SINGAPORE: Lisa from the South Korean girl band Blackpink sparked a frenzy when she unveiled her Labubu doll on social media back in April 2024.
Many in Singapore clamoured for them. Some even gambled for the dolls online, while a handful stole them outright - three boys were caught on CCTV tilting a claw machine and taking five dolls.
This fervour over a toy may seem bewildering. But as a lifelong doll collector, I can attest to the thrill of the chase and the collective joy.
In 2023, when Labubu blind boxes were readily available at PopMart stores, I joined a few friends as they unboxed their dolls outside the shop.
The elation was infectious. We cheered when someone got the doll they wanted. The staff cheered along with us. It was like when Liverpool won the English Premier League in 1990. We all wanted to feel like this forever.
Yet, observers now wonder, how long will the Labubu frenzy last?
When Labubu first launched, it went for S$24.90 apiece at PopMart. At this accessible price point, collectors happily hung them on their bags even before Lisa did.
Now, it’s virtually impossible to buy a Labubu at retail price as they’re constantly sold out. For some, Labubu’s scarcity makes her more desirable. Buyers have been willing to pay more than double from resellers, especially for limited edition dolls.
From what I’ve observed, doll collectors often buy duplicates when a new doll launches - one for enjoying and one for reselling, should the price surge.
Resellers, on the other hand, purchase them primarily for resale, not necessarily for the love of the doll. They will buy toys as long as there is demand for them.
Interest in Labubu may already be waning. Reports suggest that resale prices of Labubu are falling in Thailand, from 3,000 baht (S$120) to 2,000 baht (S$80) per blind box.
Remember Ty’s Beanie Babies that saw price surges to the thousands, based on hype? They are a stark reminder of how no trend lasts forever, especially when we didn’t buy them because we loved them, but for the hype.
Collectors who bought their dolls because they loved them will continue to cherish them. I have heard non-collectors comment that dolls are mere pieces of plastic, which is true. The intrinsic, lasting value of dolls lies in the emotions they evoke in us: Joy, awe and wonder.
As a young adult, I was fascinated by Blythe dolls in the early 2000s. They resembled porcelain dolls I admired but never had as a child.
First launched in 1972, Blythe dolls sold poorly because they were considered too scary for children. But in 2000, interest in the now-vintage dolls surged among adult collectors, likely the same children deemed too scared to love them decades ago.
For my 50th birthday, friends pooled money to buy me a Middie Blythe that I saw and loved. It sparked an interest in Blythe again and I was enthralled to see the incredible range of dolls now available in the market after over 20 years.
Since then, I’ve made cherished friends in the Singapore and overseas Blythe communities, and discovered that the world of doll collecting is alive and thriving among adults my age.
Middie Blythe Lydia Green in her stock outfit. (Photo: Christina Sng)
Among the collector community are designers who create clothing for their dolls. For instance, HappyBlythes, based in Singapore, has an exquisite style that has earned her a loyal following.
According to her, there is a cottage industry of dressmaking for dolls, where collectors showcase their talent through fantastical creations. “Dolls can wear a lot of things humans can’t, whether it’s over the top or sometimes uncomfortable fashion. They don’t complain!”
Blythe also inspires people to customise her, who carve, sand, and paint the dolls to create one-of-a-kind collectible toys. One of Singapore’s most sought-after customisers is artist Caramelaw, whose colourful creations often sell out in minutes.
For Caramelaw, collecting and customising are inseparable. “I love that dolls are so versatile, like a different platform from which I can apply my candy art onto. And I can go crazy accessorising them and they’ll still look perfect!”
Like me, she has been a collector since childhood. “Playing with toys and dolls never stopped even as I grew older. Now that I have earning power, I collect toys that inspire me,” she said.
Another type of collector is the completionist who finds joy in searching for pieces to complete a set. When dolls like Labubu come in blind boxes and gachapon machines, this quest becomes more thrilling because buyers do not know what they are getting.
When my collector friends complete a set, I celebrate with them. There’s no comparison of who has more dolls, but instead, we exchange gifts of doll accessories and admire each other’s dolls. The completionist is the best archivist and we always look to them for intricate details on each doll.
Then there are collectors like me: The nostalgic collector.
I have a range of stuffed dolls and collectibles: Some gifts, others preloved from my children, and a handful that hold a poignant memory, like the Ikea pup my dad had with him during the last years of his life.
For me, it is a callback to a time of innocence and sweetness, when life didn’t feel so dark and gritty. When I look at my dolls, they remind me of childhood and lend a brief softness to my days. Many of them have a story I want to remember.
Nostalgic collectors haunt the Internet for dolls that remind them of their childhood or have special meaning to them. This is why vintage dolls have a market and collectors will pay a good amount of money for them.
From left to right: Sumikko Gurashi in a mushroom home, Petite Blythes Cassandra Black and My Best Friend with four Sylvanian Families Baby Cats. (Photo: Christina Sng)
At heart, I believe we are all collectors. Some people collect art, bags and watches; others collect books, stamps and figurines. These collections carry our personal history and are a way of marking time.
My collector friends agree that adults collect because dolls simply make us happy, be it that burst of joy finding a doll we love or holding an old doll that brings us comfort.
Caramelaw sums it up best: “When I play with or customise dolls, I forget about everything else. It’s my healing time. A moment to be happy.”
Christina Sng is a poet-writer-artist and the first Singaporean to win three Bram Stoker Awards.
Continue reading...
