Chinese Shoppers Go Crazy for KAWS x Uniqlo UT Collaborative Collection
After limited-edition cat claw mug in Starbucks, the Kaws x Uniqlo T-shirt is yet another product that made shoppers go crazy.
A video went viral online, depicting a bunch of Chinese shoppers try to squeeze into Uniqlo stores in a mall even before the shutter door is rolled up. They went grabbing shirts off of racks and mannequins, the craziness of the scene resembles a zombie movie. Some even got into huge fight for failing to get one. Why ordinary shoppers discard their basic decency for a pack of 99 yuan ($14) shirts?
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Needless to say, the Uniqlo shirt is fine in design and quality, and looks very unique with the cross-eyed skull pattern on the front. Kaws, original name Brian Donnelly, is a renowned American street artist and designer who started his career back in the 1990s. Over the years the cross-eyed skull character has become a symbol of fashion and style, and young generations became obsessed with it because of the underlying American popular culture it represent. This is yet the sixth time that the Japanese fashion brand collaborated with the street artist. In the past five seasons, apart from this time, collaborative collections between Uniqlo and Snoopy and Sesame street have all caused huge stir both online and offline.
On Mar. 31 before the series is released, Kaws sent a twitter saying “I really hope you enjoy it because I have decided this collection with UT will be my last.” The remarks is seen as a teaser for the hunger marketing. The collection was launched in China and America at the same time on June 3, even four days before Japan. At the same time, the online official store in China announced that between June 3rd and 9th, buyers are allowed to buy two of the designated KAWS products per ID. Mind here it’s a designated product, while during this period, every buyer of the collaborative T-shirt will be given a KAWS x UT paper bag. Just a few minutes after the sale started, all online storage had been sold out.
Featured photo credit to Uniqlo
