Spirit of Birmingham: Uniqlo Store Art Concept & Mural
The new Uniqlo Birmingham store at Bullring features an exclusive art installation — Spirit of Birmingham — a three-storey mural inspired by Japanese folklore. Created by Hong Kong-based artists UUendy Lau and Hinz Pak, this 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 — from Itaya Keii Hironaga’s Edo period handscroll (circa 1800) to Studio Ghibli’s supernatural parade in “Pom Poko” (1994). 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.
Reimagining Folklore for Birmingham’s Streets
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 Rotunda, other architectures, taxi and boat;
• Jewellery Quarter’s characteristic seagulls, cats we loved;
• Birmingham’s legendary heavy metal music heritage;
• The city’s industrial past and creative present;
• Diverse communities that make Birmingham unique;
and more…
Designing the Uniqlo Birmingham Store Mural & Tshirts
The Spirit of Birmingham Uniqlo project spans across three floors of the new Uniqlo Birmingham store, creating an immersive storytelling experience through design and illustration, including the followings:
• Three-storey mural and wall graphics connecting each floor in one continuous art narrative.
• Window display featuring the “spirits” of Birmingham in motion.
• UTme! T-shirt and embroidery collection, letting visitors customise wearable art.
• Limited-edition stickers and keychains, available during the opening period.
Every element celebrates what makes Birmingham special, creating a visual love letter to the city.
The Three-Floor Mural Experience at Uniqlo Birmingham
The Spirit of Birmingham project spans three floors of the Uniqlo Birmingham store, creating a continuous art narrative that guides visitors through the space.
Ground Floor: Window Displays & Welcome
The journey begins with dynamic window displays featuring the “spirits” of Birmingham in motion. These eye-catching graphics introduce visitors to the concept and invite them into the storytelling experience.
Connected Floor Graphics
A three-storey mural connects each floor in one seamless art narrative. As customers move through the store, they discover new characters and scenes. The design creates visual flow while celebrating both Japanese tradition and Birmingham’s contemporary culture.
Custom UTme! T-Shirts & Wearable Art
The Uniqlo Birmingham store offers exclusive UTme! custom t-shirt services featuring Spirit of Birmingham designs. Visitors can create their own wearable art using elements from the mural, making each piece personal and unique. The embroidery collection allows customers to customize clothing with special Spirit of Birmingham motifs, taking home a piece of this cultural collaboration.
Hinz Pak, co-creator of this concept, is a UTGP 2024 Grand Prix award winner whose designs are sold globally at Uniqlo stores worldwide. Learn more
Limited Edition Spirit of Birmingham Merchandise
During the opening period, Uniqlo Birmingham offers exclusive merchandise:
• Limited-edition stickers featuring parade characters
• Collectible keychains with Birmingham spirit designs
A Cultural Bridge Between Japan and the UK
Spirit of Birmingham is more than a store decoration — it’s a cultural dialogue. The project blends Japanese artistic tradition with Birmingham’s urban imagination, creating something entirely new.
Through this reinterpretation of Hyakki Yagyō, ancient folklore becomes a modern celebration of community and creativity. The concept echoes the inclusive values shared by both Uniqlo and Birmingham itself, where diversity strengthens identity.
This fusion respects both cultures while creating fresh artistic territory. It shows how traditional stories can evolve to reflect contemporary experiences and new locations.
Artists Behind Spirit of Birmingham
UUendy Lau (www.uuendylau.com) and Hinz Pak are the creative duo behind this cultural bridge between Japan and the UK. They specialize in illustration, storytelling, and cultural interpretation through visual design. Their approach blends traditional folklore with modern urban aesthetics. For this project, they spent time researching both Hyakki Yagyō traditions and Birmingham’s unique identity, ensuring authentic representation of both cultures.
Hinz Pak is an award-winning designer who won the Grand Prix of the Uniqlo UTGP 2024 (UT Grand Prix) T-shirt Design Award. His winning design, “Mona Lisa’s Onigiri” has been printed and sold in Uniqlo stores worldwide. This experience working with Uniqlo’s global platform informed this approach to the Spirit of Birmingham project.
Media Coverage & Press Features
The Uniqlo Birmingham store opening and Spirit of Birmingham concept have been featured in:
- Official Uniqlo UK – Store information and opening details
- Uniqlo Live Station – “Welcome to UNIQLO Bullring! Tour our new Birmingham store, live!“
- Birmingham Live – “Everything in Bullring Uniqlo goodie bags as new Birmingham store opens”
- Birmingham World – “Sneak peek into major new Birmingham Bullring store set to see ‘queues out the door’“
- The Industry Fashion – “Uniqlo opens first West Midlands store on back of record growth”
- MSN News – “Pictures of new Uniqlo Bullring store including Birmingham exclusives”
- Secret Birmingham – “Japanese Clothing Brand To Open Its First Store In Birmingham”
