UNIQLO Birmingham - The Spirit of Birmingham
UUendy Lau (UU)Available for work
2025 | Mural & Window Installation, T-shirt Graphic & Embroidery Motif Designs | UNIQLO Birmingham (Bullring)
The new UNIQLO Birmingham store at Bullring features an exclusive mural installation “The Spirit of Birmingham” which is a three-storey wall art inspired by Japanese folklore. Created by artists UUendy Lau and Hinz Pak, the immersive UNIQLO Birmingham art concept transforms the store into a cultural celebration. The project connects Japan’s artistic heritage with Birmingham’s vibrant creative energy through the ancient tale of Hyakki Yagyō (百鬼夜行; the Night Parade of One Hundred Spirits). We are thrilled to share this collaboration with UNIQLO Birmingham, bringing together two cultures through art, imagination and storytelling.
The new UNIQLO Birmingham store at Bullring features an exclusive mural installation “The Spirit of Birmingham” which is a three-storey wall art inspired by Japanese folklore. Created by artists UUendy Lau and Hinz Pak, the immersive UNIQLO Birmingham art concept transforms the store into a cultural celebration. The project connects Japan’s artistic heritage with Birmingham’s vibrant creative energy through the ancient tale of Hyakki Yagyō (百鬼夜行; the Night Parade of One Hundred Spirits). We are thrilled to share this collaboration with UNIQLO Birmingham, bringing together two cultures through art, imagination and storytelling.
What is Hyakki Yagyō (百鬼夜行)? The Story Behind the Design
The Spirit of Birmingham draws inspiration from Hyakki Yagyō (百鬼夜行), which translates to “the Night Parade of One Hundred Spirits.” This ancient Japanese folklore tells of a magical night when spirits of animals and everyday objects come alive. They wander the streets in a mystical procession, celebrating the Japanese belief that a spirit lives in all things.
Over centuries, Japanese artists have reimagined this tale in playful and joyful ways, including Itaya Keii Hironaga’s Edo period handscroll (circa 1800) . Each generation reinterprets the folklore for its time. We saw a beautiful parallel between this evolving tradition and Birmingham’s own character: its mix of people, cultures, and boundless creativity.
In our UNIQLO Birmingham store art concept, we reinterpreted the traditional “night parade” into a joyful city procession. Instead of ancient spirits, Birmingham’s architecture, music and local icons come alive alongside its residents. Featured Birmingham elements include: the iconic bronze bull “The Guardian”, Rotunda, various signature architectures, taxi and canal boat, Jewellery Quarter’s characteristic seagulls, Birmingham’s legendary heavy metal music heritage, and of course the diverse communities that make Birmingham unique.
Mural, Window Installation & T-Shirt Designs
The Three-Floor Mural Experience at UNIQLO BirminghamThe Spirit of Birmingham project spans three floors of the UNIQLO Birmingham store, creating a continuous art narrative that guides visitors through the space.
As part of The Spirit of Birmingham project with UNIQLO, we also created several limited-edition UTme! T-shirt designs and embroidery motifs. UTme! is UNIQLO’s in-store customisation service that allows customers to create their own one-of-a-kind wearable art by combining graphics and text. Each element in this collection celebrates what makes Birmingham unique, from its creativity and culture to the everyday spirit of the city, forming an artistic homage to Brum.
The Spirit of Birmingham draws inspiration from Hyakki Yagyō (百鬼夜行), which translates to “the Night Parade of One Hundred Spirits.” This ancient Japanese folklore tells of a magical night when spirits of animals and everyday objects come alive. They wander the streets in a mystical procession, celebrating the Japanese belief that a spirit lives in all things.
Over centuries, Japanese artists have reimagined this tale in playful and joyful ways, including Itaya Keii Hironaga’s Edo period handscroll (circa 1800) . Each generation reinterprets the folklore for its time. We saw a beautiful parallel between this evolving tradition and Birmingham’s own character: its mix of people, cultures, and boundless creativity.
In our UNIQLO Birmingham store art concept, we reinterpreted the traditional “night parade” into a joyful city procession. Instead of ancient spirits, Birmingham’s architecture, music and local icons come alive alongside its residents. Featured Birmingham elements include: the iconic bronze bull “The Guardian”, Rotunda, various signature architectures, taxi and canal boat, Jewellery Quarter’s characteristic seagulls, Birmingham’s legendary heavy metal music heritage, and of course the diverse communities that make Birmingham unique.
Mural, Window Installation & T-Shirt Designs
The Three-Floor Mural Experience at UNIQLO BirminghamThe Spirit of Birmingham project spans three floors of the UNIQLO Birmingham store, creating a continuous art narrative that guides visitors through the space.
As part of The Spirit of Birmingham project with UNIQLO, we also created several limited-edition UTme! T-shirt designs and embroidery motifs. UTme! is UNIQLO’s in-store customisation service that allows customers to create their own one-of-a-kind wearable art by combining graphics and text. Each element in this collection celebrates what makes Birmingham unique, from its creativity and culture to the everyday spirit of the city, forming an artistic homage to Brum.
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