07/16/08
Text: Nik Mercer
Uniqlo has yet to grow out of N.Y.C. (L.A.'s waiting!), but it is distinctly an international casual wear company now. It has long been known for its stellar T-shirt collections (this writer is wearing an neat Andy Warhol tee he picked up at a Tokyo branch, for example) and its annual T-shirt Grand Prix. You can get the full low-down on the design contest right here, but we'll explain what it is briefly. Uniqlo is inviting designers from every corner of the globe to submit T-shirt designs. Of the 10,000-plus expected entries, Uniqlo judges (Mr. Kashiwa Sato [Art Director, Tokyo], Ms. Yayoi Kusama [Avant Garde artist] and 6 other industry professionals) will select one grand prize winner as well as "other secondary awards." The top designer gets three million yen and merchandising options! Yup, that's $30,000 or so on this side of the Pacific.
Makes you want to open up Illustrator and get to it, right? Review the overview before you get your hopes up too high, though: UT Grand Prix 2009 overview. Anthem has already submitted five thousand designs with various interpretations of the logo, so don't think you'll beat us!
