Labubu and the Echoes of a Past Trend

Lately, I’ve been noticing the growing buzz around Labubu.  I hadn’t heard anything about it up until recently.  Sometimes, I’m out of the loop when it comes to new trends.  But apparently these collectible figures seem to have taken over the internet.  People are hunting them down, trading them, and showing off their rare finds.  This instantly took me back to the late 90s and early 2000s when Beanie Babies were the thing. 

Back then, the popularity exploded almost overnight.  Kids wanted them, adults wanted them, and some were so rare they sold for thousands — sometimes even $50k to $100k.  They weren’t just a small, bean bag stuffed animal.  I wasn’t really the type of person to collect them like some people, but I still enjoyed them.  They had adorable designs, fun names, and felt accessible enough that you could pick one up without breaking the bank.  Unless of course you were chasing one of the really rare ones.     

But while I have fond memories of that time, there’s also a darker side for me — one that still makes me uneasy when I see a collectible craze reach fever pitch.

When I was 11 years old, I experienced something I’ll never forget.  My mom and I were in a store that had some of the more expensive Beanie Babies displayed behind a glass case.  Out of nowhere, a man burst in, demanding those rare collectibles and money from the cash register.  It all happened so fast. One moment I was admiring the toys, and the next, I dropped to the floor.

I froze, and my body went completely numb.   But somehow my instincts and inner strength kicked in.  I kept telling my mom to stay down.  I don’t want to get into too much detail, but she got the brunt of it.  Meanwhile, my heart was pounding, my ears were ringing with every loud noise, every shout.  When I finally heard the coast was clear, we got up, ran outside, and drove away.  Later, I found out the man was dubbed “The Beanie Baby Bandit” in the newspaper.

Even now, loud yelling or sudden shouting can jolt me right back to that moment.  I can feel that same rush of adrenaline and fear, even after all these years.

So, when I see the current frenzy over Labubu, I can’t help but feel a little uneasy.  On one hand, I get it.  Collectibles are fun, they spark joy, and they bring people together.  But on the other hand, I know how intense trends can become, and how quickly excitement can turn into obsession.

I admire Labubu from afar, but I’m not jumping on the bandwagon.  Because for me, trends like this aren’t just about cute designs and rare finds.  They’re tied to a memory that’s as much about fear as it is nostalgia. 

And sometimes, the past has a way of coloring how we see the present.