The Labubu Controversy

At first, you’re confused. You don’t know what the h*ll anyone’s talking about.

Then, you get curious.

Suddenly you’re pulled in, wanting to try one.

That’s how it starts. Innocent.

But then it shifts.
And just like that, what started as a quirky little collectible…something silly, a little weird, almost childlike— finds itself sitting front row next to high fashion. 

There’s something delicious about the contrast.these mischievous little creatures on structured bags layered with history, structure, and that quiet hum of elitism.

It didn’t just enter fashion culture — it imprinted. One moment, Labubu was this odd little figure sitting on collector shelves, and the next, it was dangling off luxury bags like a secret handshake between those who know. It’s ironic and intentional all at once: a mischievous creature turning polished, structured handbags into statements that say, “I don’t take this too seriously..but I know exactly what I’m doing.”

That’s the magic of it… it’s almost rude or offensive, hanging off some of the world’s most heritage-rich brands.

Or is it?

Because Labubu does have its own kind of legacy.. just not the kind fashion houses were built on. Long before it dangled from our Speedys, it lived in the heart of China’s plush toy and collectible culture. Over there, Labubu isn’t just cute; it’s iconic. I mean people were trimming their Christmas trees with them. Collections grew like little shrines. And then, quietly but powerfully, it spilled beyond its borders, touching the shores of the U.S. with the same quiet obsession. It was carried here by collectors who get it.

The first time I personally saw it on a celebrity was on the queen herself, Rihanna — toting her Lychee Berry around on her own Speedy. To me, that was the last straw before society fell deeper into the madness of Labubu. Though this moment came after Labubu’s first major breakthrough with Lisa from BLACKPINK, who wore it like a quiet wink to those in the know.

Suddenly, this strange little creature wasn’t just an underground obsession anymore.

It was a look.

Now, this next part is key to why Labubu went from niche obsession to cultural phenomenon.

Where some brands build their elitism on the fact that you simply can’t afford it, this was different. This was about the fact that you simply couldn’t get it. And even if you could find a link to purchase one… is it real?

Everyone loves something that’s hard to get, and Labubu became exactly that. We have not even gotten into the topic of pulling a secret. If you were lucky enough to get one of the rare hidden figures tucked inside the blind boxes, its value could instantly double, triple, even quadruple.

Suddenly, it wasn’t just about buying a toy; it was about pulling gold. It added that gambling thrill, the same rush sneakerheads get on drop day, the same fever that’s fueled the watch market for decades.

There are now four different versions out-  collectors take notice that they manufacture fewer and fewer of the versions prior with every new version that they drop, Authentic V1 Macaron are harder and harder to find these days.

 

The original price points are low (from Popmart). Almost laughably low compared to some of the bags they’re hanging from. But that didn’t matter. It stopped being about the price tag and started being about the chase. Could you get one? Could you get the right one? Could you get it before someone else did?

It’s that scarcity high… the same energy that fuels luxury drops and limited-edition anything. Labubu didn’t need velvet ropes or marble floors. It had something more dangerous: unpredictability. You couldn’t just walk in and buy one. You had to know, to move fast, to be part of the quiet chaos of people trying to grab their next little monster before it disappeared again.

And that’s how something so silly became serious.

What happened next is what always happens when scarcity meets culture: it became a flex.

But this wasn’t your traditional luxury flex. No embossed monogram, no five-figure price tag. This was a new language. A wink. A quiet way of saying, “I got it before you did.”

The beauty of it was in the contradiction. Something soft, playful, and objectively inexpensive started carrying the same social weight as legacy pieces. A Labubu hanging off your bag doesn’t always say money, it says access. 

More and more people are wanting to speak that language too.

And you know of course, fashion was always going to catch on. It always does.

The minute something outside the gates becomes more powerful than what’s inside them, the houses take notice. Bag charms have never really disappeared, some brands never stopped making them - but suddenly, they’re louder, more deliberate, and more present on the runway. The charms aren’t just accessories anymore; they’re statements.

For years, fashion has dictated the conversation. It’s clever to see how a little creature flipped the power dynamic. The culture moved first. The brands followed.

And what makes it even wilder is how it all began. Labubu was never created to storm the runway. It started as a quirky little character from the mind of Kasing Lung, a Hong Kong artist whose work lived deep in the collectible toy world. I doubt even he imagined these wide-eyed little creatures would one day dangle off Birkins and Speedys, sparking a full-blown cultural takeover.

And whether you love it, hate it, or still don’t get it… one thing’s for sure: Labubu walked in as the joke and left as the blueprint.

 

—The House

10.19.25