In 2008, KAWS designed the deluxe vinyl packaging and artworks for Kanye West’s 808s & Heartbreak album—replacing the original broken-heart imagery with his signature Companion-style iconography across gatefolds, posters, and record labels.

Deluxe Edition Artwork

KAWS provided the cover and gatefold imagery for the deluxe versions of 808s & Heartbreak. The artwork features his signature Companion-style Mickey Mouse–like hands holding a deflated heart balloon—melding the emotional album tone with his graphic iconography. (2, 3)

The Billboard and Collector Impact

Following the release, the KAWS-designed artwork appeared on a large-scale billboard in New York’s Times Square, bringing street art into paid outdoor media. Collectors and fans continue to seek the deluxe vinyl for its added visual layers and KAWS’s touch. (4)

Why It Matters

This moment marks an important early intersection between KAWS’s street-informed aesthetic and mainstream music culture. By threading his visual identity into a major album release, he helped expand the boundaries of what album art can communicate visually and emotionally.