TheUnofficial
Kaws story
early opportunity
The origin of an iconic figure
Rebellious Curiosity
Break the rules to stand out
Frugal for growth
Find opportunities from nothing
Not so original
Build on what's already created
Skin in the game
Invest in yourself
Create leverage
Ditch middle man
The origin of an iconic figure
Donnelly began gaining professional steam as a background painter on Disney’s 101 Dalmations and cult shows Daria and Doug.
Break the rules to stand out
Donnelly moved on from a simple tag and developed a unique style that involved adding cartoon-like figures to bus-shelter advertisements.
Find opportunities from nothing
Donnelly traded a painting for a trip to Japan after being approached by Bounty Hunter, a cult toy and streetwear brand.
Build on what's already created
Donnelly built characters based on beloved Sesame Street and used similar features to Disney characters in his work.
Invest in yourself
Donnelly took payment in stock of toys for his initial venture. The COMPANION became a recurring figure in KAWS' work, appearing in subsequent collections of toys, apparel, and paintings.
Ditch middle man
Donnelly moved his store onto his own platform, shipping direct to the customer. This let him maintain ownership over his work & business.
Early ( ) opportunity
Rebellious ( ) curiosity
Frugal ( ) for growth
Not so ( ) original
Skin in ( ) the game
Create ( ) Leverage
We still have ( ) missing pieces of the ( ) story. Hopefully these videos can fill in the ( ) gaps.
Not top secret
(4)
Sources
Complex
Video
How KAWS Became the Face Of Contemporary Art | Blueprint
Bloomberg
Video
The Evolution of KAWS' Street Art Aesthetic | Brilliant Ideas Ep. 29
Reserve Channel
Video
Pharrell Williams Interviews David Salle & KAWS | ARTST TLK Ep. 2 Full | Reserve Channel
Hypebeast
Video
KAWS x i-D Magazine Video Interview
