Human-sized Labubu doll fetches over $150,000 at Beijing auction

Didn't we all have that childhood emotional support fluffball — a one-eyed teddy or a chewed-up, bunny who kept our secrets? But seriously, who would've ever thought of spending over a crore taka on one of those toys?

Well, meet Labubu: a human-sized, monster-faced doll that just smashed records, selling for a whopping 1.08 million yuan ($150,324; £110,465) at an auction in Beijing.

Yes, a toy — not a Tesla, not a duplex in Gulshan — just a four-foot-tall stuffed troublemaker by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung. Someone actually paid house money for a plush toy. With 48 Labubus up for grabs and 200 eager bidders battling it out in the room, the auction raked in a cool 3.37 million yuan — making us realise that fluff isn't just cute, it's big business!

Labubu, which debuted a decade ago, isn't your typical cuddly toy. With wild eyes and a fang-toothed grin, its quirky monster vibe has gone global — thanks in part to celeb fans like Blackpink's Lisa, Rihanna, and even David Beckham. And yes, if Beckham's flaunting a plushie, it's officially cool.

And Dhaka? Well, we're not quite sure if the Labubu fever has reached our streets just yet. But in this age of algorithm-fuelled obsession, it's only a matter of time. If it weren't for the jaw-dropping auction price and A-list endorsements, many of us might never have guessed that these slightly spooky plushies could become a global sensation. But here we are, Googling "Labubu blind box" at 2 PM during our lunch break. Because when Beckham posts it, and TikTok floods with "unboxing Labubu blind box" videos — it's not just fandom anymore, it's fashion.

Now, for us mere mortals, most Labubu dolls retail for around 50 yuan (£5.12; $6.95). The catch? They come in blind boxes, meaning you won't know which character you've got until you rip it open. It's part gamble, part thrill — and apparently, part chaos. Earlier this year, Pop Mart, the Chinese company behind Labubu, pulled the dolls from UK shops after fights reportedly broke out over restocks.

Despite the madness, thanks to the Labubu frenzy, Pop Mart's revenue skyrocketed in 2024 — doubling from the previous year to a whopping 13 billion yuan. The company's global expansion is also on fire, with new stores popping up in Italy, Spain, and three other countries last year.

So, is Labubu a toy or a global fashion icon? Honestly — both. But one thing's for sure: our scruffy childhood plushies crawled through mud, got chewed, lost limbs, and survived the washing machine, so Labubu could sashay down the runway in platform shoes. And somewhere in a dusty toy box, a one-eyed teddy is nodding proudly, saying, "Go on, you overpriced little gremlin — make us proud."