June 2, 2025

If you've been anywhere near TikTok, collectible forums, or the shelves of trendy concept stores, you've probably seen them: wide-eyed, long-eared, slightly creepy but undeniably cute. Labubu figurines, created by Belgian-Chinese artist Kasing Lung, have become a global phenomenon through Pop Mart’s collectible toy empire.  

What started as a niche designer toy is now a social currency: the more Labubu, the better. The rarer your Labubu, the cooler you are.

But beneath the quirky ears and limited-edition drops lies a deeper cultural question: what does the Labubu trend say about us?

Labubu was never meant to be mainstream. It was born from a world of collectible art toys, a space where design lovers and subculture collectors found comfort in weird, wonderful, sometimes dark creations that resisted mass-market appeal. But like many things that move from subculture to mass cool, Labubu got algorithm’d. TikTokers filmed their “unboxings,” influencers styled them like accessories, and suddenly, this little misfit creature became the ultimate badge of taste.

Except now, it’s no longer about taste. It’s about belonging.

We live in a world obsessed with authenticity, at least on the surface.
We're told to “be ourselves,” and “own our narratives.” The wellness industry urges us to embrace who we are. But in this era of supposed individuality, something strange is happening: everyone starts to look the same. The same matcha setups (guilty). The same micro-bladed brows… And now, the same limited-edition Labubu figurine on every cool kid’s shelf or dangling from every city woman’s handbag.

I’ve never been a massive trend follower (matcha was my one accidental slip), but still, I can’t help but wonder: in a culture that tells us to be unique, why does everyone seem to want the same thing?

Because let’s face it. Labubu isn’t just a collectible anymore it’s a symbol. Not of aesthetic taste, but of belonging. It whispers, “I get it. I’m in. I’m cool, effortlessly.”

Labubu’s rise reflects a deeper paradox the essence of collective identity in the age of hyper-individualism. We crave uniqueness, but only the kind that’s been socially approved. We long to express ourselves, but only within the bounds of what’s trending. We reject mass culture, but rebuild it in another form.

It’s human to want to belong. Trends offer connection, language, and a sense of place. But when individuality is defined by the rare collectible everyone wants, maybe it’s time to ask: do we still know what we actually like or are we just really good at playing the part?

This isn’t about judging anyone who buys Labubu. Trends can be fun. Aesthetics are powerful. But maybe this trend, more than others, holds up a mirror to how easily taste becomes performance, and how fast the idea of “self-expression” can collapse into the need to be seen.

In a culture that preaches self-worth, Labubu reveals something tender and true: we’re all still looking to belong. Even if it means queuing for the same toy, styling it the same way, and calling it our own.

With love, from Sophie