Beyond the Toy Shelf: How POP MART’s THE MONSTERS Are Shaping a New Wave of Collectible Culture

There’s a certain poetry in seeing a surreal little creature with jagged teeth and wide, melancholic eyes clutched in the hands of Dua Lipa. Something which is half elf, half mischief, but still completely lovable. Such contradictions make perfect sense in 2025. Designer toys are no longer just shelf adornments but bona fide cultural currency. With POP MART’s new pop-up at Harrods, Kasing Lung’s THE MONSTERS cement their status as more than just collectibles.

The installation, which launched March 14th, offers a rare chance for Londoners to engage with the phenomenon up close. But more intriguing than the exclusivity of LABUBU figures or the first-ever UK signing by Lung himself is the scene POP MART’s collaboration taps into. The intersection of high art and mass culture has long been a fertile playground for rebellion. From Takashi Murakami’s Louis Vuitton collab to KAWS’ subversive riffs on pop iconography, the collision of toys and fine art is nothing new. But POP MART’s playful spin feels more like a wink than a statement, sidestepping the self-seriousness that often comes with collectible culture.

What makes THE MONSTERS stand out isn’t just their scarcity or celebrity appeal, it is the sense of odd familiarity they carry. Lung, influenced by Nordic folklore, gives his creatures a fragile, bittersweet quality. These toys aren’t designed to be cute but they actually reflect a sense of humanity in their wide eyes and mischievous grins, something not found anywhere else. 

For a generation raised on the impermanence of the internet, owning a physical piece of limited-edition culture offers a rare sense of permanence, allowing this appeal to go deeper than just the appearance of these collectibles. In this appeal, traditional categories like ‘merch’ are unfixed and acquire a belonging to a subculture that is still small enough to be special. 

The fourth floor Harrods location of POP MART’s pop-up further flips fixed understandings of retail experiences. Allowing attendees to peek into the evolving nature of toys themselves, it highlights these collectibles as multifunctional cultural artefacts. They affirm the overlap between fashion and art, and what it truly means to own our oddities. New Wave Magazine was lucky enough to hear from Kasing Lung, the artist and founder behind LABUBU about what inspired this collaboration, and the backstory behind LABUBU. 

What is the story behind THE MONSTERS? 

The inspiration behind THE MONSTERS comes from my love of old European fairy tales and elf legends. I believe everyone has a little monster inside them—sometimes playful, sometimes kind, sometimes mischievous. These monsters reflect our true emotions and personalities. LABUBU is the main character of this world—a lively, playful creature who always brings unexpected surprises.

Were you surprised at all by the reception towards LABUBU?

It’s always surprising to see how a personal creation resonates on such a large scale. When I first designed LABUBU, I wasn’t thinking about global success. I was focused on creating a meaningful character. 

What were your main artistic influences for this project?

My main artistic influences for THE MONSTERS come from Nordic mythology and classic European fairy tales, especially those darker, magical stories. I love the mysterious yet charming atmosphere they have, and I wanted to reinterpret these elements in my own style. That’s how LABUBU’s playful yet mischievous character came about.

What was the inspiration for this collaboration?

I hope that when everyone comes to Harrods, they not only get a signature and buy their favorite LABUBU, but also take a moment to stop by the wall made up of hundreds of LABUBUs, leaving some LABUBU-filled memories for their Harrods journey.