Whether you reckon they are cute, ugly or just plain weird, chances are you have heard of the furry dolls that have become a global sensation - Labubu.
Born a monster, the elf-like creature from Chinese toy maker Pop Mart is now a viral purchase. And it has no dearth of celebrity advocates: Rihanna, Dua Lipa, Kim Kardashian and Blackpink's Lisa. Ordinary folk are just as obsessed - from Shanghai to London, the long queues to snap up the doll have made headlines, sometimes descending into fights even.
"You get such a sense of achievement when you are able to get it among such fierce competition," says avowed fan Fiona Zhang.
The world's fascination with Labubu has almost tripled Pop Mart's profits in the past year - and, according to some, even energised Chinese soft power, which has been bruised by the pandemic and a strained relationship with the West.
So, how did we get here?
