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Tag: uniqlo

  • Uniqlo eyes Philippines as garments production site

    Uniqlo eyes Philippines as garments production site

    GLOBAL clothing retailer Uniqlo is planning to tap Philippine garments manufacturers as it considers making the country one of its production sites that will cater to its global retail network.

    In a briefing on Thursday, Katsumi Kubota, chief operating officer of Fast Retailing Philippines Inc., said he had started studying a list of 40 local garments factories that was given to them by the Philippine government during President Aquino’s state visit to Japan recently.

    Kubota said this was also one of the topics discussed by the Uniqlo head and President Aquino when they met in Tokyo.

    “I think we have to study it carefully…We do not own any of our factories so what I’m checking now is, first of all, the quality (of the products produced by these factories). We cannot sacrifice quality. We’re also looking at their (capacities) because most the time, one factory produces one item for Uniqlo branches all over the world, so we have to work with large factories. These factories must also be operated by good owners,” Kubota said.

    Kubota, however, did not provide any timeline as to when the study on the prospective factories would be completed. If the company decides to pursue this plan, the local garments factories that will be selected will have to supply to all Uniqlo stores globally.

    For now, Kubota said Uniqlo was focusing on expanding its retail network aggressively over the next five years and in beefing up the local market’s awareness of the Uniqlo brand.

    He said Uniqlo would be opening two branches in Cebu by the fourth quarter of this year, marking the company’s first foray outside Luzon. Plans to put up stores in key areas in Mindanao such as Davao, Cagayan de Oro and GenSan are being studied.

    “Opening our stores in Cebu, after our third year in the Philippines, is another important phase of our business in the country. We have opened 23 stores in Metro Manila and Luzon, and entering the Visayas market is a milestone in our growth strategy,” he added.

    The two Uniqlo stores in Cebu will cover at least 1,000 square meters each and create 200 jobs per branch. Kubota did not say the amount the company was investing in these stores but said it was compliant with Philippine laws that required foreign retailers to invest a minimum of $800,000 a store.

    He said Uniqlo was targeting to have 29 stores in the country by the end of the year and 200 by 2020.

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  • Uniqlo closes JD.com store citing China online strategy mismatch

    Uniqlo closes JD.com store citing China online strategy mismatch

    Fast Retailing Co Ltd said on Monday it has closed the online Uniqlo store that it opened in April on China’s popular JD.com Inc shopping site, saying it did fit into its China e-commerce strategy.

    After a three-month trial run, “Uniqlo determined that a presence on JD.com was not in line with the company’s China e-commerce strategy”, said a spokeswoman for Fast Retailing, which owns the casual-clothing brand.

    “During the trial run, we realized that it is best for us to take a step back,” she told Reuters.

    She declined to disclose details about the performance of the online site or specify the firm’s e-commerce strategy, but said Uniqlo was committed to the China market, both online and offline.

    JD.com and larger rival Alibaba Group Holding Ltd have been vying to attract big, international brands onto their platforms. Bagging such names can be a huge credibility boost and a sign of implicit trust in China, a market notorious for the proliferation of fake and knock-off products.

    Uniqlo’s speedy retreat from JD.com stands in contrast to its robust presence since 2009 on Alibaba’s Amazon.com-like Tmall platform. During Alibaba’s annual Singles Day sales event last November, Uniqlo was fifth in overall sales and the top apparel brand, the spokeswoman said.

    JD.com spokesman Josh Gartner said sales on Uniqlo’s JD.com store had exceeded aggressive sales targets in the first month of operation.

    “Uniqlo is stopping operation of its flagship store due to an e-commerce strategic restructuring in China, not based on the performance of the store,” he said.

    The Japanese company is expanding rapidly in China as it aims to become the world’s biggest apparel retailer ahead of Zara-owner Inditex SA, Hennes & Mauritz AB (H&M)

    and Gap Inc by 2020.

    Fast Retailing Chief Executive Tadashi Yanai has said Uniqlo aimed to have 1,000 stores in Greater China in about five years, more than its Japan total – and eventually as many as 3,000. It had 442 in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan as of end-May.

    Japan’s stock market was closed on Monday for a public holiday. On Friday, Fast Retailing’s shares gained 1.1 per cent to close at 57,220 yen ($460.41).

