KAWS has become UNIQLO’s first Artist in Residence, extending a partnership that began in 2016. The role will see the New York artist curate art events in flagship stores worldwide, collaborate with museum partners including MoMA, Tate Modern and the Louvre, and shape future LifeWear collections. His first drop is due Fall/Winter 2025.
Over the years, UNIQLO and KAWS have delivered hit UT collections—from KAWS × Peanuts and Sesame Street to KAWS TOKYO FIRST and last year’s KAWS + Warhol. His signature cross-eyed Companion, as at home in the Brooklyn Museum lobby as on a T-shirt, remains central to the collaboration.
“I am thrilled to be taking this next step with my longtime partner UNIQLO,”
KAWS said, noting his aim to connect with global creatives and shape the brand’s next generation of collaborators.
For UNIQLO, the appointment marks a shift from graphic tee collaborations to embedding contemporary art more fully into its LifeWear vision.
