From quirky pendants to dainty chains on luxury bags, these furry friends have become a huge trend among collectors, including Heart Evangelista, Marian Rivera and Vice Ganda.
The Labubu doll is the latest trend worldwide. The mischievous-looking furry elf figure, which is known for its pointy ears and sharp smiley teeth, now adorns collectors’ shelves and luxury bags.
Made by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung, the doll is part of the Chinese toy company Pop Mart’s “The Monster” series and has become a current obsession among Filipino celebrities.
Actress and fashion icon Heart Evangelista was recently spotted on Instagram showing off her Labubu collection, using the plush pendants as the new accessories of her luxury bags.
Widely known for her fashion week appearances across the globe, she was also seen flaunting her Labubu plush pendants at a recent event in Bangkok, Thailand.
Another celebrity openly embracing the Labubu craze is actress Marian Rivera, who collects Labubu plushes in all colors and sizes, from tiny pendants to larger plush figures, as shared on her Instagram account.
Rivera is also an avid fan of other Pop Mart collectibles, including a set of figurines from the Molly and Skull Panda series.
Although the dolls have been around since 2015, their popularity escalated after BLACKPINK member Lisa was seen hugging one in an Instagram story. Since then, fans and well-known personalities have been on the hunt for the doll’s blind boxes.
Recently, comedian Vice Ganda joined the trend, unboxing a Labubu doll in one of her YouTube vlogs.
The noontime show host also paraded her Labubu collection in one of the episodes of Showtime, referring to the dolls as her “babies,” which could be seen hanging from her luxury bag.
Famous mother-daughter duo Ruffa Gutierrez and Annabelle Rama also showed off their Labubu plushes on Instagram, expressing their love for the trend.
The growing trend among fashionistas eventually reached Jinkee Pacquiao, who embraced the dolls’ style in her Instagram posts. She keeps it on her shelves and uses them as bag charms for her luxury handbags.
Her love for the plushes included dressing them up in iconic brand attire, complete with adorable dresses and bows featuring logos from such luxury designer brands as Chanel, Gucci and Louis Vuitton.
With Pop Mart opening its first store in Philippines on November 2 at the SM Mall of Asia, the hype for these plushies isn’t likely to die any time soon. — By Angela Dorein Gutierrez