  • UNIQLO’s ‘look good, do good’ campaign takes off

    UNIQLO’s ‘look good, do good’ campaign takes off

    Whether you want to admit it or not, bumping into someone wearing the same outfit you’re wearing can be awkward. (We may laugh it off, but deep down inside, we are wishing it doesn’t happen again.)

    Thankfully, as part of the Uniqlo Street Tales initiative, the popular casual fashion brand has come up with a unique way of ensuring it doesn’t. All you need to do is download the free UTme! application (it is a new custom T-shirt service) and design your own tee. Then, head down to Uniqlo Bugis+, print out your design and voila! You get to showcase your one-of-a-kind art piece wherever you go.

    This is one of several initiatives by the brand to give back to local communities. So far in Singapore, Uniqlo has gotten more than 50 artistes (such as Rebecca Lim, Desmond Tan), businesses (Tiger Balm, BreadTalk) and personalities (chef Willin Low, fashion icon Daniel Boey) under the Uniqlo Street Tales umbrella to create UTme! T-shirts, retailing at Uniqlo Bugis+ for S$29.90 (RM83.21) for adults and S$24.90 for children’s tees, with all net proceeds from the sale of these tees from now until Aug 10 donated to the Community Chest.

    “I feel great about it. I’ve always known that Uniqlo is very big on CSR (corporate social responsibility) projects but to be able to participate with Uniqlo and at the same time try my hand at designing something, the whole experience just makes it a lot more meaningful,” said actress Lim. “(We are) contributing to something that is close to our hearts, it’s a charity organisation in Singapore so it’s great (to) see Singaporeans buying and supporting the brand and at the same time, supporting this organisation.”

    Cheok Weiling, PR manager of Uniqlo Singapore, said that the brand has seen “encouraging response from customers who are eager to personalise their T-shirts”. But more than that, Heng Li Lang, director of relations & engagement at Community Chest, said that the net proceeds from the sale of these T-shirts would also be matched dollar for dollar by the government under the Care & Share Movement “to build the capability and capacity of the social service sector”. “Through these efforts, Uniqlo has exemplified the spirit of the movement in giving time, talent and treasures towards helping the less fortunate. We are very thankful to Uniqlo for this innovative partnership and look forward to many more years of close collaboration ahead,” Heng said.

    Also doing its part is Swedish fashion giant H&M, which launched Unicoin, “the first currency dedicated to good”. In support of UNICEF, the H&M Conscious Foundation’s Unicoin initiative enables children to help less privileged children gain access to learning opportunities.

    With help from their parents, children would upload a drawing that depicts what they dream of becoming when they grow up to the Unicoin website (https://unicoins.org) in exchange for a Unicoin. The H&M Conscious Foundation then matches each Unicoin with one notebook and pencil, which UNICEF then distributes to children around the world.

    Abby Wee, PR manager of H&M Singapore and Malaysia, said she was encouraged by the “very positive and overwhelming” response so far. “Twenty thousand notebooks and pencils have been sent to children worldwide, thanks to the help from everyone who has supported this initiative. Even though the period to exchange your drawing for a Unicoin has ended, we hope that more people will spread the word in support of every child’s right to early development and education.”

    That is not all. Homegrown brand TANGS said their Shop For Good initiative will return in the last quarter of the year. Launched last October, the initiative saw the company partnering with retailers to raise funds for charities. TANGS donated S$0.50 to the Community Chest with every receipt generated during the period. “As one of the pioneers in the Singapore retail scene, we hope to use our influence to drive lasting social awareness by inspiring and building a strong community of purpose-driven consumers and retail partners,” said Foo Tiang Sooi, chief executive officer of C.K. Tang Limited, adding that the company hoped that this would “empower a new generation of savvy, ethical consumer”.

    Even beauty brands have gotten in on the act. Globally, Clarins has constructed a facility to generate clean drinking water in Madagascar, with the funds for the project coming from the sale of the Katafray bark extract, an ingredient that can be found in Clarins’ HydraQuench range. The French brand has also built schools in Vietnam, thanks to the harvesting of the Vu Sua fruit used in its bust care range. In Singapore, Clarins has been participating in the Singapore Garden Festival since 2006 to raise awareness for sustainable development. (In honour of its contribution, the Singapore Botanic Gardens presented Christian Courtin-Clarins, the chairman of the Clarins Group, with the first Clarins Orchid, the Renanthera Clarins Christian & Olivier, in 2010.)

