Labubu had already existed for years before it became one of the most recognizable collectible characters in the world, but one celebrity is particularly associated with its breakthrough into mainstream popularity: Lisa from BLACKPINK. The Thai K-pop star became an enthusiastic fan of Labubu and was seen sharing her interest in the character, helping introduce the unusual collectible to an enormous international audience. NBC News has described Lisa’s influence as a major reason behind Labubu’s rise, noting that her public affection for the character was followed by a dramatic increase in demand. However, saying that Lisa single-handedly created Labubu’s success would leave out an important part of the story. Labubu was created by Chinese-Dutch artist Kasing Lung in 2015 as part of The Monsters, while Pop Mart later developed the character through collectible figures, blind boxes, plush products, and accessories. Lisa’s influence was therefore an important accelerator rather than the beginning of Labubu itself. Her connection with the character helped move it from a collector community into the world of international celebrity, fashion, social media, and everyday popular culture.
Labubu Was Famous in Collecting Circles Before Lisa
To understand why Lisa’s involvement mattered so much, it is important to look at what happened before the celebrity boom labubu original. Kasing Lung created Labubu as part of The Monsters, a fantasy universe influenced by folklore and children’s storytelling. The first Labubu figures appeared in 2015, and early versions were produced in relatively small quantities for the designer-toy community. WIRED reports that Lung and toy producer Howard Lee brought 60 hand-painted Labubu figures to a Taipei toy convention in 2015, where they sold out. This early success showed that the character already had an audience, but it was still very different from the global phenomenon people recognize today. The later partnership between Lung and Pop Mart gave Labubu access to large-scale manufacturing, retail distribution, blind-box collecting, and international markets. By the time celebrity attention arrived, there was already a strong foundation underneath the character.
Why Lisa From BLACKPINK Became So Important
Lisa’s connection with Labubu was particularly powerful because of her enormous international fanbase and her position between music, fashion, and social media culture. BLACKPINK had already developed a global audience across Asia, Europe, North America, and other markets, meaning that anything associated with one of its members could quickly reach people who might never have encountered it through traditional toy stores. Lisa’s public enthusiasm for Labubu made the character feel personal rather than simply commercial. Fans could see that the collectible was something she genuinely enjoyed, which created curiosity and encouraged people to search for the character themselves. NBC News specifically credits Lisa’s love of Labubu as a major factor in the character’s popularity and describes the surge in demand that followed her visibility.
From K-Pop Culture to Global Fashion
Lisa’s influence extended beyond music because she has a strong presence in fashion culture as well. This made Labubu’s transformation into an accessory particularly effective. Instead of appearing only inside a collector’s room, Labubu could hang from a handbag or become part of an outfit. The small plush keychain format introduced by Pop Mart in 2023 was especially important because it allowed people to carry the character in public. WIRED reported that influential figures including Lisa, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, and Marc Jacobs were photographed with Labubu keychains and accessories. This helped reposition Labubu from a niche designer toy into something that could participate in contemporary fashion. The character’s unusual appearance also made it highly visible in photographs, giving fans an easy way to show their personalities through bags and accessories.
The Power of a Celebrity Fan
There is an important difference between a celebrity simply appearing in an advertisement and a celebrity becoming associated with a product through personal enthusiasm. Lisa’s Labubu connection became powerful partly because fans interpreted her interest as part of her own style. When a famous performer carries an unusual character, followers may become curious about what makes it special. That curiosity can turn into searches, social-media posts, unboxing videos, and purchases. In Labubu’s case, the effect was amplified by the collectible’s existing scarcity and blind-box culture. A new fan could discover Lisa’s Labubu, search for it online, find different versions, and then enter an entire collecting community. The celebrity therefore became an entry point into a much larger ecosystem created by Pop Mart.
Social Media Turned Interest Into a Worldwide Trend
Celebrity visibility alone cannot explain Labubu’s popularity. Social media played a major role in turning individual sightings into a global trend. Labubu has a naturally photogenic design, and the different colors, outfits, sizes, and series give collectors countless ways to create content. When fans began posting their own Labubus after seeing celebrities with them, the character appeared repeatedly across platforms. The blind-box format added another layer because opening a package can create suspense and surprise. Viewers can watch someone discover a particular character and immediately understand why collectors become interested in different versions. This combination of celebrity exposure and user-generated content created a powerful cycle in which each new post could introduce Labubu to another audience.
