KAWS x Dior: The Fashion-Art Crossover That Redefined Designer Toy Collecting
The 2019 KAWS x Dior collaboration — orchestrated by then-Dior Men's creative director Kim Jones — represented one of the most significant art-fashion crossovers in the contemporary collectibles market. KAWS's characters appeared across the Dior Men Spring 2019 runway collection and corresponding limited-edition objects, pulling the KAWS collector base into direct contact with the luxury fashion collector market.
What Was Produced
The collaboration produced runway pieces, accessories, and most significantly for collectors, a limited BE@RBRICK-format figure produced by Medicom Toy in collaboration with Dior. The figure carried co-branded Dior x KAWS packaging and was available exclusively through Dior retail channels — not through the standard Medicom Toy or KAWS distribution network. This created genuine retail exclusivity: access to Dior retail was required to purchase at retail price.
Secondary Market Performance
The Dior x KAWS figures have consistently commanded some of the highest premiums in the BE@RBRICK-adjacent market. The dual brand audience — luxury fashion collectors and KAWS/Medicom Toy collectors — sustains demand that neither audience alone would generate. Secondary market prices at Heritage, Phillips, and through established gallery channels have remained strong since the 2019 release.
Authentication
Co-branded Dior packaging is part of the authentication structure. The Dior presentation materials are as important as the Medicom Toy base sticker for this specific collaboration. Complete packaging including Dior box, tissue, and any accompanying materials is essential for full value.