Many in Singapore clamoured for them. Some even gambled for the dolls online, while a handful stole them outright - three boys were caught on CCTV tilting a claw machine and taking five dolls.
This fervour over a toy may seem bewildering. But as a lifelong doll collector, I can attest to the thrill of the chase and the collective joy.
In 2023, when Labubu blind boxes were readily available at PopMart stores, I joined a few friends as they unboxed their dolls outside the shop.
The elation was infectious. We cheered when someone got the doll they wanted. The staff cheered along with us. It was like when Liverpool won the English Premier League in 1990. We all wanted to feel like this forever.
Yet, observers now wonder, how long will the Labubu frenzy last?
RESELLERS VS COLLECTORS
When Labubu first launched, it went for S$24.90 apiece at PopMart. At this accessible price point, collectors happily hung them on their bags even before Lisa did.
Now, it’s virtually impossible to buy a Labubu at retail price as they’re constantly sold out. For some, Labubu’s scarcity makes her more desirable. Buyers have been willing to pay more than double from resellers, especially for limited edition dolls.
From what I’ve observed, doll collectors often buy duplicates when a new doll launches - one for enjoying and one for reselling, should the price surge.
Resellers, on the other hand, purchase them primarily for resale, not necessarily for the love of the doll. They will buy toys as long as there is demand for them.
Interest in Labubu may already be waning. Reports suggest that resale prices of Labubu are falling in Thailand, from 3,000 baht (S$120) to 2,000 baht (S$80) per blind box.
Remember Ty’s Beanie Babies that saw price surges to the thousands, based on hype? They are a stark reminder of how no trend lasts forever, especially when we didn’t buy them because we loved them, but for the hype.
Collectors who bought their dolls because they loved them will continue to cherish them. I have heard non-collectors comment that dolls are mere pieces of plastic, which is true. The intrinsic, lasting value of dolls lies in the emotions they evoke in us: Joy, awe and wonder.
Related:
THRIVING COMMUNITY OF DOLL COLLECTORS
As a young adult, I was fascinated by Blythe dolls in the early 2000s. They resembled porcelain dolls I admired but never had as a child.
First launched in 1972, Blythe dolls sold poorly because they were considered too scary for children. But in 2000, interest in the now-vintage dolls surged among adult collectors, likely the same children deemed too scared to love them decades ago.
For my 50th birthday, friends pooled money to buy me a Middie Blythe that I saw and loved. It sparked an interest in Blythe again and I was enthralled to see the incredible range of dolls now available in the market after over 20 years.
Since then, I’ve made cherished friends in the Singapore and overseas Blythe communities, and discovered that the world of doll collecting is alive and thriving among adults my age.
Middie Blythe Lydia Green in her stock outfit. (Photo: Christina Sng)
THE CREATORS
Among the collector community are designers who create clothing for their dolls. For instance, HappyBlythes, based in Singapore, has an exquisite style that has earned her a loyal following.
According to her, there is a cottage industry of dressmaking for dolls, where collectors showcase their talent through fantastical creations. “Dolls can wear a lot of things humans can’t, whether it’s over the top or sometimes uncomfortable fashion. They don’t complain!”
Blythe also inspires people to customise her, who carve, sand, and paint the dolls to create one-of-a-kind collectible toys. One of Singapore’s most sought-after customisers is artist Caramelaw, whose colourful creations often sell out in minutes.
For Caramelaw, collecting and customising are inseparable. “I love that dolls are so versatile, like a different platform from which I can apply my candy art onto. And I can go crazy accessorising them and they’ll still look perfect!”
Like me, she has been a collector since childhood. “Playing with toys and dolls never stopped even as I grew older. Now that I have earning power, I collect toys that inspire me,” she said.
THE COMPLETIONISTS
Another type of collector is the completionist who finds joy in searching for pieces to complete a set. When dolls like Labubu come in blind boxes and gachapon machines, this quest becomes more thrilling because buyers do not know what they are getting.
When my collector friends complete a set, I celebrate with them. There’s no comparison of who has more dolls, but instead, we exchange gifts of doll accessories and admire each other’s dolls. The completionist is the best archivist and we always look to them for intricate details on each doll.
THE NOSTALGIC COLLECTOR
Then there are collectors like me: The nostalgic collector.
I have a range of stuffed dolls and collectibles: Some gifts, others preloved from my children, and a handful that hold a poignant memory, like the Ikea pup my dad had with him during the last years of his life.
For me, it is a callback to a time of innocence and sweetness, when life didn’t feel so dark and gritty. When I look at my dolls, they remind me of childhood and lend a brief softness to my days. Many of them have a story I want to remember.
Nostalgic collectors haunt the Internet for dolls that remind them of their childhood or have special meaning to them. This is why vintage dolls have a market and collectors will pay a good amount of money for them.
From left to right: Sumikko Gurashi in a mushroom home, Petite Blythes Cassandra Black and My Best Friend with four Sylvanian Families Baby Cats. (Photo: Christina Sng)
THE JOY OF COLLECTING
At heart, I believe we are all collectors. Some people collect art, bags and watches; others collect books, stamps and figurines. These collections carry our personal history and are a way of marking time.
My collector friends agree that adults collect because dolls simply make us happy, be it that burst of joy finding a doll we love or holding an old doll that brings us comfort.
Caramelaw sums it up best: “When I play with or customise dolls, I forget about everything else. It’s my healing time. A moment to be happy.”
Christina Sng is a poet-writer-artist and the first Singaporean to win three Bram Stoker Awards.
Continue reading...