Sometimes I really think LEGO designers are just subtly flexing the versatility of the good’ol plastic bricks they have invented. You know, the same rectangular bits we used to build blocky houses, spaceships, various transportation models, are now convincingly impersonating petals, fur, and floppy ears.
Take the latest creation from LEGO. The LEGO Icons Golden Retriever Puppy (11384) is technically a pile of standard bricks—nothing stretchy, nothing rubbery, nothing that should logically pass for soft fur. And yet here we are, staring at a brick-built puppy that somehow looks like it might tilt its head if you call its name.
The LEGO Icons Golden Retriever Puppy is a full-on illusion. The shaping is clever, the curves are subtle, and the layering of elements gives it a surprisingly natural silhouette. It is unmistakably LEGO, but it also feels organic in a way that makes you pause and squint. How are flat-edged plastic bricks pulling this off? Seriously. How?
This is LEGO flexing versatility the old-fashioned way. No gimmicks. Just geometry, patience, and a deep understanding of how to turn rigid shapes into something that looks warm and alive. Perhaps this is why this 2,102-piece building kit, which costs US$139.99, sold out quickly. Last check, it is listed as temporarily out of stock. Bugger. I know.
Images: LEGO.