Sneaker News Shoe flippers have temporarily abandoned the sneaker game and have gone on to the world of reselling…dolls? This concept is hardly novel; plush toys and dolls have their own world in the secondary market, but nothing has quite hit the current generation like Kasing Lung’s Labubu.
These mischievous looking elf-like creatures have taken the world by store, becoming the next “it” item when it comes to keeping up with the Joneses. The world of mystery box toys have exploded in popularity as the combined psyche of the collector culture with the rush of dopamine that comes with getting lucky has stirred up quite a buying frenzy. Just last month, it was reported that Chinese toy maker Pop Mart grew its value by $1.6 billion on a single drop.
How’s this related to sneakers? Aside from the resell aspect and the culture around collecting, one doll in particular caught the eye of the sneaker and basketball world. Vanessa Bryant shared a photo on Instagram of a pink Labubu doll wearing a rather well-fitting black hoodie with the iconic sheath logo. Given the level of idolatry around the Black Mamba in China, it’s not too far fetched to think that an official collaboration of some kind could be in the works. In 2025, anything can happen.
In other Kobe news, here’s the latest on the Kobe 6 “Jalen Brunson” PE.
