Shop Girl x Mini Collector

O Labubu! Wherefore art thou Labubu?

These creepy little monster collectables have taken over the internet, and have become the status symbol dejour. But they’re in such high demand that average people are having difficulty finding them.

According to AP News, “there are 1.4 million #Labubu TikTok videos and counting, videos of fans unboxing them, showing styles inspired by them, and of course, Labubu cosplay.”

But like why?

One idea is that Popmart- the toy company behind Labubus- utilized TikTok perfectly to manufacture demand and ride their initial organic wave of populrity. In an interview about the Labubu craze with Glamour Magazine, Fashion Psychologist Jennifer Heinen observed, “the limited-edition drops, blind-box packaging, and fast sellouts create an emotional urgency that triggers FOMO [fear of missing out], which overrides rational decision-making and boosts obsessive collecting.”

My other theory is that these little monsters, through their embrace by influencers and celebrities, (see photo of Cher with her Labubu), have been reclassified as a luxury item. Well, a little luxury, that is.

Have you heard of the Lipstick Index?

In 2025 we’re seeing that the purchasing of traditional luxury goods is down, according to reporting in Fashion Drive, That same piece interviewed Bain & Company partner Claudia D’Arpizio who recommended that for luxury brands, “to win back customers, particularly the younger ones, brands will need to lead with creativity and expand conversation topics.” 

So perhaps the embrace of these little luxuries is society’s way of treating ourselves. A super captalistic strategy, but in the face of world war III and economic collapse- I’ll take it. 

So whether little collectables like Labubus, Sonny Angels, or Smiskis are a passing trend you hyperfixated on this spring or something you are actually passionate about- you’ve now joined the droves of nerds on the internet who collect tiny things. 

But there’s a a whole amazing world of tiny objects and crafts for the miniature collector in your life. I’ve compiled a Gift Guide broken out by: ways to display collectables, off kilter mini collectables, crafts, and things I like to call- “ode to minis.” 

Happy collecting!

Prianna Pathak