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Tag: uniqlo

  • Uniqlo launches new range with French fashionista Ines de la Fressange

    Uniqlo launches new range with French fashionista Ines de la Fressange

    Uniqlo has teamed up with former French fashion model Ines de la Fressange to produce a range of clothing where comfort meets luxury style.

    Born and raised in France, de la Fressange became a top international model soon after starting her career at the age of 17. In 2013 she created her own brand Ines de la Fressange Paris and first collaborated with Uniqlo in 2014.

    The new range, which goes on sale this Friday (August 28), will feature three themes.

    Bohemian is inspired by the free-spirited culture of the 1970s, celebrated in a variety of flowy, twist pleated skirts and dresses with paisley and polka dot prints.

    Neobourgeois features 100-per-cent silk blouses and wrap dresses, while the third, Mannish, includes coats, classical tweed jackets, corduroy pants, and other essentials for “masculine coordination”.

    De la Fressange says the new lines are influenced by the styling of fashion adopted by women she admires from the 1970s. Among them: actress, songwriter, and model Jane Birkin and singer-songwriter Francoise Madeleine Hardy.

    “Back in the seventies, many women were determined to emancipate themselves from traditions,” de la Fressange explains. “These liberated individuals took fashion and their lives in exciting new directions.”

    The new collaboration will be sold through Singapore Uniqlo stores (excluding at Changi Airport) and online, as well as other selected Uniqlo stores throughout Asia.

  • Uniqlo same-store sales up 4 percent in July on stay-at-home demand

    Uniqlo same-store sales up 4 percent in July on stay-at-home demand

    Casual fashion brand Uniqlo’s Japanese same-store sales rose 4 percent year on year in July as consumers stocked up on comfortable “stay at home” clothes amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, its owner, Fast Retailing Co, said.

    The rise in domestic same-store sales, including online purchases, followed a 26-per-cent jump in June, which came after a three-month slump when the coronavirus outbreak kept shoppers at home and tourists away.

    “Stay at home demand” lifted July sales, with items such as stretchy jogging pants and oversized T-shirts proving popular, the company said.

    Analysts have said Uniqlo’s focus on practical, everyday clothes rather than more on-trend fashion may help it weather the coronavirus downturn better than global peers.

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  • Uniqlo goes local for Singapore’s National Day

    Uniqlo goes local for Singapore’s National Day

    Uniqlo Singapore has collaborated with local artists to celebrate the country’s 55th National Day on August 9. The Japanese apparel retailer has teamed with Singaporean embroidery patch designers, Pew Pew Patches, to give customers free iron-on transfers as a gift. Three designs featuring Sanrio’s characters will be exclusively launched by Uniqlo Singapore.

    The Sanrio patches giveaway promotion coincides with the launch of Uniqlo’s FW 2020 Sanrio characters UT Collection for women and girls, which starts on August 3.

    According to the company, one patch is redeemable per customer, with a minimum purchase of two original-priced UTs from the Sanrio character collections and US$44 spend.

    Tying in with the Singapore Food Festival, Uniqlo has also collaborated with the Singapore Tourism Board and local artist Mandy Kew to launch new food designs for its UTme! T-shirts.

    Mandy Kew has created eight designs featured on UTme! shirts, which will be included in the festival’s media packs. Themed ‘Food, With Passion’, the designs of local famous dishes consist of Laksa, Kaya Toast and Kopi, Kueh Salat, Mee Siam, Kueh Tutu, Roti Prata, Chicken Rice, and Nasi Lemak.

    “Mandy Kew carved out her niche by tapping into her passion for food to draw realistic (and yummy-looking) food using watercolors, resulting in a nostalgic look that will leave you craving for food,” the company said in a statement. “With her passion and in-depth knowledge of local food, and her unique realistic drawing style, she is a good and apt choice for this collaboration.”

    The UTme! booth is exclusively at the Uniqlo Orchard Central Flagship Store.

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  • Uniqlo to open its 24th store in Australia early September

    Uniqlo to open its 24th store in Australia early September

    Japanese clothing retailer Uniqlo will open a new store in the country at Bondi Junction this September, taking its store count in Australia to 24.

    The new store at Westfield Bondi Junction, which will span 1323sqm, will be the retailer’s ninth store in New South Wales.

