CHUM - 2002
CHUM takes KAWS’s cartoon body language and puffs it up into a bold, all-over form that reads from any angle. Released in 2002 across five colorways, it became an early benchmark for how his toys could carry the same presence as his sculpture.
Retail Price: $100
Edition Size: 1000 in Clear, 500 in Yellow, White, Pink, and Black.
Where Companion leans stoic, CHUM leans volume, swapping anatomy for a quilted, ballooned surface that still carries the X-eyes and gloved hands. The figure arrived in 2002 through 360 Toy Group with branded packaging, marking a moment when KAWS pushed deeper into limited vinyl multiples while keeping the work anchored in design culture and the early art-toy scene.
The lineup was tight and specific: Clear at an edition of 1000, and Black, White, Yellow, and Pink at 500 each, all roughly 13 inches tall and originally priced at about $100. For collectors cross-checking listings, those edition counts and the 360 Toy Group stamp are the tells to look for, and they distinguish the 2002 figures from later reissues like the 2022 orange open edition at $280 and a smaller footprint.
RESOURCES:
CHUM (Yellow), 2002 — Phillips
CHUM (White), 2002 — Phillips
CHUM (Pink), 2002 — Phillips
Chum (Clear), 2002 — Artsy
