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In just a few months, Labubu went from being a quirky figurine to a global fashion statement. With its signature mischievous grin, the Pop Mart character captured hearts worldwide, making appearances on luxury handbags carried by celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Rihanna and Ananya Panday. But now, there’s a new character catching everyone's eye — Skullpanda.

Recently, former Snapdeal CEO Kunal Bahl chimed in on the trend. In a post on X  he wrote, “Move over Labubus. Skullpandas are here,” summing up the shift many collectors have already embraced.

While Labubu won fans with its eccentric, toothy charm, Skullpanda brings something deeper. As per media reports, the character was created by Chinese artist Xiong Miao, who comes from a background in film, architecture and concept art. Introduced in 2018, Skullpanda was designed to reflect the idea of "non-absoluteness" — expressing balance, ambiguity and transformation. With its skull-shaped helmet, soft braids and ever-changing expressions, the design feels more like wearable art than a regular toy.

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Each series explores a fresh theme or mood. Whether it's inspired by dreams, traditional Chinese motifs, street culture or music, collectors see every edition as a standalone piece of art. The Warmth Series has been praised for its nostalgic, comforting vibe, while the Sound Series is loved for its sleek design and tiny details. Many fans compare the craftsmanship to that of porcelain dolls, even though the figures are made of PVC and ABS.

The visual appeal and storytelling aspects are obviously crowd pullers-an issue raised by collectors regarding the high prices in resale or the fuss about the blind box system-that makes it so tough to collect certain figures-now, demand is the last thing that seems to be drying up.

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Pop Mart, the Beijing-based art toy powerhouse behind Labubu as well as Skullpanda, has evolved from a niche brand to a worldwide player. It was with the help of Labubu that the company began breaking into international markets. What Skullpanda has done, instead, is enlarging the circle of collectors who seek emotion and depth, along with visual storytelling, in their objects.

Whether you are one of the die-hard Labubu fans or have recently but recently have started becoming addicted to Skullpanda, one thing is for sure-art toys are not just any merry little trinkets anymore. 

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