Uniqlo unveils Billie Eilish and Takashi Murakami collection; online launch date set for May 25

By

Godfrey Deeny

Published
May 19, 2020

Giant global retailer Uniqlo has unveiled the first images of the Billie Eilish and Takashi Murakami collab collection. Its retail launch date, beginning on the the group’s online store, is May 25.

 
Featuring bold illustrations throughout, the collaboration between global pop star Eilish and Japan’s most famous contemporary artist Murakami is a unique blend of their two artistic visions. The link-up has been named Billie Eilish x Murakami UT, where UT denotes Uniqlo's special T-shirt collections.
 
Among the Billie Eilish x Murakami UT’s highlights are mashed-up compositions that combine Eilish’s symbol, Blohsh, and Murakami’s faux naive flowers. Designs also include a collage of Eilish’s photos, a sketch taken from her music video and a UT-original Billie Eilish logo. 

Eilish apparently became friends with Murakami after they messaged each other on Instagram. The pair jointly created the music video for the award-winning singer’s song You Should See Me in a Crown in 2019. That same video has attracted more than 68 million views on YouTube. 

"Billie Eilish x Takashi Murakami. Two of the most influential global creators come together as a new expression of art for all,” enthused John C Jay, President of Global Creative for Uniqlo, in a release.
 
Singer, songwriter and artist, the 18-year old Eilish is a global phenomenon. Her debut album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? was the best-selling album in the United States in 2019, helping the Los Angeles-born talent to win a remarkable five Grammys.
 
Murakami’s work has been featured in major galleries and museums worldwide, while his collaboration with Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton is regarded as a paradigm moment in luxury. 

Uniqlo is Japan's leading specialty retailer, with some 2,200 stores in 25 markets.