Since WWII there have been many different crazes and must-have toys that any parent valuing their sanity has had to buy. In the last 15 years however a new trend has come on to the market, one that appeals solely to adults; the collectible resin or vinyl toy.
These designer toys are usually created by artists with a background in graphic design or illustration and as a result are highly stylized and more design conscious than other toys and figurines. Unsurprisingly these almost painfully cool toys arose in Hong kong, and have a strong japanese influence in their design. Simplified human and animal forms make up the body and head of these toys, similar to japanese manga and anime characters and are highly rounded, making them look cute, cuddly and highly tactile.
As with the best crazes their commercial success lies in the fact that they are very collectible. Companies are able to produce many different toys from the same mould, and ask different designers to customise the same toy so that consumers can buy many versions of the same toy. The more prestigious or popular the designer, the rarer, therefore more sort- after the toy.
More recently by selling toys which are blank, companies are allowing individuals to produce their own customs designs, furthering the design appeal of these toys.
Designer Ed Lewis customised these Munny toys by Kidrobot to intergrate speakers into their face.
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