UNIQLO + KAWS
From Collection to Culture
Artist Collaboration / Cultural Strategy
BRAND
UNIQLO Global Creative Lab
PARTNER
KAWS
DISCIPLINE
Cultural Strategy
Brand Partnership
Creative Programming
MILESTONE
LifeWear Day 2025
MoMA, New York
Ten years of T-shirts proved the love was real. The question was: what do you do with a relationship that's outgrown the graphic tee? The most enduring brand relationships aren't transactional, they're structural. We built the architecture for UNIQLO and KAWS to grow together for the next decade.
KAWS SUMMER Collection Spring Summer ‘19
OBJECTIVE
Deepen a decade-long partnership
GCL created Around the World with Roger Federer as a platform to expand tennis through art and culture— building a bridge between the sport and the next generation of creative talent. KAWS has been part of the series since its inception, but his Artist-in-Residence title unlocked a new dimension for the franchise. For the Seoul installment, KAWS stepped into the role of curator and mentor, collaborating directly with emerging local artist Sera Yong on a site-specific tennis court. KAWS rarely works with other artists—the fact he chose to do so here, on a public stage, was a meaningful statement of support for young creatives worldwide.
APPROACH
We reimagined the collaboration from the ground up, creating UNIQLO's first-ever Artist-in-Residence program. Rather than anchoring KAWS to a seasonal drop, we designed a living partnership framework built around three pillars: community engagement through art, mentorship for emerging creatives, and original programming that tied KAWS's creative universe directly to LifeWear's ethos of design for all.
The announcement was staged at LifeWear Day 2025 at MoMA, positioning the initiative at the intersection of fashion, contemporary art, and cultural access.
KAWS x WINTER
As his inaugural project under the Artist-in-Residence program, KAWS moved beyond graphic tees into an elevated winter collection — merging his visual language with functional, tactile craft. Working in cashmere and soufflé yarn, the line marked the first time his sensibilities had been applied to considered, seasonal knitwear at this scale. GCL led the creative vision that brought this first-of-its-kind collection to life.
Artist-in-Residence x The GOAT
GCL created Around the World with Roger Federer as a platform to expand tennis through art and culture— building a bridge between the sport and the next generation of creative talent. KAWS has been part of the series since its inception, but his Artist-in-Residence title unlocked a new dimension for the franchise. For the Seoul installment, KAWS stepped into the role of curator and mentor, collaborating directly with emerging local artist Sera Yong on a site-specific tennis court. KAWS rarely works with other artists—the fact he chose to do so here, on a public stage, was a meaningful statement of support for young creatives worldwide.
Outcome
The Artist-in-Residence announcement reframed UNIQLO's relationship with contemporary art — from collaborator to institution. It elevated the brand's standing in the global art and design conversation, opening doors to new audiences, new programming partnerships, and a more durable creative legacy. For KAWS, it provided a platform to extend his practice into global community, social good, and new, elevated product lines beyond T-shirts, like the premium cashmere KAW Winter collection . For UNIQLO, it proved that LifeWear could be a genuine creative philosophy,, not just a tagline.
Credits:
President of Global Creative: John C Jay
Creative Director: Joe Encarnacion
Art Direction: Benson Rong (Winter)
Uniqlo Global UT Marketing: Janice Szeto. Enrico “Kix” Suarez
KAWS team: Brian Donnelly, Mark Barrow
Artist Partner (Korea): Sera Yong
Accounts: Shingo Hase, Jen Gomez, Sidney Pacampara
Production: Honcho (Winter)