UNIQLO and KAWS Launch "KAWS UNIVERSE," a UT Collection Introducing New Characters and Debut Plush Charms
Earth, Moon and Sun figures join COMPANION across tees and sweatshirts, while KAWS’s first charms for the collaboration mark a new addition to the long-running partnership.
Summary
UNIQLO and KAWS return with KAWS UNIVERSE, a new UT collection built around the message "We are better together"
The lineup introduces new characters inspired by the Earth, Moon and Sun, appearing alongside KAWS's signature COMPANION across adult and kids' sizes
The collaboration includes plush charms for the first time, expanding the partnership beyond its established graphic apparel
UNIQLO and KAWS have launched KAWS UNIVERSE, a new UT collection that pushes the artist’s long-running relationship with the retailer into fresh territory. Built on the message “We are better together,” the collection pairs KAWS’s instantly recognizable COMPANION with a set of newly created characters and, for the first time, folds plush charms into the mix.
KAWS and UNIQLO have been collaborators for years, and the UT platform has been the vehicle for some of the most widely worn KAWS graphics in the world, translating a fine-art practice rooted in figures like COMPANION into accessible everyday apparel. KAWS UNIVERSE continues that lineage while adding to the cast. For this collection, the artist created new characters inspired by the universal motifs of the Earth, Moon and Sun, designed to read as familiar across borders, cultures and generations and to express feelings of hope, warmth and human connection.
The execution stays true to the graphic-forward approach that has defined the collaboration. T-shirts and sweatshirts carry playful graphics featuring COMPANION and the new characters, while KAWS’s distinctive “XX” motif appears through subtle detailing and embroidery rather than bold placement. The collection spans both adult and kids’ sizes, keeping with UNIQLO’s framing of the range as something for people of all ages.
The most notable expansion is the introduction of plush charms, the first time charms have featured in a KAWS collaboration with UNIQLO. Designed to embody the “We are better together” concept, the charms let wearers carry a piece of the KAWS UNIVERSE with them, extending the collection past the tees and sweatshirts that have historically anchored these drops. Speaking on the launch, KAWS said: “I’m excited to launch my next collection with UNIQLO, featuring new characters inspired by universal symbols like the Earth, Moon, and Sun—things we all live under and share—celebrating what brings us together.”
The KAWS UNIVERSE collection launches September 14 at all UNIQLO stores and online.
