Labubu captures hearts of Malaysian doll collectors
"What attracted me to Labubu is that although it's a monster, it’s actually female and it has many editions."
KUALA LUMPUR - Its face has this mischievous expression. At times, it can even look a little menacing. Meet Labubu, the doll that has gained a devoted following among avid doll collectors in Malaysia.
Created by Hong Kong-based artist Kasing Lung who was inspired by Nordic fairy tales, Labubu portrays a female monster with a wide smile, serrated teeth and pointy ears like that of a rabbit.
Social media influencer and entrepreneur Soffea Dini Zulkifly, 19, is a firm fan of Labubu and is willing to spend tens of thousands of ringgit on the collectible item, and she even travelled abroad to buy the cute doll for her collection.
Soffea Dini said the Labubu doll is different from her other doll collections as it can be used as a bag accessory, making it a fashion item.
"What attracted me to Labubu is that although it's a monster, it’s actually female and it has many editions. Some come with clothes and hats in different colours, so we can style the doll. The latest (edition of the doll) can change and flip its eyes," she told Bernama.
She said over the past two months, she gathered more than 50 Labubu dolls, most of which were purchased at Pop Mart in Bangkok, Thailand, with their prices ranging from RM120 to over RM900 each.
"The doll only recently became a trend in our country but in Thailand, they've normalised using Labubu. You can say that if you walk around there, almost everyone has it hanging from their bag," said Soffea Dini, who also provides personal shopper services.
Aware of the negative perceptions of the Labubu doll due to its alleged association with demonic elements, Soffea Dini believes that the so-called demonic versions were edited by certain parties and are not the original designs.
"The versions associated with demonic elements are actually edited pictures where they added horns, changed the colour to red and so on. The original version doesn't have those features. As a Muslim, for me, I am just using it as a toy and a bag accessory,” she said.
Influencer Mia Azahar, 30, who is known for her toy collection and makeup content and has 2.2 million followers on TikTok, is also a Labubu collector.
She said Labubu started trending on social media after K-pop celebrity Lisa of Blackpink shared her doll collection with her followers.
"Honestly, Labubu isn’t that cute but it’s the in-thing now. Wherever you go, it's already sold out, and those who manage to get stock resell it at a higher price. For example, the original price is only around RM120 per doll but it can go up to RM200.
"There’s a sense of satisfaction when you acquire a Labubu doll, like ‘I’ve got it now, so I won’t buy anymore’,” she said, adding several other influencer friends also share the same interest.
Mia has five dolls in her Labubu collection, including special editions such as ‘Labubu Fall In Wild’. Mia also advised collectors who want to purchase the doll from personal shoppers to do some research and compare prices beforehand. - BERNAMA
