Labubu creator Pop Mart ditches toys for jewelry with new concept store

SHANGHAI: Thriving on an upsurge of worldwide fervour for its peculiar characters, particularly the intensely popular “ugly-cute” Labubu, blind box toy giant Pop Mart has formally joined the jewellery game.

The brand revealed its first-ever jewellery concept store, “Popop,” in the heart of Shanghai on Friday, signifying an audacious new section in its retail growth. The boutique offers a variety of fanciful accessories highlighting Pop Mart’s iconic characters, such as Labubu, Molly, and Skullpanda, represented as silver rings, trinkets, and statement ornaments.

An exceptional success story

Although much of China’s shopper market remains to steer economic setbacks and a cooling property sector, Pop Mart has continued to be an exceptional success story. Its inexpensive, collectible toys have hit a profound emotional chord with younger customers, driving a share price outpouring of more than 200% in 2025 alone.

Among those paying close attention to Pop Mart’s retail path is investor Zhang Zhanming, who owns approximately 100 million yuan ($13.92 million) in corporate shares. He flew from Chongqing to be present during the opening, interested in the new concept and planning a bigger stake.

“The pricing and audience targeting are spot-on,” Zhang told reporters. “Pop Mart has the potential to become China’s own Disney.”

Valued at nearly $45.65 billion at present, the company’s aspirations exceed the manufacture of toys. The jewellery line intends to tap into the flourishing “emotional consumption” movement, where young consumers choose reasonably priced luxury possessions that trigger pleasure and creativity.

Fang Ke, 35, mirrored this sentiment as she bought herself a 699-yuan Labubu bangle as an early birthday gift.

“I’ve loved Pop Mart for a long time,” she said. “It’s bright, playful, and visually impactful. My daughter loves it too.”

Affordable luxury

Popop’s prices range from 350 yuan for trinkets and modest rings to almost 2,699 yuan for statement ornaments, most of them valued under 1,000 yuan, placing the store steadily in the inexpensive luxury sector.

Pop Mart’s main offering remains its “blind box toys,” frequently priced at 69 yuan and up, but buyers’ craving for exceptional or limited-edition items is escalating. Earlier this week, a life-sized Labubu was bought at a confounding 1.08 million yuan at a Beijing auction, converting a toy into a trophy collectible.

With a fanbase that extends to continents and collector interest at an unprecedented level, Pop Mart’s venture into fashion jewelry could be the next step in its conversion from trendy toy brand to lifestyle kingdom.