KAWS, aka Brian Donnelly, is the American contemporary artist who took the designer toy from skate subculture to luxury gallery in 25 years. His Companion with X-eyes has become one of the most iconic figures of post-2000 pop art, exhibited from MoMA to Fondation Louis Vuitton. At MTHOR Shop, find KAWS collector pieces — Companion, BFF, Holiday, Chum, Accomplice, Bendy, Dissected, Small Lie, OriginalFake skateboards and Bearbrick, Air Jordan, Dior, Uniqlo collabs — every piece authenticated and shipped Europe-wide in 2 to 8 business days, with 4x interest-free payment via Klarna or Scalapay.

KAWS: 25 years of Companion and globalized pop art

Brian Donnelly was born in 1974 in New Jersey and started his career tagging Calvin Klein and Diesel billboards in Manhattan in the 90s. His visual language — superimposing X-eyes and a deformed skull on cartoon characters (Mickey, Snoopy, SpongeBob, Smurfs) — made his underground signature. In 1999, he sculpted the first Companion for Bounty Hunter Tokyo, an 8-inch vinyl format released in 500 copies. This figure became the DNA of all his future work, declined in wood, bronze, plastic, inflatable, in formats from 12 cm to 12 meters (the floating Holiday Hong Kong of 2019).

In 2006, KAWS founded the OriginalFake brand in Tokyo (with Medicom) — a boutique-gallery distributing his figures and apparel until 2013. His prices exploded from 2017 with his "Where the End Starts" retrospective at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, then his Air Jordan IV collab (Black, Grey 2017) reaching $1,500 retail and over $4,000 secondary. His paintings reached $14.7 million at Sotheby's in 2019 (The KAWS Album, parody of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper). Today, KAWS exhibits simultaneously at the Brooklyn Museum, Galerie Perrotin, Skarstedt Gallery and Acquavella Galleries.

The story of an icon: Companion, BFF, Holiday and Original Fake

KAWS' work revolves around recurring signature characters. First, Companion (1999) — the mutant Mickey Mouse with X-eyes, declined in Original (gray-black-white), Brown, Pink Dissected (open anatomy), Resting Companion, Together, Born to Bend versions. Second, BFF (2017) — floating purple plush. Third, Holiday Series — giant inflatable sculptures installed in iconic global locations (Hong Kong harbor 2019, Mount Fuji 2019, Singapore 2021, Indonesia 2022, Taipei 2022, UK Wales 2024) with miniature versions sold as collectibles. Fourth, Chum (Michelin Bibendum legacy), Accomplice (pink rabbit), Bendy, Small Lie — each with their Mega 4-foot and collab cycle.

Major collabs: Bearbrick x KAWS (Companion 100% / 400% / 1000% Original Fake, Companion Reissue 2024, Holiday Multi), Air Jordan IV x KAWS (Black, Grey 2017), Air Jordan I x KAWS (2025 sample), Vans x KAWS, Dior x KAWS (BFF 2018), Uniqlo x KAWS UT (multiple drops 2016-2024), Snoopy x KAWS, Sesame Street x KAWS (2018), Peanuts x KAWS, Sacai x KAWS, Travis Scott x KAWS, Daniel Arsham, Reebok x KAWS x Atmos, BAPE x KAWS Baby Milo, Comme des Garçons. On the skateboard side, OriginalFake decks signed by KAWS are tier S collectors on the secondary market.

A visual signature recognizable among all

Three elements make a KAWS piece instantly identifiable. First, the X-eyes — absolute signature marker on all KAWS works, present on all signature characters and graphics. Second, the KAWS palette — saturated bright colors (Pink, Brown, Original Grey) and signature Dissected (with visible organs), Resting (lying), Together (pair). Third, the Medicom Toy / OriginalFake packaging — for figurines, premium cardboard box with hot stamp, "KAWS ©" copyright engraved on the base, numbered certificate for limited editions. For Holiday miniature inflatables, sealed plastic packaging with authenticity sticker.

To distinguish an authentic KAWS: paint is uniform, the "KAWS ©" copyright is engraved in relief on the base or leg, packaging carries a Medicom hot stamp + holographic sticker. Counterfeits often miss the precision of X-eyes (often misaligned or inconsistent size) or internal molding (inconsistent weight, visible joints).

