A Labubu and Sonny Angel collector has spent $5,500 on the trinkets - and says the dolls "match" his "personality". "

Juan Leija, 29, started his collection in September 2024 and now owns over 40 Labubu dolls worth $2,500 and almost 200 Sonny Angels, which cost $3,000.

He funds his collection by having the "disposable income" from his job as a creative director. "

Sonny Angels, admired by pop royalty Rihanna and Dua Lipa, can be attached to phones and laptops.

Juan uses the dolls to enhance his outfits but also displays them in glass cases in his room.

Juan, from Houston, Texas, USA, said: "I'm a part of discussion forums and came across Labubu dolls and fell in love with it. "

"And here we are."



"I have a whole collection, because I'm able to put them on my bag - they're really cute and just adorable. "

"In Pokemon, you're hunting for it, you catch it, it's yours."



"Labubu and Sonny Angels are similar. "

"You hunt for it, keep track of the website and TikTok because they're in really high demand. "

"Luckily, I have the disposable income to pour towards my hobby. "

Juan's obsession with the Labubu's comes from his love of dressing up and owning "unique" bags."



He said: "I love getting bags that aren't your traditional tote bags, anything that tells you a little bit more of my personality. "

"It's another way to accessorise it and give it little charms."



As well as using the dolls as a way to enhance an outfit, he also enjoys displaying them in his room.



He said: "I put them in clear cases and they're the first thing you see when you walk in. "

"So they kind of greet you and I can have them in fun little poses."



"I think a lot of my friends are fascinated. The dolls match my personality. I like standing out."



"And so when I first got them I was showing my co-workers, and at first they just thought 'oh that's cute'."

"And when it really became popular, they would say 'oh you have those! You were an early adapter'."

The limited edition Labubu dolls can be around $40, and would come with "clothes or little attachments on them."



Juan's most expensive purchase was for $279 on a white "zimomo" - which is a larger character in the Labubu universe."

He has also spent $179 on a brown "zimomo", which can sometimes resell for nearly $600. "

Juan isn't ashamed of his collection and is "very much an open book" about how much he has spent."



He said: "Because I'm surrounded by a really supportive environment, friend-wise at work, I don't ever feel the need to hide myself at anything. "

"I'm a true believer in being yourself."

In the rise of this trend, fakes dubbed Lafufu's have appeared onto the market but as a serious collector Juan can "immediately spot them". "

He said: "They just look off, like their eyes look weird, their shape is not as it should be."

His advice is to look up the best strategies and the best times to get your hands on the trinkets.



The craze has sparked up controversy as people on social media claim this is feeding into over consumption and buying things deemed unnecessary.



In response to this, Juan "doesn't take offence" because he is "serious" about his passion. "

He said: "I can see how that narrative might be true for someone who might be just chasing a trend, who isn't really passionate about it. "

"I do see online comments saying this is over consumption and you're impacting the environment. "

"I'm just like, well I'm keeping my things, and if anything, they also retain value over time." "

Juan "definitely" wants to continue growing his collection in the future and is excited to see what new series will come out next."