    “It is our great pride and deep honour to be gifted with an orchid that was specially created for us,” Courtin-Clarins said. “It is not simply a flower, but a validation of the efforts that Clarins has dedicated to sustainable development all these years.”For Estee Lauder Companies, which has brands such as Estee Lauder, Clinique, La Mer, Origins and Bobbi Brown under its wing, championing awareness and support for breast cancer has been one of its aims since the 1990s. The Breast Cancer Awareness (BCA) Campaign, for example, started in 1992 with the creation of the Pink Ribbon, which has been regarded as the universal symbol for breast health. The BCA Campaign has raised more than US$58 million to support global research, education and medical services over the past 21 years.

    “In Singapore, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. Our colleagues are very committed to building breast cancer awareness among women of all ages and different ethnicities through the BCA Campaign that we run in October every year,” said Lisa Chow, managing director, Estee Lauder Cosmetics. “We have a very dedicated committee formed by our employees who organise fund-raising activities and education programmes in order to reach thousands of women, not only to enforce better knowledge that early detection saves lives but also raise funds to support local research projects or education programmes …”

    While the various brands under Estee Lauder Companies have been crafting what they termed “Pink Ribbon Products”, with a percentage of the profits from the sale of these items going towards the Breast Cancer Awareness Fund, here in Singapore, the Estee Lauder Companies will take going pink to a whole new level this year, by lighting up an iconic building in pink later this year, although the brand has yet to reveal which one.

    Nevertheless, it is nice to know that, in an era when people are taking pains to look good, they can now do good at the same time. ― TODAY

  • Uniqlo denies video role

    Uniqlo denies video role

    Beijing police have arrested five people they say played a role in the filming of a video of a couple having sex in a Uniqlo fitting room in China’s capital.

    The sheer number of people involved in the video, which has gone viral on social media networks around the world, has raised speculation the apparel retailer was somehow involved behind the scenes in engineering the video as a publicity stunt.

    But the company has strenuously denied it had anything to do with the one minute long production, or endorses it. And such a viral campaign certainly does not fit with the company’s ethical positioning or its record of community involvement and sponsorships.

    Some Chinese media say the police “suspect that the case may possibly be a publicity stunt by Uniqlo”, one going so far as to quote a Beijing lawyer saying the company could face a fine of between 200,000 and 1 million RMB (US$32,000 and $165,000) and have its trading licence revoked if it was found to be involved.

    In a statement (not issued through Uniqlo’s normal media media channels) Uniqlo reportedly condemned the filming.

    Since the video was uploaded, attracting attention from news organisations worldwide, the Sanlitun flagship in which it was filmed has become something of a tourist attraction, with people posing for photographs outside.

    The young couple who had reportedly “only just met” were quickly identified via social media and have become celebrities on Chinese social media networks, albeit they have now reportedly been arrested and charged with indecency.

    From censored stills posted online by news media outlets, the video appears to have been filmed entirely by mobile phone. So the involvement of an additional three people is puzzling unless they were responsible for its spread or reposting, rather than production as reported in China.

    Meanwhile, Chinese authorities have summoned representatives of Tencent and Weibo to discuss how the video was so widely shared and viewable on its networks. Chinese law prohibits pornography.

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  • Arcadia Malaysia partner rules out expansion

    Arcadia Malaysia partner rules out expansion

    Wing Tai, the corporate retailer which partners with Uniqlo and a raft of other brands, including the Arcadia Malaysia stores, says it is streamlining its retail business.

    The listed company has 85 retail stores in Malaysia’s major cities under 12 international brands – Topshop, Topman, Dorothy Perkins, Miss Selfridge, Warehouse, Karen Millen, Pumpkin Patch, Wallies, BCBG, Ben Sherman, Burton and Furla. It also has a 45 per cent stake in the joint venture with Japan’s Fast Retailing, operating 25 Uniqlo stores.

    Wing Tai GM of finance Lee Kong Beng says while the Uniqlo store network, targeting the value driven fast fashion customers, will expand into suburban markets, the Arcadia brands like Topshop and Topman have reached their limits in Malaysia.

