Labubu have conquered the Luxembourg market

Labubu is not just a toy, but a global fashion phenomenon. Created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung back in 2015, these strange-looking creatures with huge eyes and sharp teeth only became really popular four years later when Chinese company Pop Mart took over production. But the real explosion of interest came in 2024, when Labubu appeared in the hands of stars such as Rihanna, Dua Lipa and Kim Kardashian.

The toys are sold in a "blind box" format - that is, the buyer does not know which character he will find until he opens the box. This turns the process into a game of chance and at the same time into a hunt for rare specimens. As a result, collectors tend to collect entire series, despite the fact that each toy costs from 60 to 90 euros - much more expensive than on the official website. The reason is the complexity of supply and long delivery times from China.

In Luxembourg, the demand for Labubu quickly outgrew the scope of simple children's fun. Three52, a shop specialising in fashion products, began selling the toys by appointment and at strictly defined times. The queues were lined up from early morning, even though sales didn't start until the afternoon. The shop soon moved to a more stable model with constant availability through an intermediary.

According to co-founder Christophe Afonso, sales peaked on a day when 500 toys were sold. Now the demand has slightly decreased, but the shop still sells hundreds of Labubu per day - mostly through the website.

However, Three52 is confident: the trend will start to fade by October when consumers switch to something new.