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John

@john_c_jay

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President of Global Creative for Uniqlo / Fast Retailing. Lives and works in New York, Tokyo and Portland. Leads Art J Foundation

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Life Lessons with John C Jay. ✨

On refusing to be defined by others, and choosing for yourself who you want to be.

#CreativeHallOfFame by @john_c_jay

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4 days ago

New York. Five creative legends. A lot of stories to tell. ✨

We spent time with our 2026 Creative Hall of Fame inductees talking creativity, careers, inspiration, and lessons learned along the way.

More stories coming soon. ⭐️

#CreativeHallOfFame by @john_c_jay

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7 days ago

Dear next generation, this one’s for you. ✨

A few words of advice from this year’s Creative Hall of Fame inductees to the creatives coming up next.

#CreativeHallOfFame

#joycekingthomas #johncjay #rosiearnold #michaelconrad taken in Capitale NYC by @john_c_jay

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11 days ago

The Creative Hall of Fame, on film. 🎞️

Our team had the chance to spend a few days with this year’s inductees, from conversations over coffee and moments behind the scenes to a night celebrating their creative legacies at Capitale New York. ✨

We captured it all.
#CreativeHallOfFame taken in New York City by @john_c_jay

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13 days ago

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18 days ago

COCO PUFFS Tom Sachs has inspired me for over 3 decades. He was my first guest speaker when I opened Wieden+Kennedy Tokyo, for the Tokyo show he made the rolling DJ cabinet with a hidden hand-made gun and 6 bullets. The night of his Sony show, he made Tiffany guns and Hermes address books sold out of the trunk of a car subverting his own show. My studio is filled with his gifts from the infamous Nikes made into Adidas sneakers and his billy club honoring fallen Hong Kong star, Leslie Cheung, given to me on the day I brought Nike with Mark Parker to meet him to see his Nutsy installation. Through thick and thin, our friendship has endured all the pressures of fandom and hyoe. Today, I visited his exhibition a rare showing in his iconic studio. 31 Re Cambon is his Coco Chanel atelier, a place in Paris where I have spent time in the past. 28 years ago, I witnessed his construction of his Chanel guillotine which was an instant hit in Paris. My collection of Coco Chanel photos by Horst are amongst my favorite memories of 31 Rue Cambon. Thank you Tom I had just landed from Paris but this was highly inspired trip down memory lane.
-John c Jay by @john_c_jay

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23 days ago

All ALONE IN THE LOUVRE.
This magnificent icon is closed today but I have meetings inside. What a joy to see the masters in almost silence. I have had a love affair with this place for so many years My first Bloomingdales fashion tv campaigns were produced here. I created a television campaign based on French designers, Chloe, Lagerfeld, Christian Dior and Kenzo built around the controversy of I.M Pei’s pyramid. I am here for meetings for the day but what a day. My life in Paris has been so rich and deep, shooting with Horst on the terrace of the Crillion Hotel, recreating his famous image of the woman in her corset. Years later, going to have coffee with Sarah of Colette or hanging out with Mark Parker and the Nike culture crew in the Palais de Tokio with its director who was also a DJ. Then my Uniqlo years begin with opening night in the Marais with NIGO and his extraordinary Kabuki performance in store. Paris will again be a big part of my future as so many creative connections are building here. The future in Europe will once again be my playground. -John C Jay by @john_c_jay

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a month ago

GRASS BABIES, MOON BABIES (WITH END Of SUMMER). Artist, Ei Arakawa-Nash and Co-Curators, Lisa Horikawa and Mizuki Takahashi have created one of the most engaging and provocative exhibitions at this 61st International Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia. This show brings the visitors into the performance which allows for a deeper emotional and intellectual reaction to the concept. It is rare that art with a serious intent and idea can be both witty yet dangerous. Designboom says, “The gesture is simple from the outset. Each visitor selects a doll and holds it close while moving through the pavilion. Yet the experience quickly accumulates emotional and symbolic weight. The exhibition culminates in a communal station where visitors change the doll!s diapers and scan QR codes attached to each baby. These generate short “diaper” poems…positioning the babies somewhere between fictional characters, future descendants and historical witnesses. It is an honor for my family’s End of Summer artist residency, founded by our late Matt Jay, to lead a week long workshop and dialogue about the role of art and the concept of human care in our future. “The work suggests that care is never isolated from the conditions surrounding it, whether familial, ecological or national.” - John C Jay by @john_c_jay