    “We will not expand (the Arcadia brands),” he told a press briefing this week.

    He said while there were no current plans to close Arcadia stores, if any store failed to generate positive cashflow or profit it would be cut.

    “For retail, we’d just consolidate because it’s challenging. So no point being a hero, where you open outlets and the sale is not there.”

    Lee said the company was finding the current retail market in Malaysia challenging following the introduction of GST on April 1, which consumers are slowly adjusting to.

    An influx of tourists was bolstering the group’s earnings, with spending holding up in stores in high profile shopping malls.

    “We expect retail sales to pick up because of the weakening of the ringgit, so it’s cheaper to shop in Malaysia rather than in Singapore. It’s a matter of time people get used to GST. We see that (retail sales) are more stabilised now,” Lee said.

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  • Uniqlo sponsors Special Olympics LA

    Uniqlo sponsors Special Olympics LA

    Tadashi Yanai, chairman, president & CEO of Fast Retailing, said Fast Retailing Group is committed to employing people with disabilities, in the belief staff can learn from each other and grow by working together.

    “Through our support of the Special Olympics LA World Games 2015, we hope to contribute to the realisation of a society in which all people, those with disabilities and those without, support each other and grow together.”

    Uniqlo will conduct a Special Olympics LA promotional campaign in its stores during the games. To raise awareness of the event, Uniqlo will put up posters supporting Special Olympics in Uniqlo stores in 12 countries and regions, and staff at Uniqlo’s five locations in the host city of Los Angeles will wear T-shirts with the Special Olympics LA logo.

    “Uniqlo believes in the ideal of Special Olympics LA, to foster independence and social participation for persons with intellectual disabilities through sports, and has supported Special Olympics Nippon since 2002,” the company said in a statement.

    Currently, Uniqlo supports local Special Olympics organisations in 12 countries and regions by providing uniforms, and sending volunteers to help run events.

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  • Uniqlo ‘modest wear range’ targets Muslims

    Uniqlo ‘modest wear range’ targets Muslims

    A new Uniqlo modest wear range designed in partnership with UK designer and blogger Hana Tajima has gone on sale in Malaysia and Singapore.

    The Uniqlo X Hana Tajima Collection is launched today, July 3, at Uniqlo’s 313@Somerset store on Singapore’s Orchard Rd, and online at www.uniqlo.com/sg.

    A promotional campaign is fronted by Malaysian singer Yuna and the range is expected to be launched in Asian markets with large Muslim populations, such as Malaysia and Indonesia.

    Uniqlo says in line with its ‘LifeWear concept’, the collection is designed to meet the needs of women who value comfortable and relaxed wear. This inaugural collection takes inspiration from an international approach in appreciation of diverse culture and style.

    “Although Uniqlo X Hana Tajima caters to ladies who embrace modest fashion, this collection has been carefully designed to suit contemporary tastes and is versatile to complement a fashionista’s wardrobe easily,” the company said in a statement.

    The collection features pants (SG$49.90), skirts ($49.90), rayon blouses ($49.90) and long dresses ($49.90-$59.90) with a comfortable, relaxed fit which Uniqlo says makes them appropriate for an office and perfect as casual outfits.

    “Our conservative customers will certainly delight at the variety of stylish hijab headscarves ($24.90-$29.90), as well as inner AIRism hijab headscarves ($4.90) and headbands ($14.90). AIRism is a Uniqlo patented material that is thin, light and absorbs moisture for extraordinary comfort especially in tropical climates.

    Taku Morikawa, CEO of Uniqlo Singapore, said the Hana Tajima collection illustrates Uniqlo’s ambition of making fashionable, high quality products for all to wear, while enhancing their lifestyle at the same time.

    “We worked with Hana to determine what would be internationally appealing while keeping to the concept of modest wear. We are thrilled with the results of this unique collaboration which produced a desirable collection that does not sacrifice style for utmost comfort.”

    Hana Tajima, who oversaw the design of every piece in this collection, said: “We want to create a collection that not only appeals to modern ladies who prefer to dress modestly, but also an international audience who desire clothes that fit comfortably and look contemporary. My collection is specially designed to allow effortless mix and match for the today’s women to express their own style.”

