KAWS to Push ‘Art for All’ as UNIQLO’s First Artist-in-Residence

American artist and designer Brian Donnelly, better known as KAWS, is taking his partnership with UNIQLO to the next level. The street popPopShort for popular music, a broad genre built on catchy melodies, clear hooks, and polished production that aims to reach a wide audience. Pop constantly borrows from other styles, andGo to Pop Glossary art icon has been named the brand’s first-ever artist in residence, marking a milestone that could push his reach further into global museums and the retail giant’s hundreds of stores.

In this new role, KAWS will help UNIQLO expand its “Art for All” philosophy by curating art events worldwide and working closely with the brand’s museum partners. He will also contribute to the development of new LifeWear products, with the first collection set to arrive in Fall/Winter 2025.

“I am thrilled to be taking this next step with my longtime partner UNIQLO to become the brand’s first Artist in Residence,” Donnelly said in the statement. “In this role, I hope to tap into the art community and global creatives to curate the next generation of UNIQLO collaborators. I am looking forward to working on exciting new kinds of LifeWear.”

The collaboration adds to KAWS’ reputation for embedding his work everywhere — from Clipse’s Let God Sort ’Em Out album cover this year to appearances with K-popK-popSouth Korean pop music, known for polished production, precise choreography, and highly organized fan communities. With a massive following in the Philippines, K-pop shapes fan culture, concerts, and fashion, andGo to K-pop Glossary idols like J-Hope. His beginnings in New York street art, defacing ads with his cross-eyed characters, eventually snowballed into a cult following. Early toys he designed with Japanese brand Bounty Hunter in the late ‘90s retailed for under $100 but now fetch prices ten times higher on resale.

KAWS and UNIQLO first teamed up in 2016 for Uniqlo’s graphic tee line UT with a Sesame Street-themed collection, which sold out globally and solidified their partnership. Nearly a decade later, the artist’s residency signals how UNIQLO is betting on art-driven collaborations — not just as merchandise, but as cultural events with worldwide reach.

Elijah Pareño

Music Writer

Elijah Pareño is the Music Writer of Rolling Stone Philippines. He writes daily music news, features, reviews, and radar stories of the website.

In addition to music writing, Pareño has written about the behind-the-scenes writers and producers from the P-pop scene, interviewed hip-hop artists like Shanti Dope and Zae, and featured up-and-coming artists for the Music Forecast 2026. Aside from music, Pareño has written about the state of affairs that affects pop culture. He wrote a movie review for 'Mortal Kombat II' and reported and interviewed photojournalists at the September 21, 2025 protests in Luneta and Mendiola.

Prior to working in Rolling Stone Philippines, Pareño was a freelance writer for 3 years and independent live music promoter

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