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Dolls with glossy hair, high heels, doe eyes, and a sweet smile are so passe. Gen-Zs are shaking things up and ditching the cliche: Make way for the latest trend, the Labubu dolls. What is

the Labubu doll? This weird, wild misfit is breaking the internet and taking the spotlight. As an uninformed spectator, I was initially puzzled by the flood of social media posts featuring

what appeared to be just another cute monster-looking toy. But my curiosity piqued when I saw an unending line of eager shoppers waiting to get their hands on one. So, why are UAE consumers

obsessed with these dolls? STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST NEWS. FOLLOW KT ON WHATSAPP CHANNELS. For Salma Atta, an Egyptian expat in Sharjah, what sets the doll apart is its

"creepiness or maybe the ugliness." While most dolls are conventionally cute, "their expressive faces and wide grins set them apart from other collectible dolls," she

said. The monster-like doll was created by Hong Kong-born, Netherlands-raised illustrator Kasing Lung, who drew inspiration from folklore to create a Nordic fairy tale picture book series,

called _The Monsters_. Among the many monsters that inhabit Lung's fictional world, Labubu is the star. With a devilish smile, the Labubus, who are all female, play harmless pranks.

Even though she creates chaos, Labubu is kind-hearted and has good intentions. So, what's all the hype about? Zaina Harb, a UAE-based content creator, thinks the sudden craze around the

doll has to do with curiosity. "It's a bit scary, like a monster, so people don't get the hype." This might lead more people to check Labubus merely to see how others

can like an "ugly" doll. The expat added that while she likes bag charms, the doll doesn't appeal to her. "I like classic and timeless things; this is just a trend. [If I

bought it], after a year or so, I would question myself and the hype around it," she explained. For some Labubu fans, the doll caught their eye when their favourite celebrities were

spotted with one. "Blackpink's Lisa and Rihanna bought Labubu," said 16-year-old Lakshmi M, a Sharjah-based Indian expat, who is also an avid K-pop fan. "Lisa even talked

about it in an interview," Lakshmi added. People don’t just buy them because they are cute; the appeal also lies in the “blind box” experience, Lakshmi explained. Now, what is a blind

box? As the name suggests, it’s all about surprise. When you buy a Labubu doll, the box doesn’t reveal which design or colour you will get. You don’t choose the Labubu; the Labubu chooses

you. It’s a smart retail tactic, and it clearly works. “Blind boxes are so much fun to open, I love the excitement,” said Salma. “If I wanted a specific Labubu, I would just keep buying

boxes until I got the one I wanted.” Orinn and Azlan, a Bangladeshi-American mom-son content creator duo in Dubai, went all out for the dolls, spending not just on the blind boxes, but also

on a Labubu-themed meal. The influencers purchased a blind box of 6 at Dh1650, and then tried the Petit Meal at Beau for Dh580. "The meal comes with a smash burger, fries, ketchup,

apple pie, a choice of your drink and a blind box of Labubu," Orinn said. The expat explained that while the duo "weren’t a fan of the Labubus in the beginning, we have grown to

like the little monsters." Orinn started purchasing Labubus as part of the trend, "to share honest reviews" as content creators, she said. Despite buying many Labubus, the duo

have not yet waited in the queue to do so. While some malls may be busy, there are many stores where you can "walk in and get [Labubus] within a minute," she added. However, with

prices up to Dh350, for one doll, on authorised websites, not everyone is willing to spend so much. For Meher, a Dubai-based expat, the monster slipped right out of her hands as she

'held back from buying it'. "I nearly bought one from the winter pop-up at the Museum of The Future, a stall was selling it at a discounted price." But after shopping

quite a bit that day, even at a lower price, the doll was a "little expensive for a cutesy little charm," she said. If you are not keen on dropping Dh350 for a Labubus, there is

always Lafufus. These lookalike alternatives, essentially dupes or near-identical fakes, have become the go-to for those skipping the splurge. UAE-based influencer Narihan Azab spotted them

early, picking up keychain-sized Lafufus from a street vendor in Malaysia before the craze took off. The content creator said, "I don't like to queue for anything; so, I'm

okay with my Lafufus for now." Laraib, a UAE-based Indian resident, who likes the "unhinged look on cute small objects" said, however, it would be a good collectible to get a

matching pair of with friends, she would still not consider buying the original one because of the expense, and is looking for a "good dupe" instead. Whether it is the quirky

monster grin or the thrill of the blind box, the weird-looking Labubu has captured the hearts of Gen-Zs — at least until the next big trend. POOJARAJ MANIYERI Poojaraj Maniyeri is a Digital

Journalist who loves turning everyday conversations into news stories...More __