's response to the gift was filled with happiness. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription Techno Mag Learn More Undo When he said, "What a sweet lady," it wasn't just about the watch — it reflected Megan's thoughtfulness and their deepening connection. Later, in a chat with Us Weekly at the gala, he went on to praise her for more than just the sparkle. 'I'm honored to be here by her side,' he said. 'I know both of them [Megan's parents] would be so proud of their only daughter because of what—not only what she's been able to accomplish, what she's also going to continue to do.' Fans debate whether Klay Thompson should focus on basketball instead of his relationship Social media lit up with comments, some shocked at the price tag so early in their relationship. 'Bro is way too wholesome for her lol,' one fan wrote on X, while another jokingly dubbed Megan a 'Sugar momma.' However, all the comments were not wholesome; some users were bringing out Klay Thompson's past relation while others commented, '$300k watch lol, and he barely shows emotion. I would be so happy if I got that, it would be life changing. 😔'. But mostly, people were making a point regarding, 'He need to focus on his game tf he gone be distracted asf when he get his heart broke' Also Read: Luka Doncic might walk from the Los Angeles Lakers and it all started with how they treated LeBron James This wasn't the first sign of their romance. Earlier in July, Megan shared a now-deleted TikTok video where she unboxed Labubu dolls — adorable collectibles — given to her by Thompson. While sitting on his lap, she affectionately called him "baby" and expressed her gratitude for the thoughtful gift. Just days prior, Megan posted a poolside photo dump on Instagram featuring Thompson lounging in the background, which fueled rumors that intensified with their appearance at the gala. However, the watch really took things up a notch, solidifying their image as a power couple known for their extravagant gift-giving. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