The iconic models in the collection

Our selection covers Companion classics, Holidays, major collabs and apparel:

• Companion classics: Companion 1999 OG, Resting Companion, Together, Born to Bend, Pink Dissected, Brown Dissected, Grey Dissected, Black Companion, Grey Companion.
• Holiday Series: Holiday Hong Kong (2019), Holiday Japan Mount Fuji (2019), Holiday Singapore (2021), Holiday Indonesia (2022), Holiday Taipei (2022), Holiday UK Wales (2024) — collector miniature versions.
• BFF: Plush Pink Purple Sesame Street, BFF Vinyl Black Grey, BFF Dior Pink (2018).
• Chum, Accomplice, Bendy, Small Lie: all 100% / 400% / 1000% formats available in OriginalFake and Medicom collabs.
• Bearbrick x KAWS: Companion 1000% Original Fake (Grey, Brown, Black), Companion Reissue 2024, Chompers, Holiday Multi.
• Air Jordan x KAWS: Air Jordan IV Black KAWS (2017), Air Jordan IV Grey KAWS (2017).
• Apparel collabs: Uniqlo UT KAWS (multiple drops), Dior x KAWS BFF, Sacai x KAWS, Comme des Garçons x KAWS.
• OriginalFake skateboards: Decks signed by KAWS via Medicom Toy.

Why buy your KAWS at MTHOR Shop

MTHOR Shop specializes in authenticated premium designer toys and collector art. Every KAWS piece we ship goes through a strict verification protocol: UV inspection of Medicom / OriginalFake packaging, verification of the engraved "KAWS ©" copyright and numbered certificate, microscope observation of X-eyes, molding and paint, weight comparison with manufacturer references, authentication seal before packaging. The piece arrives in its original packaging, sealed if new, with MTHOR certificate.

For shipping, you receive your order in 2 to 8 business days anywhere in Europe via DHL Express or Chronopost, with mandatory signature on delivery. Customs fees are covered by MTHOR Shop for all EU shipments. You have 14 days to make a return if the piece doesn't meet your expectations. 4x interest-free payment via Klarna or Scalapay is available right at checkout without complications. Our French customer service is available Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm to support you before and after your purchase.

FAQ — KAWS

1. How can I verify the authenticity of a KAWS piece?
On an authentic piece, the "KAWS ©" copyright is engraved on the base or leg, X-eyes are perfectly aligned and consistent in size, the packaging carries a Medicom Toy or OriginalFake hot stamp and holographic sticker, and weight matches the format. For limited editions, the official serial number is on the certificate and sometimes on the bottom of the base. All KAWS sold on MTHOR Shop are authenticated via UV lamp, microscope and reference comparison before sealed shipment.

2. What's the difference between Companion, BFF, Holiday and Chum?
Companion (1999) is the signature character with X-eyes, plastic figurine format. BFF (2017) is the floating purple plush character. Holiday Series are the giant inflatable sculptures installed in iconic global locations, declined into miniature collectibles. Chum is the KAWS-revisited Michelin Bibendum legacy, another signature character. Each has its own 100% / 400% / 1000% formats.

3. How long does MTHOR delivery take for a KAWS piece?
2 to 8 business days in Europe via DHL Express or Chronopost, mandatory signature on delivery. Customs fees are included for EU countries. A tracking notification is sent at every stage. Mega 1000% are shipped in double-packaging with ergonomic protective foam.

4. Can I pay for my KAWS in installments?
Yes, 4x interest-free payment via Klarna or Scalapay, available right at checkout without paperwork or complications. Validation conditions are to be checked directly with the payment partner.

5. What are the rarest KAWS pieces in 2026?
Bearbrick x KAWS Companion 1000% OriginalFake (Grey, Brown, Black) reach €8,000-15,000 on secondary market. Air Jordan IV x KAWS Black 2017 are at $4,000-6,000 depending on size. Holiday Hong Kong and Mount Fuji are tier 1 collectors. BFF Dior x KAWS 2018 and Companion Pink Dissected remain extremely collector. Original KAWS sculptures at Sotheby's auctions reach $14 million.

6. Do my KAWS pieces appreciate in value over time?
Yes for limited 400% and 1000% editions, and particularly Original Fake collabs and Holiday Series which generally appreciate on the secondary market after official stock expiration. Companion classics and BFF maintain their long-term value. Air Jordan IV KAWS and Bearbrick x KAWS are blue-chip pieces of the collectibles market.

Going further

Also discover our Bearbrick, Medicom, Pop Mart, and Collectibles selections. To verify a piece's authenticity, see our dedicated authentication page.