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There’s something deeply comforting about seeing an adult walk into a toy store, not for a child, but for themselves. It’s a quiet act of rebellion, a small reclaiming of wonder in a world that so often demands cynicism. And Saylee Padwal, a 34-year-old based in Mumbai, is doing exactly that, one blind box at a time.
Toy(ing) With Love
If you’ve spent even ten minutes on Instagram and its slew of posts on designer toy culture, you’ve likely come across Labubu’s mischievous grin, the weirdness of Cry Babies, or the surprise joy of unboxing a Sonny Angel dressed as fruit. Pop Mart, the Chinese brand at the heart of this global phenomenon, has created a universe where adulting and play can exist in the same breath. For Saylee, this universe is a hobby that gives her comfort everytime she adds a new toy on the rack.
“I don’t really keep count,” she laughs, when I ask her the number of toys she owns. “Some are still in boxes because I haven’t figured out where or how to display them.” But don’t mistake this for indecision—Saylee knows exactly what she’s doing. Her collection spans across categories: from trending Pop Mart characters and gacha toys to Barbies, BT21 merch (BTS), Hatsune Miku, and Smiskis. “I think of myself as more of a collector of memories, not someone who’s obsessed with ‘completing collections’,” she tells me.
Her journey started, like many others’, in childhood. “I still remember buying a ‘Barbie Rain' or 'Barbie Sun Doll’ in 2000 with my pocket money. I must have been nine.” For Saylee, Barbie wasn’t just a toy, it was a gateway. “I wanted to be an illustrator, a fashion forecaster, a photographer. And my mom, thankfully, was quick to catch on and send me to fashion school.”
When I ask her about her most prized possession, she tells me about a “holy grail” find: the iconic Sparkle Eyes Barbie from 1991, the same one she once played with (and admittedly gave a punk makeover as a child). “I found her again on Etsy and brought her home. She’s like a piece of my childhood I’ve been reunited with.”
Saylee’s approach to collecting is equal parts thoughtful and emotional. She admits to being someone who carefully opens blind boxes (“I even post those ‘surgeries’ on Instagram”), but also finds joy in the occasional spontaneous rip—especially on bad days.
“Opening a new box is the best kind of medicine.”
One of her favourite characters is Nyota from Pop Mart—a short-haired girl with a white cat. “I’ve had ‘the Anjali haircut’ since I watched Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, and I live with two white cats. I see myself in her. She just gets it.”
Her collection, she tells me, is akin to a therapy. “My shelves, my walls, my cabinets, they’re all lined with colour and charm. Some people invest in art. I invest in Pop Mart.” The emotion is rooted in a quiet sense of healing. “Kidulting is the way to go. I don’t mind being called ‘childish’. I’m just healing my inner child.”
Naturally, she’s converted a few friends into collectors too (“I’m sure they hate me for it—it’s addictive!”). And while some might wonder about the price tags involved, Saylee is firm: “I don’t really buy and tell. You can’t put a number on something that brings you this kind of joy.”
When asked what these toys give her that adult life doesn’t, she answers with a smile, “Freedom. Colour. A kind of joy that’s mine alone. In a world that’s always rushing, they let me slow down and remember what it means to just… play.”
And if she could live inside a Pop Mart character’s world? “Labubu,” she says instantly. “Who wouldn’t want to be a Christmas ornament at Lisa Manobal’s house or hanging off Rihanna’s LV sling? I don’t even mind the gap-toothed smile, lived with one for years before braces!”
Before we wrap, I ask her to finish this sentence: “Growing up is great, but collecting toys at 34 is…”
She grins. “Even better. Because now I get to live the life little me always dreamed of.”