Blue Note Records Shares Album Covers-Inspired Collection With Uniqlo

Blue Note Records has shared its UT t-shirt collaboration with Uniqlo. The collection features seven designs based on iconic Blue Note album covers that were selected by Don Was, a Grammy Award-winning producer and the president of Blue Note Records. The collection is now on sale both in stores and online through the official Uniqlo website.

“We’re thrilled to team up with UNIQLO on this new UT collection that lets fans adorn themselves in the visionary designs of Reid Miles,” Was said in a statement. “In the 1950s and 60s Reid created an enduringly hip Blue Note aesthetic with album covers that were themselves works of art, and we hope new generations will discover his genius thru UT.”

Photo: Courtesy of Blue Note

The seven designs include nods to Cannonball Adderley’s Somethin’ Else, Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers’ Free For All, Sonny Clark’s Sonny Clark Trio, Jutta Hipp’s Jutta Hipp with Zoot Sims, Thelonious Monk’s Genius of Modern Music, Vol.2, Herbie Nichols’ The Prophetic Herbie Nichols, Vol. 1 and Cecil Taylor’s Unit Structures.

The seven featured designs were narrowed down from 30 essential Blue Note designs selected by Was and picked in collaboration with the Uniqlo UT designers. Three of the seven designs, including Unit Structures, The Prophetic Herbie Nichols, Vol. 1, and Jutta Hipp with Zoot Sims, have been officially licensed by Blue Note for apparel for the first time. The exclusivity of the designs has deemed them to be highly valued collector’s items.

Coinciding with the UT t-shirt collaboration release, Blue Note has shared “Blue Note Meets UT,” an official playlist curated by Was that features the music of Herbie Hancock, Horace Silver, Cannonball Adderley, Tina Brooks, Dexter Gordon, and more.

This latest collection marks the third time Blue Note has collaborated with Uniqlo. The team’s creative endeavors date back to 2011 and 2017 where they teamed up for the Jazz 100th t-shirt series.

The latest Blue Note Records and UNIQLO collaboration is available for purchase.