    Uniqlo said this store will feature the biggest LED screen installation ever seen in the retailer’s Australian stores and will offer a full line-up of the brand’s LifeWear apparel for men, women, kids and babies.

    Kensuke Suwa, company chief operating officer, said since they’ve opened their first store in Australia in 2014, they have been able to consistently grow their retail footprint by leveraging their keen understanding of the local consumer and ensuring their products align with their needs.

    “We hope to keep the momentum going and look forward to making the brand even more accessible to Australians,” Suwa said.

    “We are excited by this milestone of bringing LifeWear from Tokyo to a truly iconic location in Australia and are looking forward to becoming a positive part of the Bondi community”

    This Uniqlo store is its eighth store with the Westfield Group, following Hurstville, Hornsby, Chatswood, Parramatta, Miranda, Chermside and Carousel.

  • Uniqlo says sales recovery varies across Asian markets

    Uniqlo says sales recovery varies across Asian markets

    Japanese fast-fashion retailer Uniqlo is seeing a significant rise in sales in Japan despite the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

    But performances varied in different Asian markets.

    While the company is suffering abroad, a recent uptick in sales in its home territory – partly boosted by a popular face mask – is likely to see 25-per-cent sales growth for the August quarter. Even so, the firm’s net profit forecast for the entire financial year has been re-estimated downward by a steep 47.7 percent, factoring in expected upcoming impairment costs.

    The firm saw a sales decline for the first three quarters of its financial year of 15.2 percent below figures for the same period a year earlier, as well as a net profit decline of 42.9 percent. Multiple outlets were temporarily closed during part of this period due to the outbreak.

    While Uniqlo’s performance is expected to continue to improve in both Japan and China, the business is expected to undergo a significant decline of up to 40 percent in its markets in South Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Oceania during the fourth quarter.

    A bright spot is Vietnam where trading was strong after the country returned to normal, virus-free, in May.

  • Uniqlo opens new Vietnam store, goes online in the Philippines

    Uniqlo opens new Vietnam store, goes online in the Philippines

    Japanese fast-fashion retailer Uniqlo is to open its third store in Ho Chi Minh City this week and will debut online in the Philippines.

    Less than a month after the opening of the Ho Chi Minh’s second store at SC Vivo City, Uniqlo Vietnam is to launch another store in the country’s tallest building Landmark 81 this Friday (June 5).

    Occupying a 2000sqm area, the Uniqlo Landmark 81 store features the brand’s LifeWear products for males, females and kids. The store also features Uniqlo’s latest collections including the Billie Eilish x Takashi Murakami UT. To celebrate the opening, Uniqlo Landmark 81 is running several promotions such as giving away Uniqlo’s mugs and Landmark 81 SkyView tickets.

    Meanwhile, in the Philippines, the fast-fashion brand says it will launch online in the second half of this year.

    “An online store will provide local Uniqlo customers a faster and easier way of purchasing their favorite LifeWear items,” said Masayoshi Nakamura, COO at Uniqlo Philippines.

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  • Massive Uniqlo Tokyo flagship to open later this month

    Massive Uniqlo Tokyo flagship to open later this month

    Fast Retailing will reopen its Uniqlo Tokyo store this month, a global flagship that will be the first in the world to reflect the brand’s new LifeWear concept.

    The store is located in the same building as the Ginza Marronnier Gate store which opened eight years ago, but has been expanded to cover four floors with its interior completely remodeled.

    Uniqlo Tokyo will open on June 19. The LifeWear concept represents Uniqlo’s commitment to offering “well-designed clothing that meets everyone’s needs for daily wear”. The focus is on high-quality, functional, affordable, and innovative apparel which will be available in a variety of colors and designs for men, women, kids and babies.

    Uniqlo Tokyo was designed by Fast Retailing’s creative director Kashiwa Sato, working with Swiss architectural company Herzog & de Meuron and Japan’s Praemium Imperiale.

    In a statement, Fast Retailing said the company considers Uniqlo Tokyo will be a key store that will “change the flow of customers in Ginza, conveying to visitors the latest LifeWear, and allowing them to experience the world’s finest products and services”.

    “The opening of a location in this prime area is an important and major part of the Uniqlo store development strategy.”

