Article Written By: Lingjie Tuang
Other than their ankle-baring cropped pants, Uniqlo isn’t the first the place that comes to mind for the average bro to get his streetwear gear from, or cause a frenzy whenever something drops. No one’s lining up for puffer jackets, just yet.
If you’re looking for more reasons other than ‘everyone else is copping it’ to get yourself a piece of the KAWS x PEANUTS Uniqlo collection, you probably don’t have to look further to get a break down of why KAWS, otherwise known as Brian Donnelly has been a powerhouse in the modern art industry along with the likes of Jenny Holzer, Banksy and Jeff Koons. KAWS is not a businessman, he’s a business, man.
KAWS started out as a graffiti artist in Jersey City - eventually moving to NYC in the early 90s and ventured out to tastefully vandalise the likes of public infrastructures, including billboards, bus shelters and phone booths.
Toys - he didn’t come to play, he came to slay
Any variation of the phrase ‘shutting down/breaking the internet’ has been vehemently overused as a shitty marketing catchphrase for millennials at this point in time. However, KAWS really meant it when he managed to crash the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)’s website. KAWS’ 200USD collectibles, the Companion action figure ran the site down due to its overwhelming demand in May earlier this year. You could still get yours for about 300USD on ebay, though.
Ye’s stamp of approval
KAWS has also earned Ye’s stamp of approval when he was still more of a Louis Vuitton Don. This goes back to 2008 when Kanye released his critically-acclaimed album 808s & Heartbreak. The special album cover art was a commissioned piece by KAWS, featuring his signature illustrations with the crossed-out eyes. This marks another overlap in his career in mainstream music and fashion.
UNIQLO was also not the first and only platform that brought everyone’s beloved Snoopy and KAWS together. Collaborations between Peanuts and KAWS go as far back as 2013 when they featured cotton tees on OriginalFake’s webstore for a cool 75USD.
His current works with UNIQLO further solidifies his position as a streetwear messiah of sorts with the ability to democratize his designs in terms of accessibility and price points. Have you seen the amount of people with the blacked-out KAWS paper bags in malls last weekend?
Chances are, some of these Uniqlo-toting teens would eventually grow up to be his art collectors somewhere down the road.
Great, so you’ve copped your items - now it’s time to complete the look.
Pair them with a simple, paired down 6-panel cap from Pestle and Mortar Clothing:
Or if being subdued is not your what do - pair them with the NEGATIVE x Major Drop
If you’re looking for something else to help you low-key standout, these Pantun pins would work too.
