Chinese toy manufacturer Pop Mart’s Labubu monster dolls, which are tiny, fluffy, and have sharp teeth, have become popular worldwide. They are seen in the handbags of celebrities like Rihanna and Cher and generate enthusiastic crowds in international retailers.
Pop Mart, founded in Beijing, is one of several Chinese cultural exports that are becoming popular outside. They are the representatives of a “cool” China, even in regions like Europe and North America where people have a more unfavorable impression of Beijing.
Labubus, which usually retail for about $40, are sold in “blind boxes,” which conceal the model from the buyer. They are also issued in limited quantities.