If you do have a Labubu and want to glamorize it, you can now give it the ultimate makeover. Yes, some serious fans are lining up to give their plushies an ink-jection of personality right here in SoFlo. A local tattoo artist is behind this edgy movement is letting Deco in on the tiny tat trend.
Labubus are a rare find, and personalizing them is one way collectors are poking holes at tradition.
Tattoo artist Jonathan Martin is taking body art to an unexpected place. He’s now inking these fierce-looking plushies.
Jonathan Martin, tattoo artist: “It’s very nerve-wrecking because one, they’re really hard to get and some people are paying a real premium for these things.”
His wide-eyed journey started and continues inside the third floor of ‘Julia’s and Henry’s in Downtown Miami.
Jonathan Martin, tattoo artist: “Labubu’s are a big trend right now and it’s getting to the point where a lot of people have them and this is a way that you could kind of customize it and make it your own and have it stand apart from everybody else’s. I have people that are coming out and waiting an hour, two hours, three hours sometimes.”
And the tat process on these pop-mart monsters is the same as on a human.
Jonathan Martin: “They don’t move as much though, which is great. The surface is definitely very different from tattooing actual skin. But actually embeds the ink into the vinyl, where if you were to do a Sharpie, it’s just going to be on the surface. The finish is very different if you were going to do it with just a marker.”
Lafufu’s are welcome.
Jonathan Martin: “Typically, the Lafufu’s that you see more often, their material on the face is very different. It still takes the ink and it still works, but the needles tend to kind of tear at that material a little bit more than it would on the hard vinyl that’s on the authentic Labubu face.”
Prices start at $12.
Jonathan Martin: “Flash pieces, so whether a couple of stars or font types or barb wire and then people select from those usually. Depending on what’s being done, it could be anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes.”
Details to make it a true limited edition.
Jonathan Martin: “It also gives people the opportunity to personalize it and put their own little twist on it.”
You can catch Jonathan at Playthings Miami on Saturday and Jolly Ice Parlor in Hollywood on Sunday.
FOR MORE INFO:
Jonathan Martin
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Playthings Miami
9250 SW 40th St, Miami, FL 33165
Website
Jolly Ice Parlor
6103 Hollywood Blvd Suite A, Hollywood, FL 33024
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