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  • Accenture and Quick Retailing be a part of forces to develop digitally enabled shopper providers

    Accenture and Quick Retailing be a part of forces to develop digitally enabled shopper providers

    Quick Retailing, the dad or mum firm of Japanese trend chain retailer Uniqlo, is forming a three way partnership with administration consulting agency Accenture to speed up the digital innovation of shopper providers for its clients globally.

    Increasing on a long-standing relationship, the 2 corporations will discover methods to increase their collaboration to ship personalised buyer experiences throughout all of Quick Retailing’s retail channels.

    Quick Retailing – which has operations throughout Asia, Europe and the USA – owns seven main manufacturers: Uniqlo, GU, Principle, Comptoir des Cotonniers, Helmut Lang, Princesse tam.tam and J Model. To enhance the personalised multi-channel expertise for Quick Retailing’s clients, Accenture will assist the retailer develop new digital enterprise fashions that embed buyer innovation, knowledge analytics and digitised operations in product improvement, merchandising, manufacturing, logistics, advertising, gross sales and customer support. This could allow shoppers to pick, attempt, buy and obtain services anytime and anyplace, which is a key goal of Quick Retailing’s working mannequin.

    As a part of the initiative, Accenture will assist Quick Retailing construct a cloud-based know-how platform, together with provide chain and buyer relationship administration techniques, to gather actionable buyer insights that may allow the personalisation of the client expertise. The know-how, together with provide chain and buyer relationship administration methods, will probably be absolutely reworked as a cloud based mostly infrastructure. Accenture Digital will present the digital commerce, mobility and analytics capabilities wanted to rework the client expertise.

    Underneath the joint initiative, Accenture may even assist Quick Retailing practice and recruit the expertise mandatory to construct an enhanced buyer expertise staff, looking for candidates with expertise in digital applied sciences together with mobility, analytics and cloud. As well as, the 2 corporations will set up an advisory panel that features main teachers, opinion leaders and start-up corporations to assist form Quick Retailing’s future digital providers for its clients.

    “We’re pursuing a coherent technique to determine an revolutionary enterprise scheme that seamlessly combines actual and digital markets and to take the lead within the altering retail business,” stated Tadashi Yanai, Chairman, President and CEO, Quick Retailing.

    “By way of this collaborative framework with Accenture, Quick Retailing will globally current and introduce the potential of an revolutionary enterprise mannequin past the retail business and speed up creating the world’s main direct enterprise mannequin. Quick Retailing, partnering with Accenture, will improve retailer technique, create a state-of-the-art provide chain community and develop progressive expertise to satisfy the buyer calls for within the period of digitalisation.”

    “Immediately’s retail clients are a formidable pressure with shifting expectations, demanding a seamless expertise – whether or not in shops or on-line – that’s on their phrases. Main retailers know that digital is the important thing to creating the seamless expertise clients need, and we’ll work with Quick Retailing to make sure they’re making sensible funding decisions to create new worth whereas making certain environment friendly and efficient operations throughout their complete organisation,” stated Gianfranco Casati, group chief government, Progress Markets at Accenture.

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  • Uniqlo, other Japanese firms eye expansion in PH

    Uniqlo, other Japanese firms eye expansion in PH

    Prominent Japanese companies already operating in the Philippines conveyed Tuesday their expansion plans to visiting Philippine President Benigno Aquino, his communications minister said.

    According to Secretary Herminio Coloma, Senji Miyake, chairman of Kirin Holdings Co. “expressed great interest in expanding their investments in the Philippines” during his meeting with Aquino immediately after the latter’s arrival here for his four-day state visit.

    Kirin has shares in the Philippines’ San Miguel Corp.

    Marubeni Corp., which has a 105-year history in the Philippines, is also “upbeat about current investments in power and energy development, mass transportation and water,” Coloma said.

    Teruo Asada, chairman of Marubeni, also expressed “great interest in exploring new fields of business development, such as commercial vehicles” in his separate meeting with Aquino, added Coloma.

    For his part, Tadashi Yanai, chairman of Fast Retailing Co., maker of Uniqlo apparels, “expressed appreciation for the auspicious results of their initial foray into the Philippine retail market.”

    Uniqlo has already set up 23 shops in the Philippines since its launch in 2012, employing around 1,200 people.