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  • Uniqlo Japan same-store sales down in April

    Uniqlo Japan same-store sales down in April

    Uniqlo Japan same-store sales, including online, plunged 56.5 percent in April as the Covid-19 crisis led to restricted store opening times.

    According to data released by parent Fast Retailing, total sales, including those of new stores, decreased by 57.7 percent.

    The company said customer visits to stores “dropped sharply”. Sales were “adversely impacted by the temporary closure or reduction in operating hours at more of our stores, and consumers deciding to stay at home to combat Covid-19,” the company said.

    During the month of April, 311 stores were temporarily closed due to the advent of the coronavirus, and 299 operated on reduced trading hours.

    Fast Retailing said the monthly data was calculated without excluding stores that were either open for fewer hours or closed temporarily from the total number of same stores or own stores.

    While Uniqlo Japan same-store sales data has been released, the company has not as yet shared data on its international operations.

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  • Third Uniqlo x Marimekko collection launches

    Third Uniqlo x Marimekko collection launches

    Uniqlo has for a third time partnered with Finnish design company Marimekko to launch a new limited-edition collection.

    The new Uniqlo x Marimekko collection offers items for women and babies in six of Marimekko’s patterns, designed by Maija Isola and Annika Rimala. The patterns feature prints with different shapes and vibrant colours, “adding a splash of fun to LifeWear”.

    “Brand collaborations with partners with whom we share values and are able to create something special for customers represent unique opportunities for Marimekko to share our design philosophy with a wide global audience,” said Tiina Alahuhta-Kasko, president and CEO of Marimekko.

    Prior to the Uniqlo x Marimekko 2020 collection, the two companies collaborated twice during previous seasons.

    “Our three seasons of working closely with Marimekko have deepened our understanding and appreciation for the Finnish fashion and design house and its art of printmaking,” said Yuki Katsuta, head of research & development at Uniqlo.

    The Uniqlo x Marimekko limited edition will be on sale from April 10.

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  • Uniqlo Vietnam opens new store in Ho Chi Minh City

    Uniqlo Vietnam opens new store in Ho Chi Minh City

    Uniqlo Vietnam is to open Ho Chi Minh’s second store this year despite the coronavirus outbreak.

    Located at SC Vivo City shopping mall in District 7, the city’s second Uniqlo Vietnam store will occupy more than 2000sqm of area, featuring its LifeWear products for males, females and kids.

    The opening date has yet to be disclosed, but the store is expected to open this spring/summer with the interior fit out well underway.

    “We are aware of the huge demand from Vietnamese customers for Uniqlo products,” said Osamu Ikezoe, Co-CEO of Uniqlo Vietnam. “We are excited to open the SC Vivo City store to introduce our fashion philosophy LifeWear to our customers.”

    Osamu said Uniqlo Vietnam plans three more stores this year. According to a prior company statement, the brand aims to operate at least three stores in Hanoi and eventually reach up to 20 nationwide.

    Earlier this month, Uniqlo Vietnam made its Hanoi debut, attracting more than 2000 people on its opening day.

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  • Uniqlo Singapore goes paper shopping bags

    Uniqlo Singapore goes paper shopping bags

    Uniqlo Singapore is ditching its plastic shopping bags in favor of paper.

    The decision reflects a global move by the brand to become more environmentally friendly and reduce its reliance on single-use plastics. The new bags will retail at 10 cents each, with a more robust eco-friendly tote bag available at SG$2.90.

    Uniqlo’s Japanese parent Fast Retailing Group announced intentions to eliminate unnecessary plastics use throughout its supply chain in July last year. The firm plans to reduce single-use plastic by 85 percent (around 7800 tons annually) by the end of this year.

    Uniqlo is also addressing other factors in its supply chain, including reducing the volume of water used in its jeans washing process by an average of 90 percent as well as introducing new material in its clothing items – Dry-Ex – derived from recycled plastic bottles

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  • Uniqlo Singapore Switches to Eco-friendly Paper Bagsto Reduce Single-Use Plastic

    Uniqlo Singapore Switches to Eco-friendly Paper Bagsto Reduce Single-Use Plastic

    From 2 March onwards, UNIQLO Singapore will replace plastic shopping bags with eco-friendly paper bags, as part of the company’s global efforts to create a sustainable business that considers for the environment. To further promote reducing the use of traditional shopping bags and making effective use of resources, UNIQLO will be launching a new eco-friendly tote bag at SGD$2.90 and will price its eco-friendly paper shopping bag at SGD$0.10 each.
     
