UNIQLO’s collaboration with pop artist KAWS available in S’pore next month

Singapore – Fans of renowned pop artist KAWS will now be able to wear his art. Tapped by UT (UNIQLO T-shirt) creative director NIGO, the influential Brooklyn-based street artist known for his appropriation of iconic characters from popular culture and comic books has teamed up with Japanese lifestyle brand UNIQLO to collaborate on its latest UT collection.

This comes just days after UNIQLO unveiled its new flagship store in Singapore.

A fusion of fashion and pop culture, the KAWS UT collection comprises 12 designs and will feature original artwork from the artist-toymaker. Augmenting the centerpiecem, Companion - his most famous character - are his beloved heart and cloud motifs.

Both NIGO and KAWS devoted particular consideration to all elements of the line, starting from the design, right down to the fabric and prints. The result? A collection that features UTs completely covered with graphics, each reflecting meticulous attention to detail like the subtle application of KAWS’ signature mark on the left sleeve and the chest area.

KAWS whose real name is Brian Donnelly, is legendary in the street art world, gaining recognition as a graffiti provocateur in the 1990s when he modified ads on the sides of phone booths in New York while studying illustration at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan in the early 1990s. Within the Pop Art tradition, he has created a prolific body of influential work which straddles the worlds of art and design to include painting, sculpture, graphic designs, toys and prints. KAWS currently has a solo exhibition, “ALONG THE WAY” at the Brooklyn Museum, and a major exhibition at England’s Yorkshire Sculpture Park, while a survey exhibition of his work will open at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth later this year.

Items in the KAWS UT collection will be priced between S$14.90 to S$19.90 and will be available at all UNIQLO stores and online from April 25. The room shoes will be available exclusively at the Suntec City store and online.