    In his meeting with Aquino, Yanai “spoke highly of the quality of Filipino employees in terms of talent and interpersonal skills,” Coloma said.

    Speaking to the Filipino community later in the evening, Aquino said Fast Retailing appears to be on the way of achieving its initial target of establishing 200 shops in the Philippines, “and even intends to accelerate it.”

    Capping Aquino’s business meetings on his first day in Tokyo was the signing of a memorandum of cooperation with the Japan External Trade Organization “to further accelerate two-way trade.”

    Coloma said JETRO praised the Philippine Economic Zone Authority for transforming “red tape to red carpet” for foreign investors.

    Aquino will meet with other business groups in Japan such as the Japanese Business Federation, also known as Keidanren, and the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry to lure more Japanese investments in the Philippines.

    The Philippine leader, who will also meet with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, will end his visit on Friday.

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  • Uniqlo now sells San Miguel Pale Pilsen T-shirts

    Uniqlo now sells San Miguel Pale Pilsen T-shirts

    Unlike with the Jollibee t-shirt line that is available for only a season, the Uniqlo-San Miguel Pale Pilsen t-shirts are available until the third quarter of 2016. All photos by Lynda C. Corpuz / Rappler

    Japan’s casual clothing retailer Uniqlo (“Unique Clothing”) on Friday, June 5, launched its T-shirt line featuring the iconic, 125-year-old San Miguel Pale Pilsen of local company San Miguel Brewery Incorporated (SMB).

    This is the second corporate collaboration of Uniqlo in the Philippines. The brand launched its partnership with fastfood giant Jollibee on May 27. Both Jollibee and San Miguel Pale Pilsen T-shirts started selling in Uniqlo stores on June 1.

    Like the Jollibee T-shirts, the San Miguel Pale Pilsen T-shirts will be sold in Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. It retails in the Philippines for P380 each ($8.68).

    Available in black, white, and yellow, the T-shirts bear an image of the San Miguel Pale Pilsen bottle and the text, “The classic brew created for men who thirst for the distinctive taste of the world’s best.”

    BEE OR BEER? Similarly with the Jollibee t-shirts, the San Miguel Pale Pilsen t-shirts will be sold in Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and Indonesia. It retails in the Philippines for P390 each ($8.68).

    Unlike the Jollibee T-shirt line that will be available for only a season, the Uniqlo-San Miguel Pale Pilsen T-shirts will be available until the 3rd quarter of 2016.

    Something in common

    Fast Retailing Philippines Incorporated general manager Geraldine Sia said that the collaboration with San Miguel will not disappoint fans. SMB assistant vice president for marketing services Vinky Abalos said Uniqlo paid for the approved materials of the beer brand used for the T-shirt line.

    “It depends on them [Uniqlo if they would come up with new designs]. This is supposed to be a one-time project. They didn’t realize that this would be this successful. We only started selling this week, but the sales are [already surprising],” she said without citing figures. This is the first time for SMB to collaborate with a retail chain as big as Uniqlo.

    SMB marketing manager Menlou Bibonia said that the company’s employees, as well as SMB customers, expressed both excitement and amusement that they can finally see their favorite beer brand in Uniqlo’s shelves.

    Bibonia added that both brands share the passion “in giving our customers only the best.” She also highlighted the fact that SMB has also something Japanese in it, having Kirin Holdings Company Limited as a business partner.

    SMB is a 51-49 joint venture between San Miguel and Kirin. SMB’s executive financial advisor Takashi Hayashi said Kirin is satisfied with the partnership with San Miguel and they have no intention, so far, to change that.

    Expansion potentials

    Both Kirin (through SMB) and Fast Retailing (through Uniqlo) are also positive with their growth potentials in the Philippines.

    President Benigno Aquino III met with Kirin chairman of the board Senji Miyake and for Fast Retailing Company Limited (Uniqlo) chief executive officer Tadashi Yanai during his 4-day state visit to Japan, which concluded June 5.

    Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said Kirin’s Miyake expressed “great interest in expanding their investments in the Philippines.”

    Fast Retailer’s Yanai also expressed his appreciation for the “auspicious results of their initial foray into the Philippines’ retail market.” Uniqlo already has 23 stores and has about 1,200 employees since it started in the country in 2012.

