Special Feature - Loyal Subjects

We built this city…

Toy World caught up with Jonathan Cathey, CEO and founder of The Loyal Subjects, to hear why he believes that Toy City is the next big collectible brand to come out of the Asian market.

Can you tell us about the Toy City brand’s origins in the Asian market?

Toy City is part-owned by a leading manufacturer in Dongguan which been a core supplier for Pop Mart and had therefore seen the explosion of Pop Mart’s products in the domestic Chinese market. The lifestyle/toy/collectibles scene first started to develop in China over a decade ago, when some of the cool brands first sprung up. Young Chinese pop culture enthusiasts started to embrace the ‘art toy/designer vinyl’ scene which had been a lifestyle component of the US toys/collectibles market since early 2000's. American pop surrealist and graffiti artists started flying over to Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing, helping with art installations, pop culture events and big toy statue installations at some of China's top malls. This spurred a collector/lifestyle culture fuelled by speculation, FOMO and the thrill of participating in an underground, subversive art/culture community. Toy City's owners started launching their ideas into the market; cool, cute, weird, collectible, inspirational, design and art forward - unveiling their concepts at pop culture conventions, gatherings and pop-up stores. The brand quickly became known as one of the leading players by the pop culture gurus.  

What is it about the brand that appeals to consumers?

What separates Toy City from the trend followers jumping on the Labubu explosion is simple - authenticity. Toy City is a pivotal player in the underground collecting scene – it sold more than 10m Laura figures last year. Laura is an inspirational character created by Toy City; she’s the unofficial mascot of Shipai Town in Dongguan, a mascot for the Guangdong Dragons professional basketball team and a lifestyle accoutrement throughout China. To sell that many figures, you have to be the real deal; the expression has to be honest and the fandom has to be real. It's a genuine traded brand with real fans, not an imitation.

Which characters from the Toy City brand will you initially be focusing on for your toy range?

Initially we’ll be focusing on Laura, Mr. Pa and Monboo. Laura is an inspirational character – a fashion and lifestyle icon, aspirational, esoteric, lovely, elegant and mysterious. Mr. Pa is like Homer Simpson (if Homer Simpson was a Panda Bear) - the bumbling, clumsy dad who goes above and beyond for all, with little appreciation. Loveable, cute and kind, Mr. Pa is presented in all sorts of themes: farmer, cook, fast food connoisseur, fortunes and good luck. Meanwhile, Monboo is a mischievous little boy, a candy expert, role player and at one with the animal kingdom.

What are your plans for the US retail launch this autumn and the international rollout in ‘26?

We'll have a great offering at New York Comic Con, where I am sure we’ll sell out of everything, as we will have extremely limited quantities available. We're also seeding product to our specialty retail partners just in time for the holiday season. Come spring, we will have a large scale roll out at mass retail and at other great retailers like Meijer.

International is shaping up; our EU partner has already been chasing to ask how quickly they can get their hands on Toy City. Our International Sales team is having substantive conversations with all our distributors, and more will no doubt take shape in the next couple weeks. There's definitely a buzz brewing.

How will you be showcasing the brand in LA this September?

In terms of LA Previews, we aim to setup like Toy City does in China - curated and branded immersive displays, showcasing the characters and worlds they inhabit. It's all about the characters coming to life, which is so important, then the rush of unsealing blind boxes in the hope of scoring a rare item. We're going to play out the whole experience for our customers: the designs, the colours, the textures, the treatments, unzipping the lids to find a foil bag, ripping the corners of the foil bag to peek inside - I get excited just thinking about it. Toy City is ready for its Hollywood debut at Spaces in El Segundo.

What are the aspirations for the Toy City range – how big do you think it can be?

We believe that Toy City has unlimited potential. Toy City has a raison d'etre, because these are fantastic characters in relatable worlds with relatable themes, which inspire consumers to be a part of their journey. The ownership group is creative, caring and competitive. The talent at the heart of the business is dynamic and the art is top notch; I believe Toy City certainly has the potential to stick around for a long time. The company understands collectors, understands lifestyle and is able to allocate supply to make the chase fun. Toy City will be opening 100 stores in South-East Asia in the next 12 months - they're certainly not playing around.