Top Bearbrick Collaborations You Should Know
Bearbrick collaborations fall into three groups that behave very differently: artist editions, fashion and streetwear, and entertainment licences. Knowing which group a figure belongs to tells you most of what you need to know about its scarcity and its resale behaviour.
This is a guide to the collaborations worth knowing, organised by those three groups, with the figures we currently stock in each.
What are the most important Bearbrick artist collaborations?
The Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat editions, and Hajime Sorayama’s chrome work. These are the releases that put museum-grade names on a $200–900 object, and they consistently appear among the highest recorded resale prices.
The Warhol figures include the “SPECIAL” editions and the Muhammad Ali design, and several releases pair Warhol with Basquiat as numbered joint editions rather than a single design. Sorayama’s chrome collaborations, including work with Daniel Arsham, are among the most valuable figures Medicom has produced.
Keith Haring and Van Gogh Museum editions belong to the same category: recognisable artwork applied to a neutral form, bought by people who are as interested in the art as the toy.
Which fashion and streetwear brands have made Bearbricks?
BAPE has the longest-running relationship of any brand, and Fragment Design and CLOT are the other two names collectors track most closely.
A Bathing Ape collaborations cover the ABC camo patterns, Baby Milo editions, and joint releases with NEIGHBORHOOD, READYMADE and Levi’s. CLOT, Edison Chen’s Hong Kong label, produced the 3125C 3-Eyed Mickey and Panda figures. Fragment Design, Hiroshi Fujiwara’s label, is behind the World Wide Tour series.
The luxury end is thinner but sets the ceiling: the Chanel 1000%, produced under Karl Lagerfeld’s direction, holds the record at $30,000. That figure and the other top sales are covered in the guide to the most expensive Bearbricks.
What entertainment and character collaborations exist?
Marvel, DC, Japanese animation and long-running mascot licences. These are the widest-reaching group and usually the most affordable, because print runs are larger.
Current categories include Spider-Man — covering the Integrated Suit, Black Costume and Into the Spider-Verse figures for Miles Morales, Spider-Gwen, Scarlet Spider and Ben Reilly — and Batman, including the Batman: Hush editions. Evangelion covers the Unit designs, and Care Bears includes the Rainbow Heart Bear sets.
Peko-chan, the mascot of Japanese confectioner Fujiya, has one of the longest collaboration runs of any licence, spanning the Milky and Enamel Sign editions.
Why do collaborations drive Bearbrick value?
Because they bring demand from outside the Bearbrick market. A Warhol edition competes for art buyers; a BAPE edition competes for streetwear buyers. Neither group would otherwise be bidding on a vinyl bear.
The second reason is that a collaboration is definitionally unrepeatable. Medicom rarely reissues, and a figure tied to a specific partnership, anniversary or event cannot be reissued even in principle. That certainty is what supports secondary prices — covered in more depth in the guide to Bearbrick as an investment.
Which collaboration should you buy first?
Buy the one whose source material you actually care about. Collaboration value tracks the strength of the partnership, but enjoyment tracks whether you want to look at it every day.
If you have no strong preference, the 400% size gives the widest choice across all three groups at the most manageable price point. Artist editions tend to hold value best; entertainment licences are the easiest entry.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most famous Bearbrick collaboration?
The Chanel 1000%, designed under Karl Lagerfeld’s direction, which sold for $30,000 at Christie’s in 2019 and remains the highest recorded Bearbrick sale.
Which artists have made Bearbricks?
Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Hajime Sorayama, Daniel Arsham and KAWS are among the most collected, alongside museum collaborations such as the Van Gogh Museum editions.
Has BAPE made Bearbricks?
Yes — A Bathing Ape has one of the longest-running collaborations with Medicom, covering ABC camo, Baby Milo, and joint releases with NEIGHBORHOOD, READYMADE and Levi’s.
Are collaboration Bearbricks worth more?
Generally yes, because they carry demand from outside the Bearbrick market and cannot be reissued. Edition size still matters more than the collaboration alone.
How often does Medicom release new collaborations?
Continuously, alongside the two numbered series released each year. Collaboration figures are usually standalone 400% or 1000% releases rather than part of a series.
Browse current collaborations
We are an authorised Medicom dealer and ship from Japan, typically arriving in 7–14 days, with 90-day returns.
Artists: Warhol · Basquiat · Sorayama. Brands: BAPE · CLOT · Fragment. Characters: Spider-Man · Batman · Evangelion · Peko-chan · Care Bears.