Endlessly fawning over clothes is exhausting. Eventually, every fashion-fanatic widens their scope. Food, home goods, cars are all common passions, but perhaps most common for the modern enthusiast is collectibles. The figurine holds a special place in the hypebeast’s heart. Similar to their beloved jawns, these models are inherently limited, have cultural significance and are a demarcation of taste and interests. Few companies incorporate all three as well as MediCom. Built on a singular premise—to create the coolest toys for themselves—the crafters and creators at MediCom merge the latest icons in popular culture and media with a bold “pop” aesthetic to build collectible figures accessible to the masses. The BE@RBRICK (a hybrid of a humanoid bipedal and adorable teddy bear) is a cultural icon spanning the world and a range of subcultures and niches. MediCom’s long list of collaborators includes everyone from The Beatles, KAWS, and BAPE, to Star Wars, Undercover, Disney, Futura, Porter, Comme des Garçons and countless others.

There is no genius marketing scheme behind this all-encompassing brand strategy. It’s quite simple. Combining a childhood obsession with toys and an adult fixation with collecting, MediCom CEO Tatsuhiko Akashi is able to construct a miniature world of marvel. While MediCom is now an industry figurehead, the global icon still remains true to its humble origins as a small-scale toy manufacturer. Still, despite being a relatively small player in the world of toys, through smart associations and impactful releases, MediCom has managed to forge a long-lasting relationship with the fashion community that dwarfs its stature.

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