The Jellycat Craze
Jellycat’s popularity has been at an all-time high in its 25 years of existence. Originating in London, their good quality, super-soft fur, and pleasing designs are the things that put them on the map. Primarily a word-of-mouth brand for most of its history, the stuffed animal brand has only taken off widely in the last few years and didn’t even have social media until about a year ago. According to their website, “Our unmistakable characters have gained the affection of millions – and center stage in many of the most prestigious stores across 77 countries.” Many stores have even put a limit on the amount of Jellycats customers can purchase at a time, and are consistently out of stock, which may be seen as surprising due to their high price. The popular stuffed animals can be found for $30, with their small keychains being priced at around $18 and some of the more popular and larger plushies costing over $120. From baguettes to dinosaurs, lionfish to flowerpots, the world of Jellycats is simply unlike any other plush brand I have seen. A big attraction of the brand is the fact that stores keep them on the cutest displays. Their popularity has even gone so far as to have a Jellycat “café” in New York City where they “cook you” a stuffed animal right in front of your eyes; many wait over two hours to get inside! I have two Jellycats and love both of them—I have been taken by the trend. I am not too mad about it, as they seem to be the type of stuffed animals that will be passed down to your kids. I can only wonder if Jellycat is the brand that is going togonna be rare collectibles when I am older; will Jellycats be the beanie babies of Gen Z?