    Speaking to the Filipino community during his state visit, Aquino said Fast Retailing appears to be on track of achieving its target of 200 Uniqlo shops in the Philippines. As for expansion, Sia said it is all about timing for them.

    Sia replied that they do not have word yet about what is going to happen next following Aquino and Yadai’s meeting, but expressed hope that it would be overall positive for the country and the brand.

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  • La Chapelle takes Jack Stroll stake

    La Chapelle takes Jack Stroll stake

    Shanghai La Chapelle Style has taken a controlling stake in high quality mens’ style label Jack Stroll.

    The Hong Kong-listed firm has paid RMB 75 million for a 69.12 per cent share of the six yr previous Jack Stroll Shanghai enterprise which produces casualwear, sport, denim and enterprise. attire and has its personal retail chain.

    La Chapelle says the funding is in keeping with its product-oriented technique in addition to its core values of “cost-effectiveness, trend, high quality”, which can assist strengthen the group’s place in mass-market casualwear phase.

    Because the introduction of its male attire merchandise in 2011, La Chapelle has been actively cultivating its menswear manufacturers and continuously looking for for alternatives to develop new model to be able to improve its market share in menswear market.

    “The core administration workforce of Jack Stroll had labored in numerous well-known worldwide fast-fashion corporations together with Uniqlo and possesses ample hands-on expertise within the business,” La Chapelle stated in a press release.

    “The funding in Jack Stroll will additional enrich the product mixture of the group and speed up the implementation of its multi-brand technique. Leveraging on La Chapelle’s in depth distribution channel and aggressive provide chain functionality, the funding is predicted to reinforce Jack Stroll’s speedy enlargement and margin enchancment,” stated the assertion.

    “With the rising male inhabitants in China, the change within the attire consumption preferences for male shoppers and a big improve in buying energy, China’s informal menswear and enterprise informal menswear market has been rising quickly, and is predicted to proceed its secure progress,” stated Wang Yong, government VP of La Chapelle.

    “The core members of Jack Stroll have years of operational expertise in worldwide fast-fashion corporations. They’re the specialists in working ‘brief, cost-effective, quick’ enterprise, which is appropriate for present fast-fashion market. Then again, their in depth expertise in product improvement and model administration allows them to intently comply with market developments and develop merchandise which are according to the wants of mass shoppers.

    “As one of many essential steps in La Chapelle’s multi-brand technique, investing in high quality menswear model Jack Stroll will certainly increase the enterprise progress of the group,” he concluded.

    Based in 2001, Shanghai La Chapelle Trend designs, markets and sells attire merchandise with a give attention to mass-market women’ casualwear. The group has eight manufacturers (5 ladieswear manufacturers, two menswear manufacturers, one childrenswear model): La Chapelle, La Chapelle Sport, 7.Modifier, Candie’s, La Babite, La Chapelle Homme, Pote and La Chapelle Youngsters.

    As of the top of 2014, the group’s had 6887 retail factors in some 2200 places, comprising primarily department shops and purchasing malls, in cities throughout all 31 provinces, autonomous areas and municipalities within the PRC.

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  • Uniqlo opens main Australian retailer

    Uniqlo opens main Australian retailer

    Uniqlo has opened its latest Australian retailer – within the Sydney suburb of Parramatta, regionally generally known as the town’s “second CBD”.

    The brand new 1090sqm retailer anchors the Westfield Parramatta purchasing centre.

    The store is Uniqlo’s third retailer in Sydney and its fifth in Australia, a promote it entered final yr.

    “We’re excited to open the doorways to Uniqlo Parramatta, and to be sharing our merchandise with native consumers,” stated Uniqlo Australia CEO Shoichi Miyasaka.

    “We’re devoted to creating our merchandise extra accessible to all Australians, and our latest retailer opening is a show of our dedication to the native suburban Australian market.”

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  • Pop of colour, high fashion timepieces in Singapore

    Pop of colour, high fashion timepieces in Singapore

    Always wanted to experiment with colour? Head down to Dockers and try on the brand’s colourful range of pants today. Purchase any two regular-priced pants for S$149.90 (RM404); and any three regular-priced pants for S$199.90. Also, stand to enjoy an additional S$50 off with any S$250 nett spend when you shop at these selected Dockers’ boutiques namely Jem, Plaza Singapura, Suntec City and Raffles City.

