Plus, explaining the Labubu phenomenon |
When K-pop star Lisa from Blackpink casually flaunted a Labubu keychain on her bag in early 2024, she likely had no idea of the phenomenon it would soon become. In the year and a half since Lisa’s Labubu outing, the mischievous plush elf from Pop Mart has turned into a cultural and commercial juggernaut, doubling Pop Mart’s 2024 revenue and appearing on the bags of stars like Rihanna, Dua Lipa, Madonna and more.
Chances are good you’ve seen Labubus (and chatter about these creatures) on social media and out in the wild… or maybe you also own one? My colleagues on the Forbes breaking news desk reported earlier this summer that “the hashtag #labubu has been used in 32,000 TikTok posts over the past week in the United States alone and in more than 1 million posts overall.”
That was in early June. This week, those same colleagues reported on “a limited edition collaboration” between Vans (the popular shoe brand) and Labubu that could “sell for five figures on the secondary market as an eBay auction for the doll creeps toward the $10,000 mark.”
Five figures! My Beanie Baby-collecting younger self is beside herself with jealousy… but the Pop Mart founder, Wang Ning, is laughing all the way to the bank.
Cheers!
Maggie |
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| Michelle Xia gained experience at U.S. pharmaceutical firms before launching her own biotech company back home in China. In a trial last year, the firm’s cancer drug outperformed the world’s best seller—and its surging stock just made her a billionaire. With a $1.2 billion fortune, based on her and her family’s 8.5% stake in the company, Akeso (named for a Greek goddess of healing), Forbes estimates she is one of just nine Chinese women billionaires in healthcare (including two who inherited their fortunes)–-and one of 13 self-made female billionaires in healthcare globally. |
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ICYMI: Stories From The Week |
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We talk a lot about the sectors of work in which women are underrepresented, but did you know that women make up a majority of tipped waitstaff and bartending staff in the U.S.? And this week, we at Forbes released the first episode of a new video series hosted by one of the nation’s top mixologists (of any gender), Pam Wiznitzer. In this first episode, Pam demystifies America's #1 drink, the Margarita, and she also interviews Indian Matchmaking" star Aparna Shewakramani. Check out the full episode here!
While some reviews hail it the “best show on Netflix,” an extensive press rollout that included a feature in The New York Times and hype around show creator Lena Dunham’s much-talked-about return to television, her new show, “Too Much,” didn’t take off on Netflix during its debut week.
Ons Jabeur, two-time Wimbledon runner-up, posted on X that she is taking a break from tennis. She said she’s no longer happy playing the sport and it’s time to put herself first.
Adelita Grijalva secured the Democratic nomination this week for Arizona’s 7th Congressional District special election to fill the vacancy created by her father’s death. If successful in September, she will become the first Latina to represent Arizona in Congress and will bump Latina representation in Congress to an all-time high, according to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. |
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 | 1. Switch up your work-from-home set-up. Physical clutter and visual distractions can drive stress, reduce focus and lead to emotional exhaustion. If you’re feeling burned out in spite of a hybrid or virtual work structure that helps you avoid the drain of commuting, here’s how to revamp your home office with wellbeing in mind. |
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| 3. Job search without losing your mind—or motivation. The emotional toll of looking for a new gig is real. There’s the ghosting, the automated email rejections seven minutes after you hit “submit” on your application, and the five rounds of interviews only to be told that the position went to an internal candidate. Here’s how to buttress your sense of resilience. |
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| | Michelle and Barack Obama joked about the latest round of divorce rumors in a joint podcast appearance this week, with the former first lady shutting down speculation that their 32-year marriage was on the rocks. What has Michelle previously attributed divorce rumors to? | | A. | Her candid statements on struggles when their children were young | | B. | That she keeps a schedule separate from her husband’s | | C. | Speculation that she may run for president | | D. | Changes to her physical appearance thanks to a new workout routine |
| | Check if you got it right here. |
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| Join today’s most influential women at the 2025 Forbes Power Women’s Summit on September 10. This year’s event will feature Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx & Sneex, Susie Wolff, managing director of F1 Academy, Lucy Guo, founder and CEO of Passes, and more! Be in the room where leaders are shaping the future of business, culture and innovation. Learn more here. |
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