Lisa's 5.5 billion VND Labubu and her hobby of playing with luxury accessories

(Dan Tri) - Lisa (Blackpink member) has just shared a limited edition Labubu doll, priced at 300 million won (more than 5.5 billion VND). These small but expensive toys are a hard-to-give-up hobby for young people in Asia.

The attraction of Lisa's Labubu model is the precious stones. According to reports, some limited edition Labubu models have caused a stir globally, with auction prices soaring from 200 million won to 300 million won (from 3.7 billion VND to 5.5 billion VND).

Labubu toy dolls have captivated young people. In Vietnam, this craze has also been promoted by many stars. In 2024, searching for the keyword “Labubu” on TikTok, hundreds of “unboxing” clips, collecting costumes of long-eared, sharp-toothed dolls have attracted millions of views.

During livestream sales sessions, many TikTokers choose this toy as a gift, attracting viewers to participate in shopping. On Facebook, the Labubu buying, selling, and exchanging groups have hundreds of thousands of members.

Labubu is studded with stones and designed specifically for Lisa and costs 300 million won (more than 5.5 billion VND) (Photo: Instagram).

Labubu is an art toy, in the form of a furry creature with long ears, sharp teeth, and a wide, sinister smile, created in 2015 by Hong Kong (China) artist - Kasing Lung - inspired by Norse mythology. This doll model is produced by the Chinese company Pop Mart.

Pop Mart currently has 18 stores across Southeast Asia. In April, Pop Mart's revenue from the Southeast Asian market exceeded that of the East Asian market. Among Pop Mart's favorite markets are: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. These are countries where more than 50% of the population is under 35 years old.

A Pop Mart representative said Labubu will help the company achieve more than $4 billion in revenue this year. Labubu's global success has helped the company's stock rise nearly 200% this year.

Lisa is the first artist to successfully promote the Labubu craze (Photo: Instagram).

The fact that young people are crazy about stuffed animals and are willing to spend a lot of money to own them has created a lot of controversy in public opinion. Some opinions point out that the trend of collecting Labubu is just a phenomenon of fomo - a term used to describe the "fear of missing out" syndrome when standing outside the crowd trend. It is also said that each person has a different purpose for using money.

Borwang (Thailand, 32 years old) shared with the Global Times: “When we feel tired from work, we chat with Labubu and tell him about our fatigue and hard work. Looking at Labubu, we quickly regain our energy. This lovely Labubu is the spiritual support for many office workers like me.”

The craze and success of Lababu monsters and cartoon characters also opened up a new business market, decorative accessories and toys.

Labubu doll models are loved worldwide (Photo: Instagram).

Luxury brands also jump on the Labubu craze

Labubu dolls have emerged as a must-have accessory in the luxury fashion world after Lisa (member of Blackpink) paired them with Louis Vuitton and Hermès handbags. Now, luxury brands are also joining the Lububu craze by making the cute little items.

In June, a collection of 14 Labubu dolls dressed in the style of Japanese brand Sacai fetched $337,500 at auction, with the top lot reaching $31,250.

At the recent US Open, tennis champion Naomi Osaka showed off A-Morir's crystal-encrusted Labubu dolls, which cost around $500. According to the popular New York-based eyewear and accessories maker, the "Lablingblings" take four to six weeks to ship due to high demand.

Labubu dolls are increasingly appearing alongside high-end fashion brands (Photo: Getty Images).

Tennis star Naomi Osaka has her own collection of rhinestone-studded Labubu (Photo: Prestige Hong Kong).

In the near future, French fashion brand Moynat will launch a collection of handbags, leather accessories, and handbag keychains featuring Labubu and two other cartoon characters by artist Kasing Lung, the creator of Labubu.

Moynat’s signature monogrammed bags start at $2,150, and the handbag keychain retails for $450. The limited edition will be sold online only and in one Moynat store from October 11 until early 2026, the fashion brand said.

Not only Labubu, other cartoon characters are also entering the high-end fashion market. These collaborations not only create a fever but also promise to bring significant profits to the manufacturer.

Big brands like Tiffany and Loewe are using cartoon characters like Pikachu and Totoro to attract young, tech-savvy customers.

Moynat brand teams up with the man behind Labubu, Kasing Lung, to create a new limited edition collection of handbags and accessories (Photo: Getty Images).

Omega's Speedmaster "Silver Snoopy" models are sought-after collectors' items. In 2015, they cost $7,350 and are now worth nearly $38,000, according to market data provider Watch Charts.

Jimmy Choo's two Sailor Moon collections, the most recent of which was released in October, have sold out quickly.

Some luxury brands are also creating their own adorable characters, such as Louis Vuitton, which launched a line of stuffed animal "Louis Bear" handbag keychains in July.

Collaborations are becoming increasingly popular and are aimed at customers who can afford luxury goods but are not overly obsessed with fashion, Jeff Lindquist, managing director and partner at Boston Consulting Group, told CNBC.

Omega's Speedmaster "Silver Snoopy" watch is made from laser-engraved silver, with blue PVD-coated hour markers and hands (Photo: Elle).

“Cute is not trivial. It’s strategic. Cute works incredibly well across platforms because virality drives brand appeal,” says Lindquist.

Gen Z consumers are particularly drawn to the emotional value of their possessions, according to Jeff Lindquist. “Gen Z sees luxury not just as art, but as a reflection of their own identity and beliefs,” he says.

Daniel Langer, a professor of luxury strategy at Pepperdine University, also said that young customers are willing to spend money on expensive accessories because they have a strong belief in cartoon characters like Labubu.

“The characters represent something, and those characters also have a certain fan base. There are people who really love them,” he shared.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giai-tri/labubu-gia-55-ty-dong-cua-lisa-va-thu-choi-phu-kien-sang-chanh-20251015140138843.htm