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TWO YOUNG WOMEN squat by a low wooden display bristling with Labubus. They ask each other the same question that’s on my mind: Which of these plushie collectibles will the Pop Mart toy company allow me the privilege of taking home today? Will I get the 16-inch-tall Labubu with denim overalls and a fisherman’s hat or the keychain Labubu with bright fur and possessed eyes? Can I get both?
The clerk at this Beijing store—Pop Mart’s first location—gives us a reality check. “None of these is in stock,” she says curtly. “You can join our fan group chat and wait for the restocking alert.”
Of course. Labubu isn’t just a creepy-cute stuffed rabbit-demon-elf-bear. Labubu sat front row at Milan Fashion Week. Tourists lined up at the Louvre to buy a Labubu from the pop-up store. Lady Gaga dressed as Labubu in concert. Madonna served Labubu cake at her birthday. When Labubu sold out in London once, customers started a brawl. In Thailand, where Labubu is the government’s official tourism ambassador, trendy partygoers buy Labubu-shaped ecstasy pills. Even knockoff Labubus, called Lafufus, have their own devoted fans. You can’t expect to just leave the store with social currency. You’ve got to earn it.
