How did an ugly little monster become an emotional antidote for young people around the world?

Design Philosophy: The Paradox of Rebellion and Healing

LABUBU, created by Hong Kong artist Lung Ka-sing, is inspired by the elves of Norse mythology, but subverts the traditional paradigm of cuteness - nine sharp teeth, a crooked smile and soft plush create the ultimate contrast. This “ugly cute” aesthetic accurately penetrates the psychology of Generation Z: in the social era where filters rule, its ‘imperfections’have become a symbol of authenticity, and it has been described by fans as an "emotional antidote for adults! It has been called “the antidote to adult emotions” by fans. Young people regard it as a symbol of “lying down rebelliousness”: people in the workplace put it on their desks as a “mouth replacement”, depressed people use it to record their recovery process, and it is even labeled by American college students as a “mental breakdown partner”. It has even been labeled as “mental breakdown partner” by American college students.

Emotional resonance: from private comfort to social currency

Emotional compensation: Xiaohongshu users use Labubu to shoot “anti-anxiety diary”, #Labubu topic on TikTok played more than 1 billion times, and the second creation of content from the From “Changing the baby's teeth” to “Opening the light to make a wish”, it has become a creative outlet for relieving stress.

Identity: when Rihanna will pink LABUBU hanging on the Hermes bag, Beckham sun daughter gift hidden models, Shu Qi sun group photo ...... star endorsement make it upgraded to circle pass. Fans frankly said: “carry it, equal to declare that they understand this emotional game”.

Designer's Answer

Long Jia Sheng once said: "What people love is not dolls, it is the self that is understood. When millions of young people see their own edges in LABUBU's sharp teeth and draw warmth from the plush touch, the essence of this global carnival may be an emotional ritual of collective self-help in an atomized society!