Presented by Ms Leisure (aka Britnay Ferguson)

Labubus have taken the world by storm; in fact, they are so popular that getting one is nearly impossible. Yet these rubber-faced art dolls aren’t entirely original. This talk explores the history of rubber-face dolls from the 1950s-60s–including those made by the Atlanta-based, female-owned Rushton Company–and examines how these creepy-cute mid-century toys paved the way for today’s Labubu craze.

Ms. Leisure is an Atlanta-based puppeteer and mid-mod enthusiast. She is a regular speaker at Dragon Con, where she weaves together narratives of pop culture, science, and history. As an active member of Atlanta’s puppetry community, Ms. Leisure has fabricated puppets for numerous productions. Her passion for puppets extends to mid-century rubber-faced dolls and their surprising connection to the modern Labubu craze.