Plushies Are the Freakier Trend Gen Z is Dumping Bag Charms For

The first time I stepped outside with a freaky little gremlin stuffed animal on my Louis Vuitton Speedy handbag, I got a double-take from my millennial sister. She was already on-board with two other odd-ball Gen Z trends I introduced her to a few months back—Sonny Angels and Miffy—but she couldn’t fully understand why I, a 26-year-old teenage girl, chose to willingly put a Pop Mart Labubu on my bag.

Enter, the newest fashion litmus test diving Gen Z and millennials: handbag plushie charms. Thanks to TikTok, these nostalgic, furry creatures are being clipped onto the designer bags of nearly every sub-27 stylish person you know. From Khaite to Prada, no bag is too fancy for Labubus, Monchhichi, or Sanrio characters. Unlike funky, eclectic bag charms, handbag plushies are rooted in childike wonder rather than a desire to be inherently individualistic. Granted, Gen Z might have a slight superiority complex (guilty as charged!) when it comes to their hot fashion takes, but plushie charms are the one collective accessory we can all get behind. Frankly, they’re cute and make us feel like kids again. No need to be an adult and do taxes—just throw a Hello Kitty plushie bag charm on your tote bag and head out the door.

Plushies aren’t just a Gen Z thing. Our favorite celebrities are buying into the hype, too. Style mogul and multi-hyphenate, Rihanna, stepped out to run some errands while wearing a Labubu bag charm while Ayo Edebiri posted her full ‘fit featuring a black designer bucket bag and a clip-on plushie with a dog in a hat. Who can forget BlackPink singer Lisa, who’s been vocal about her plushie obsession for a minute, pairing her Labubu bag charms on her Khaite Elena Bag and Louis Vuiton monogram speedy. Celebs, they’re just like us.

The plushie charm trend isn’t just about adding a little quirk to your bag; it’s about leaning into the nostalgia of simpler times. For Gen Z, growing up surrounded by the early days of the internet, cartoons, and plenty of oversized, colorful stuffed animals, these plushie charms hit all the right notes. It’s like wearing a badge of innocence in a world that often feels too serious. Whether it’s the familiar face of a Sanrio character or the slightly sinister grin of a Pop Mart Labubu, these mini creatures are a tongue-in-cheek reminder of the days when our biggest decision was which cartoon character we’d try to be for Halloween. Suddenly, in the midst of deadlines and existential crises, that playful whimsy feels like a welcome escape.

There’s something about the juxtaposition of high fashion and plushie innocence that just works. These plushie charms on luxury bags are not only a way to make a statement—they also soften the edgier, more polished sides of luxury fashion. It’s almost as if, by adding a little plushie friend, your bag becomes a bit more approachable, a little less intimidating. You don’t have to take yourself so seriously when you’ve got a tiny, cheerful Labubu dangling from your arm. This trend proves that sometimes, the best way to look stylish is by having fun with your accessories—and who doesn’t want to carry a little joy with them, one plushie at a time?

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