Other Celebrities Helped Expand Labubu’s Reach
Although Lisa is frequently identified as the celebrity who helped push Labubu into mainstream attention, she was not the only famous person associated with the trend. As Labubu became more visible, other celebrities and influential figures were photographed carrying or displaying the character. WIRED has reported sightings involving Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, Marc Jacobs, Lady Gaga, Naomi Osaka, and others. These appearances broadened the character’s cultural reach. Lisa connected Labubu strongly with K-pop and Asian pop culture, while other celebrities helped introduce it to Western entertainment, fashion, sports, and lifestyle audiences. The result was a much wider cultural footprint than one celebrity could have created alone.
Why Lisa’s Influence Was Especially Strong in Thailand
Lisa’s connection with Labubu was particularly significant in Thailand, where she is one of the country’s most internationally recognized entertainers. WIRED reported that Thailand became an unexpectedly successful market for Pop Mart after Lisa, described by the publication as a Thai K-pop star, became an outspoken Labubu fan. The company reportedly found its Thai stores performing exceptionally strongly compared with other international locations. This demonstrates how celebrity influence can have a geographic effect as well as a global one. Fans in Thailand had a cultural connection to Lisa that made her interest especially meaningful, while international BLACKPINK fans could simultaneously discover the character through her global visibility.
Pop Mart Turned Celebrity Attention Into a Business
Lisa may have helped accelerate awareness, but Pop Mart provided the commercial structure that allowed the attention to become sustainable. The company already had experience with blind boxes, designer toys, intellectual properties, and physical retail. When Labubu’s plush keychains became highly popular, Pop Mart could produce different collections and distribute them through stores and online channels. WIRED reported that The Monsters generated more than RMB 4.81 billion, or roughly $670 million, in revenue during the first half of 2025, representing a 668 percent increase from the same period a year earlier. Those figures show that the celebrity-driven attention became part of a much larger commercial phenomenon rather than remaining a short-lived social-media moment.
The Design of Labubu Still Matters
It would also be inaccurate to suggest that celebrity influence alone explains the character’s appeal. Labubu has a distinctive design that makes it easy to recognize. The pointed ears, expressive eyes, mischievous smile, and visible teeth create a combination of cute and unusual characteristics. The character is not traditionally polished or conventionally adorable, which gives it personality. That difference helps explain why people photograph it, discuss it, and use it as a fashion accessory. The underlying creative identity was established years before the celebrity explosion. Pop Mart’s role was to develop that identity through products, while celebrities such as Lisa helped introduce it to audiences who may never have encountered designer toys otherwise.
Why Celebrity Culture Was Perfect for Labubu
Labubu arrived at a time when fashion and celebrity culture were increasingly connected with personal accessories and collectible objects. People no longer need to separate toys from fashion or entertainment from everyday style. A small character attached to a handbag can communicate humor, taste, fandom, or individuality. Labubu fits naturally into this environment because it is both recognizable and adaptable. Its compact plush versions can be displayed on expensive bags, casual backpacks, jackets, and other personal items. When celebrities began doing the same, the boundary between collectible and fashion accessory became even less obvious. Lisa’s influence was therefore especially effective because her public image already existed at the intersection of music, fashion, beauty, and social media.
The Lasting Impact of Lisa’s Labubu Connection
The most interesting part of Lisa’s role is not simply that she helped make people aware of Labubu. Her visibility contributed to a change in how the character was perceived. Before the major celebrity wave, Labubu was primarily associated with designer-toy collectors and Pop Mart fans. After celebrities began carrying the character publicly, it became easier to view Labubu as a lifestyle accessory and cultural trend. Fans could participate without considering themselves serious collectors. Someone could buy a single plush pendant simply because they liked the appearance, while another person might build a large collection. This flexibility helped Labubu reach multiple audiences at the same time.