Lili Reinhart faces Labubu fake-or-real challenge in Marie Claire segment

Lili Reinhart got put on the spot with a Labubu in hand and asked to decide whether it was real or fake, turning Marie Claire’s celebrity challenge into a quick test of how normal authenticity talk has become. The July 10 segment was light on the surface, but it landed on a problem Labubu collectors already know well: fake-vs-real calls now matter far beyond reseller circles.

Pop Mart’s own backstory explains how the character got here. THE MONSTERS began in 2015, when Kasing Lung created a fairy world in three picture books inspired by Nordic mythology. Labubu sits at the center of that universe, described by Pop Mart as a small monster with high, pointed ears, serrated teeth, and a personality that is kind-hearted but often clumsy. The company says the brand has spread across more than 23 countries and regions through 350-plus offline stores and 2,000-plus Roboshops, which helps explain why a character that once lived in niche designer-toy culture now shows up in mainstream entertainment clips.

For buyers, the first check is where the piece came from. Pop Mart says items bought through its official website, official stores, and ROBOSHOP vending machines are guaranteed authentic and verifiable, which puts the cleanest line between a real pull and the counterfeit market. That matters now because industry coverage has described fake Labubus as “Lafufus,” and 2026 coverage says Pop Mart has intensified anti-counterfeiting efforts as fakes spread and prices fluctuate.

The second check is visual, and Labubu has a very specific look. Pop Mart’s own description gives collectors a baseline: high, pointed ears and serrated teeth. If a figure or plush does not match that core silhouette and face, it deserves a second look before any money changes hands, especially in the online resale spaces where confusion tends to start and where the cheapest listings can be the riskiest.

That is what made Reinhart’s first Labubu moment work as more than a celebrity bit. The joke only landed because the authenticity question was already familiar enough to play as entertainment, and that familiarity is now part of Labubu’s everyday story.