KAWS HOLIDAY Hong Kong was a March 2019 public art installation by Brian Donnelly featuring a 121-foot inflatable Companion figure floating in Victoria Harbour for thirteen days. Produced by AllRightsReserved, the event was accompanied by a release of Hong Kong-edition vinyl Companion figures in multiple sizes and colorways, which now trade actively on the secondary market.
For collectors, the Hong Kong chapter of the HOLIDAY series carries unusual weight. Hong Kong is the auction capital where the KAWS market is most concentrated — the city where, just one month after the inflatable was deflated, The KAWS Album hammered for $14.7 million at Sotheby's Hong Kong in April 2019, reshaping the artist's market overnight.
The Harbor Installation: What Actually Happened
On March 22, 2019, KAWS HOLIDAY Hong Kong launched in Victoria Harbour. The centerpiece was a 121-foot reclining inflatable Companion — the largest KAWS sculpture ever floated up to that point — installed on the water with the Hong Kong skyline as backdrop. The figure floated on its back, X-eyes skyward, in the same supine pose familiar from earlier HOLIDAY iterations in Seoul (2018) and Taipei (2019).
The installation ran approximately thirteen days, drawing massive crowds along the Tsim Sha Tsui and Central waterfronts. It was produced by AllRightsReserved (AR), the Hong Kong-based creative studio that has partnered with KAWS on the entire HOLIDAY series. AR's role is critical: they manage the public art logistics and the parallel collectible release that turns each HOLIDAY city into a market-moving event.
Why Hong Kong Mattered More Than Other HOLIDAY Cities
Every HOLIDAY city has produced a vinyl edition, but Hong Kong's timing was singular. The installation opened in March 2019. On April 1, 2019, Sotheby's Hong Kong sold The KAWS Album for $14.7 million — a record that multiplied his previous auction high several times over and established Hong Kong as the global pricing center for the artist. Collectors who acquired HK HOLIDAY figures during the floating installation window were holding the merchandise of a brand whose institutional price was being rewritten in the same city, the same month.
The Hong Kong HOLIDAY Vinyl Figures
The release included Companion figures sized and colored specifically for the Hong Kong drop. The core lineup is summarized below.
| Edition | Approx. Size | Colorways Released | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| KAWS HOLIDAY HK Companion (Plush) | 10 inch and 25 inch | Black, Grey, Brown | AllRightsReserved retail + online lottery |
| KAWS HOLIDAY HK Companion Vinyl | 11.5 inch (approx.) | Black, Grey, Brown | DDT Store HK + DDTStore.com |
| KAWS HOLIDAY HK Ceramic Plate Set | Tableware | Multi-piece dining set | DDT Store + ARR online |
| KAWS HOLIDAY HK Bath Toy / Float | Smaller-scale inflatable | Single colorway | Limited online drop |
Each figure shipped sealed in printed KAWS HOLIDAY HK packaging with the Medicom Toy / AllRightsReserved authorship clearly indicated. As with all production-line KAWS vinyl, no individual certificate of authenticity is issued — the box, the Medicom imprint, and the matching production marks are the authentication chain.
Plush vs. Vinyl: Which Holds Value Better?
Across the HOLIDAY series, vinyl editions have historically outperformed plush at resale, both because vinyl is more durable and because the visual register of a vinyl Companion matches the gallery work more closely. That said, Hong Kong plush in clean condition with original outer box has traded actively across the documented secondary market, particularly the 25-inch black version, which was the most aggressively sought-after of the plush lineup at original release.
Secondary Market Behavior, 2019 to Present
Tracking the Hong Kong HOLIDAY editions across the Gauntlet Gallery 160,000+ comparable sales database, three patterns are consistent:
- Color hierarchy holds. Black has consistently been the strongest colorway, followed by grey, with brown typically the most accessible entry point.
- Box condition is decisive. Sealed examples with crisp, undamaged outer boxes trade at a meaningful premium over loose figures or examples with shelf-worn packaging. The box is the documentation.
- Macro cycle sensitivity. Hong Kong HOLIDAY pieces moved sharply higher through the 2020–2021 collectibles boom, retraced in the 2022–2023 correction, and have stabilized in the documented mid-cycle range since.
For specific current valuations, our team works from live auction comparables rather than published price guides — the KAWS secondary market repositions too quickly for static numbers to stay accurate.
Authentication Notes for Hong Kong HOLIDAY
The counterfeit rate on KAWS vinyl is among the highest of any living artist. For the Hong Kong HOLIDAY editions specifically, watch for these markers:
- Medicom Toy production stamp. Authentic figures carry the Medicom imprint in the expected location with crisp molding.
- Box print quality. The KAWS HOLIDAY HK outer box uses precise typography and registration. Off-color printing, fuzzy text, or misaligned graphics are red flags.
- AllRightsReserved / DDT Store paperwork. Original receipts or order confirmations from the 2019 release window add meaningful provenance weight.
- Weight and surface finish. Counterfeit Companions frequently feel lighter and have a duller surface finish than authentic Medicom production.
KAWS himself does not issue per-figure certificates for production vinyl, and no third-party authentication body governs the market the way Pest Control governs Banksy. The chain is the box, the imprint, the source, and the comparison to documented examples.
About Brian Donnelly and KAWS
KAWS is the working name of Brian Donnelly, born in 1974 in Jersey City, New Jersey. He emerged through 1990s billboard interventions in New York before transitioning to gallery practice, designer toys with Medicom, and large-scale public sculpture. Hong Kong has been central to his market formation, both as the home of AllRightsReserved and as the auction city where his record price was set at Sotheby's in April 2019.
How Gauntlet Gallery Approaches KAWS
Gauntlet Gallery, founded in 2012, maintains a database of 160,000+ comparable sales across contemporary art and collectibles, with KAWS as one of our most granularly tracked artists. Every KAWS piece we list is checked against documented production markers and recent auction comparables before it goes live. For a broader walkthrough of the artist's collectible ecosystem, see our KAWS Collector Guide.
FAQ
When was the KAWS HOLIDAY Hong Kong installation?
The 121-foot floating Companion launched in Victoria Harbour on March 22, 2019, and ran for approximately thirteen days.
Who produced the Hong Kong HOLIDAY?
The public installation and the parallel vinyl and plush releases were produced by AllRightsReserved, the Hong Kong-based studio behind the entire KAWS HOLIDAY series.
What colorways did the Hong Kong HOLIDAY figures come in?
The core Companion lineup released in black, grey, and brown, across both plush and vinyl formats, plus a ceramic tableware set and a smaller inflatable.
Why is Hong Kong HOLIDAY considered more important than other HOLIDAY cities?
The installation ran in March 2019, the same window in which Sotheby's Hong Kong sold The KAWS Album for $14.7 million, establishing Hong Kong as the global price-setting center for the artist's market.
How do you authenticate a Hong Kong HOLIDAY figure?
Through the Medicom Toy production imprint, the KAWS HOLIDAY HK outer box, the AllRightsReserved or DDT Store source documentation, and direct comparison to documented examples. KAWS does not issue per-figure certificates for production vinyl.
Browse Current KAWS Inventory
Looking to add a KAWS piece to your collection, or sell one you already own? Browse the full Gauntlet Gallery collection for current KAWS HOLIDAY, OriginalFake, and signed print inventory, all checked against our 160,000+ comparable sales database.