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a month ago

“END OF SUMMER” ARRIVES VENICE BIENNALE 2026.
An exciting new chapter of End Of Summer” artist residency founded by Matt Jay began today in Venice Italy. This is the first event since Matt passed suddenly in November of 2022 but today he is watching over this ancient city as this year’s new group of artists, curators and friends land with great anticipation. The theme of the Venice Biennale this year by Koyo Kouoh, In Minor Keys serves as the perfect conceptual background for the role of art in this moment of global conflict and turmoil. Tragically, Koyo Kouoh passed prematurely in 2025 before this year’s opening but her vision and efforts are evident throughout the pavilions. End Of Summer is here because of the kind invitation from artist, Ai Arakawa-Nash, representing the Japan Pavillon. The scale of In Minors Keys lead exhibition is as big as Kouoh’s vision with over 110 artists participating in the show. You see that in the images shown here. However, Arakawa-Nash’s concept accepted the challenges of this year’s theme brilliantly with his very personal story. “Grass Babies, Moon Babies”, a positive demonstration of collectivism and shared experiences. His exhibition is at once provocative, humorous, intimate and filled with clues as to why our humanity is so important. This made End Of Summer” a perfect program of workshops and discussions under Arakawa-Nash. Matt Jay’s original vision started by inviting 6 emerging artists from Japan to the Pacific Northwest and immerse them in the incredible nature of the region and local artist communities. For these Japanese artists, it was the birth of a new life and view of the world. “Grass babies. Moon Babies” opened the door of a new era for Matt. End Of Summer previews its new studios, screening room and gallery space in its new HQ is Portland. Watch this space for examples of Arakawa-Nash’s extraordinary exhibition at the Japan Pavilion. His focus on collaboration and the human spirit is the perfect fit with End Of Summer as it opens the door to an inspiring future. Meanwhile, my own growth and engagement with contemporary art continues to grow as I focus on the evolution of human creativity -John C Jay by @john_c_jay

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a month ago

THINKING OF TOMORROW.
These are extraordinary times. Each day I realize just how much I don’t know and how exciting it is to be learning more than ever before. Perhaps the greatest gift of my work is the inspiration it brings into my life. That inspiration also comes from the extraordinary people I am blessed work with. I live and work in Tokyo, New York and Portland and I have the joy of returning today to my office in NYC and the team that I assembled over a decade ago. Next week, I will be at the Venice Biennale which is honoring my late son Matt and his End of Summer artist residency. I will join a week of workshops with 6 of the latest artists and curators invited for this program. We join artist, Ei Ararakawa-Nash, who will lead the workshop themes. This is the first official program of End of Summer since Matt’s passing so it is fitting that it begins at what is probably, the most influential art fair in the world. Meanwhile, the new End of Summer studios, gallery, video projection walls, screening room is soon to open in Portland. The entry of the space features an amazing gift from Wim Wenders, featuring a 10 ft. high photo of an ancient Buddha. Related, in a warehouse next door, I am opening The Culture Lab, my new global concept space mixing East and West, art and science with a focus on humanity and creativity. To be with people who are so passionate about work and visionaries who will take me to unknown places is what makes each day so rewarding. This astonishing figure shown here with its wings of desire by Ron Mueck at the Mori Museum in Tokyo gave me time to pause and think deeply about where I am heading. The future is now. It’s time to fly. - John C Jay by @john_c_jay

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2 months ago

HUMANITY AND CREATIVITY.
Ryukoku University in Kyoto Japan announced this week of my appointment as Visiting Professor for Humanity and Creativity. “As a part of Ryukoku Strategic Plan 2039 - the year marking our 400th anniversary - Ryukoku University seeks to cultivate socially engaged individuals and serve as a platform for contributing to world peace. The university expects that Jay’s appointment as a visiting professor will significantly contribute to the realization of this future vision. Following his appointment, in addition to lectures and workshops, Jay plans to create opportunities for dialogue with students and participate in exchange and co-creation activities with creators both in Japan and abroad, as well as with local community. Moving beyond traditional boundaries of design and art, he will explore creative thinking and collaborative problem-solving to address social and regional challenges alongside students, thereby expanding opportunities further learning, experimentation, and creative exploration aimed at realizing a society in which diverse values coexist.” This is timely honor as I open The Culture Lab in an amazing creative warehouse in Portland adjacent to my Art J Foundation building which serves as the new home for End of Summer artist residency which is appearing at the 2026 Venice Biennale. My interests in the influence of consciousness through East and West concepts on human creativity will be explored. The future is now. -John C Jay by @john_c_jay

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2 months ago

Creative Hall of Fame Spotlight ✨

Next up: John C Jay @john_c_jay

From Nike @nike and Wieden+Kennedy @wiedenkennedy to Uniqlo @uniqlo, John C Jay has spent his career proving that brands become iconic when they participate in culture, not simply market to it.

With a career defined by cultural insight, bold creativity, and a belief that brands should contribute to the world around them, his work has reshaped how generations think about branding.

This year, we’re proud to honor John C Jay as a 2026 Creative Hall of Fame inductee.

🎟️ Join us in New York on September 16. Link in bio.
#CreativeHallOfFame by @john_c_jay

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