    Bits of nature: What do you get when you combine the superior craftsmanship and product excellence of Timberland with Pharrell Williams’ creativity from his co-founded fashion brand Bee Line For Billionaire Boys Club? The limited edition Timberland X Bee Line 6” Canvas Boot, of course. Exclusively for women, the boots takes its design cues from nature and are available in two designs, Honeycomb and Grass. Made from top quality materials that are environmentally friendly to provide increased strength, abrasion resistance and decreased dry time. S$369.00, available exclusively at Timberland ION Orchard and Raffles City boutiques only.

    Wrist only: If you love high fashion time pieces, you’ll want to check out the Tate Wrap time pieces from the Vivienne Westwood Time Machine Collection. A great conversational starter, it’s available in two designs with features such as a new dial and a double wrap around strap embellished with patterns and iconic brand elements. Available at Tyan ION Orchard, #03-13, 2 Orchard Turn.

    Meet the Minions at Uniqlo: Get to high-five Bob, Kevin and Stuart, from the popular animated film, Minions, who will be popping by the UNIQLO stores this weekend at 313@somerset (May 23) and Parkway Parade (May 24) from 3pm to 3.20pm. The Minions are launching the new Minions UNIQLO T-Shirt collection for boys. And there’s a promotion: If you buy two Minion tees (per transaction) at the store — or at least one Minion tee online per transaction — you will get a limited edition Minions pen set. While stocks last. (Note: This pen set is not available at the following stores: Changi Airport, ION Orchard, One@KentRidge, One KM, One Raffles Place, and Tampines 1.) The T-shirts retail for S$12.90. Available at all UNIQLO outlets. — TODAY

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  • Uniqlo companions with French style home

    Uniqlo companions with French style home

    Japanese quick style model Uniqlo and France’s Lemaire have introduced a worldwide collaboration.

    The 2 manufacturers will launch an unique vary branded ‘Uniqlo and Lemaire’, a model identify the 2 corporations say displays Uniqlo and Lemaire’s “real partnership and customary philosophy”.

    “The gathering represents merchandise that embody the lifewear idea – easy made higher – underlying each manufacturers. Each merchandise combines magnificence with average rest and luxury, for contemporary, superior wardrobe mainstays,” the businesses stated in a press release.

    “The collaboration showcases Uniqlo’s top quality supplies and uncompromising give attention to high quality on the good worth. Refined but accessible, it gives a timeless and targeted shade palette of greens, navies, whites, and reds.”

    The lads’s and ladies’s collections might be obtainable worldwide in Uniqlo shops, together with Uniqlo’s on-line retailer, from fall winter 2015.

    Uniqlo and Lemaire consider their collaboration gives “timeless magnificence to on a regular basis necessities” manufactured from rigorously chosen supplies.

    “The gathering brings a way of refined, but pleasant confidence to items you can put on daily on any event. That is lifewear elevated with fashion that absolutely respects the person.”

    Designers Christophe Lemaire and Sarah-Linh Tran stated the gathering is predicated on the philosophy of creating high-quality clothes for on a regular basis life.

    “We targeted not merely on enhancing design, however insisting on top quality within the supplies as nicely, with the purpose of making clothes that’s easy, lovely and cozy.

    “Every merchandise incorporates a number of concepts, and a single piece exhibits a unique side relying on how it’s worn. This assortment has been a worthwhile expertise for us because the designers, and an distinctive collaboration. We hope that this assortment shall be part of everybody’s life,” the pair stated.

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  • UNIQLO to expand Australia’s interstate in pursuit of growth

    UNIQLO to expand Australia’s interstate in pursuit of growth

    Japanese retailer Fast Retailing may have to inject new capital into UNIQLO Australia to fund the next phase of growth as the casual clothing chain expands into new states and suburban markets, increasing pressure on department stores and specialty retailers.

    UNIQLO, which opened its first store in Australia a year ago, wants to become the market leader in casual wear by 2020, overtaking established brands such as Just Jeans, Sussan and General Pants, as part of its parent’s goal to become the world’s leading clothing company.

    UNIQLO’s founder, Fast Retailing president Tadashi Yanai, plans to open 200 new stores worldwide this year and Australia figures prominently in his growth ambitions.