Pop Mart impresses with Labubu figures in KaDeWe – the new trend!

Pop Mart impresses with Labubu figures in KaDeWe – the new trend!

On September 22, 2023, Pop Mart opened a new store in KaDeWe in Berlin, which is the second branch in the capital. The first store opened in July 2023 in Alexa on Alexanderplatz. There was a queue in front of KaDeWe, although not as big as at the first pop-up in Alexa. The crowd was mainly made up of parents who wanted to buy popular Labubu characters for their children. Influencers were also present and showed off their favorite collectibles.

The Labubu characters have now become cult objects and enjoy enormous popularity on social media such as TikTok and Instagram. Pop Mart was founded in 2010 and plans to continue expanding in Berlin, with another location in the capital.

The fascination of Labubu

Labubu is a series of collectible soft toys designed by Hong Kong illustrator Kasing Lung. The characters are zoomorphic elves with exaggerated facial expressions, with Labubu being the central character. With sharp teeth, big ears and a disheveled appearance, the characters are unique. Since their launch in 2015, over 300 different Labubu figures have accumulated, with prices ranging from $15 to $960. What is particularly noteworthy is that a 1.2 meter tall Labubu figure was auctioned in 2025 for a whopping $170,000.

Labubu has also gained widespread popularity in Asia, particularly in Thailand, not least through celebrities such as Blackpink's Lisa. Interestingly, Labubu's blind box sales model, in which buyers receive a random character from a series, is viewed by critics as conducive to overconsumption and emotional dependency. In some countries, such as Russia and Kurdish Iraq, bans on the sale of Labubu have been proposed amid concerns about children's mental health.

Economic success and challenges

Pop Mart saw notable revenue from “The Monsters” IP, generating RMB 3.04 billion (approximately $430 million) in 2024. In the first half of 2025, “The Monsters” even brought in 4.81 billion RMB (approx. 670 million USD). Despite this success, Pop Mart also faces challenges, most notably in the form of counterfeit Labubu figurines known as “Lafufus.” The company has taken legal action against the sale of these knockoffs.

The Labubu figures are not only collector's items, but have also been used in a variety of cultural ways, for example as Buddhist amulets in Thailand. This shows how diverse the use and meaning of these characters is in different contexts.

Overall, the Labubu characters are an outstanding example of how art and business are intertwined and how pop culture can use effective marketing strategies to build a global fan base.

You can find more information about the latest developments at Berlin Live, while details about the characters themselves Wikipedia can be read.