Louise McGettrick and the monsters with human teeth
It was meant to be a joke for her husband. It became a global brand of plush monsters that either repel you or hook you instantly.
In 2010 the British artist Louise McGettrick was looking for a gift for her husband and fell down an eBay rabbit hole. At the bottom of it: an auction for a little bag of dentures. The idea of sewing human teeth into a teddy bear struck her as so absurd that she had to do it. Her husband was horrified — for Louise, that was a sign she was on the right track. And so Fugglers were born, “Funny Ugly Monsters”: plush monsters with human teeth, button eyes and the personality of a troublesome friend you can't help but love.
From Etsy to Spin Master
McGettrick began selling handmade Fugglers on Etsy — no business plan, no marketing, with an advertising budget of exactly 25 pounds spent on an ad in a local paper that brought in no sales at all. And yet the Fugglers grew. In 2018 the Canadian giant Spin Master bought the rights to the brand, in 2021 the licence passed to Britain's Addo Play, and today global distribution is handled by Libertas Brands.
At the heart of every Fuggler is a set of realistic human teeth — its definition and its soul. The original handmade versions had real dentures; today high-quality artificial teeth are used, but the effect is the same. The company claims, incidentally, that Fugglers steal teeth from innocent victims — so watch your back.
Anti-cute as a philosophy
Fuggler is an answer to a world oversaturated with sweetness. While other brands race to be adorable, McGettrick went in exactly the opposite direction. The result is “ugly cute” — ugliness so consistent and so full of humour that it becomes irresistibly appealing. The Fuggler phenomenon proves that aesthetic discomfort can be every bit as addictive as kawaii.
Her husband was horrified. The rest of the world was delighted. That's exactly how the best things come about.
Series and collaborations
Under Spin Master's wing, Fugglers entered pop culture: Jaws (50th anniversary), The Lord of the Rings, Gremlins, DC, SpongeBob, the Ninja Turtles. Every collaboration keeps the same DNA — a monster with teeth that ruins your life deliberately and with charm.
The whole Fuggler collection is waiting here — teeth included.
See the collection →Follow: Instagram · fuggler.com · Louise's Etsy