November 9, 2006
UNIQLO Opens First Global Flagship Store in Downtown Manhattan
Bringing Japan’s Most Popular Casual Wear Brand into the Hands of Fashion-Savvy New Yorkers With a 36,000 Square Foot Store in SoHo, New York
NOVEMBER 10, 2006 (NEW YORK, NY) – After much anticipation, the wait is finally over. Today, UNIQLO, Japan’s most popular apparel retailer and a worldwide leader in casual wear, opened its first global flagship store and the world’s largest UNIQLO in New York City, the fashion capital of the world. Located at 546 Broadway, the 36,000 square foot UNIQLO SoHo NY features the very best of UNIQLO - stylish, high-quality and affordable clothing and accessories, complemented by an unparalleled modern Japanese shopping experience in a stunning architectural landmark.
“It is fitting that New York City is the home of our first global flagship,” said Tadashi Yanai, chairman and CEO of FAST RETAILING, the parent company of UNIQLO. “Not only is New York City the international fashion capital of the world, but it is also where the original idea for UNIQLO came to me while visiting as a young man in the late 1960’s. I was inspired by the bustling energy of the city and how some retailers were able to create a seemingly calm and organized environment that allowed shoppers to explore and experience at their own pace. Since that time, UNIQLO has grown into one of the largest apparel retailers in Japan and the first major Japanese apparel brand to go global. The UNIQLO SoHo NY global flagship store is the cornerstone of our plan to develop a strong presence in the United States by offering consumers of all ages the perfect balance of fashionable, basic casual wear at the lowest prices in the market."
The look and feel of the UNIQLO SoHo NY global flagship can best be described as “functional beauty,” featuring meticulous organization and streamlined design embodied in the iconic store architecture and fixtures. Designed by the renowned architect Masamichi Katayama, the global flagship authentically recreates the unique and pleasant experience of modern Japanese retail culture, offering an environment that is beautiful, clean, well-lit and organized and in which every customer is greeted with true Japanese hospitality. The look is simple, allowing the products to speak for themselves. However, in keeping with UNIQLO’s appreciation of heritage, this sense of modern simplicity is juxtaposed by the presence of key architectural elements of the original space, such as exposed brick walls and large white columns.
The completion of the UNIQLO SoHo NY global flagship is the inauguration of UNIQLO’s plan to transform into a global retail brand – becoming more than a company with stores around the world, but rather a company that transcends cultural boundaries, appealing to customers around the world. To best reflect this new stage in UNIQLO’s evolution, the UNIQLO SoHo NY flagship will feature unique products and styles only available at this location.
“In Japan, UNIQLO is best known for two key attributes, quality and basics. But the sheer size and scope of the new global flagship allows us the opportunity to experiment and to evolve the brand both here in the US and throughout the world,” said Nobuo Domae, CEO and president of UNIQLO USA, INC. “Consumers should expect the unexpected from UNIQLO in New York, meaning that the UNIQLO SoHo NY flagship will offer an impressive array of fashion-forward, on-trend pieces along with our signature items such as 100 percent Mongolian cashmere sweaters, fleeces and Japanese denim.”
Modern Japan in NYC
“Modern Japan” is an integral inspirational theme for UNIQLO's global flagship. Creative Director Kashiwa Sato was charged with expressing the atmosphere of today’s Tokyo throughout the retail space. To bring this theme to life the flagship will feature a large gallery space to exhibit limited edition and exclusive t-shirts designed for UNIQLO by top Japanese artists, including Yayoi Kusama, Nobuyoshi Araki, Takashi Honma, Osamu Tezuka, Godzilla, among others. There will be a total of more than 100 different t-shirts designed by 40 renowned artists. The T-shirts will be sold exclusively at the NY store during the fall/winter 2006 season. Beginning in spring of 2007 they will be sold in UNIQLO stores around the world.
A Global Brand with a Global Style
The UNIQLO SoHo NY global flagship will initially feature UNIQLO’s fall/winter 2006 collection, the first collection to include the participation of UNIQLO’s New York City design studio. Formed in early 2005, the New York design studio is part of a Tokyo-led project to capitalize on the wealth of creative talent from around the world. Design teams working collaboratively in Tokyo, New York, Paris and Milan developed UNIQLO’s fall/winter 2006 collection to express the brand’s global aesthetic and style. The international design team is headed by Yuki Katsuta, senior vice president of global research and design, who came to UNIQLO after serving as the vice-president of men's merchandising at Bergdorf Goodman.
UNIQLO in the United States
The UNIQLO SoHo NY global flagship is located at 546 Broadway, between Prince and Spring Streets. Store hours: Monday – Saturday 10 AM – 8 PM, Sunday 11 AM – 7 PM.
In addition, UNIQLO now has three other permanent stores in the U.S. and two temporary stores:
- UNIQLO Menlo Park Mall – Edison, NJ
- UNIQLO Rockaway Townsquare – Rockaway, NJ
- UNIQLO Freehold Raceway Mall – Freehold, NJ
- UNIQLO Rockefeller Temporary Store – 30 Rockefeller Plaza on the Concourse Shopping Level
- UNIQLO Upper West Side Temporary Store – 2231 Broadway, between West 79th and 80th Streets
About Uniqlo
Clothing says a lot, but can say it better. UNIQLO designs, manufactures, markets and sells casual wear that can be worn by anyone, any day. Rather than dictate a look, UNIQL provides people everywhere with the piece they need to create their own style. And style comes from within, which is why the UNIQLO logo is nearly invisible, tucked away inside the garment.
This concept, along with an unwavering focus on quality and value, has guided UNIQLO’s actions since the establishment of its first store in 1984 Hiroshima, Japan. Today UNIQLO has grown to over 760 UNIQLO stores worldwide and is household name in Japan.
From t-shirts and sweaters to denim, outerwear and trend items, all of our clothes are made according to exacting Japanese standards for quality and come in an astonishing variety of colors and styles. UNIQLO is committed to providing customers with true excellence and innovation in casual wear, from the design and functionality to the fit and color choices. As a company, UNIQLO controls every stage of the creation of its products—from the fabric used to the stringent production control program at the factory and finally to the display at the store. We use the world’s best resources to give customers something better every time.
UNIQLO is a brand of FAST RETAILING and among the top 10 specialty apparel retailers in the world. Other group companies include Theory in the U.S., COMPTOIR DES COTONNIERS and Princesse tam.tam in France, and g.u., CABIN, ONE ZONE, FOOT PARK, VIEW COMPANY and ASPESI in Japan. For any press related inquiries, visit www.uniqlo.com or www.fastretailing.com.
FOR INFORMATION:
Alexandra Cohan
UNIQLO USA, INC.
(212) 221-9037 ext. 232
alex.cohan@uniqlo-usa.com
Ellie Hawke
Paul Wilmot Communications
(212) 206-7447 ext. 54 / 22
ehawke@greatpress.com