    This comes after the announcement by Fast Retailing Group, the parent company of UNIQLO, in July 2019 to eliminate the use of unnecessary plastic throughout its supply chain, and to reduce the amount of single-use plastic handed to customers, including shopping bags and product packaging. The aim is to reduce single-use plastic by 85% or around 7,800 tons annually by the end of 2020.

    “Respect the Environment” is one of UNIQLO’s six priorities for sustainability, and together with Fast Retailing, it is proceeding to eliminate all forms of waste and establish a business with minimal impact on the environment. Environmental pollution from plastic waste is a growing concern worldwide, and UNIQLO is taking action to reduce unnecessary single-use plastic from its operations. This will help minimise the environmental impact of its business, while offering products and services customers can use with confidence.

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  • Global brands continue to shutter stores across China as coronavirus spreads

    Global brands continue to shutter stores across China as coronavirus spreads

    Widespread temporary store closures continue across China as the coronavirus continues to spread throughout the country.

    Officially, China’s New Year holiday – extended by the government for a week to help reduce the spread of the virus – ended yesterday, but office staff was encouraged to work from home.

    Tech giant Apple said on Friday it hoped to reopen corporate offices and contact centers later this week, but the closure of its physical stores would continue indefinitely.

    As at 10am ICT on Tuesday, February 11, 43,108 cases of coronavirus had been confirmed, and 1018 fatalities, almost all of those in Mainland China. However, in an encouraging sign, 4048 people had been confirmed as recovered. The mortality rate has edged up slightly to 2.3 percent with most deaths due to underlying respiratory conditions or pneumonia.

    Brands across fashion, technology and almost every other non-essential retail category continued to shutter stores on the mainland.

    VF Corporation, which owns Timberland, Vans, The North Face and Dickies, says 60 percent of its outlets in Mainland China are closed and those still open have seen “significant declines in retail traffic.”

    Muji and Uniqlo have shut about half of their store networks.

    Japanese makeup company Shiseido estimates its China sales were down 55 percent over Lunar New Year, traditionally a peak selling period. Sales to foreign tourists through Japanese retail outlets were down by 40 percent. The company has launched the Relay of Love Project, “in the hope that everyone affected may return to health and safety as soon as possible”.

    In addition to 1 million CNY (US$143,000) already donated to the Charity Federation of Wuhan, Shiseido will donate a further 10 million CNY ($1.43 million) to the Shanghai Charity Foundation and 1 percent of sales from Asian markets will be reserved for other assistance.

    UK luxury-fashion label Burberry has closed 24 of its 64 stores in China and says those still trading – under reduced hours – have experienced “significant footfall declines”.

    The parent of Kate Spade, Coach and Stuart Weitzman, Tapestry, says it has closed the majority of its stores in China.

    Capri Holdings says that about 150 of its 250 stores trading under the Michael Kors, Versace and Jimmy Choo banners are closed.

  • Uniqlo lauching Ines De La Fressange collection

    Uniqlo lauching Ines De La Fressange collection

    Japanese apparel retailer Uniqlo will introduce the Ines De La Fressange 2020 Spring/Summer Collection next week.

    Selected items will be available online and at all stores from January 17 and the full collection will be exclusively available online, and in the Uniqlo Singapore stores at VivoCity and Orchard Central store from January 31.

    Ines De La Fressange 2020 Spring/Summer Collection has three main themes: Paris, Guardians, and Muses.

    While the Paris selection features items with masculine looks, including Tilden knitwear and jersey pants with white and green key colors, the Muses-themed range features light dresses with ruffles and prints in relaxing silhouettes.

    Founded by Ines, a French international model, Ines de la Fressange Paris brand symbolizes French chic and is a style icon for women around the globe. It also encompasses Uniqlo’s LifeWear philosophy, providing clothing that is universal in design and comfort and which meets the needs of daily lifestyles.

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  • Maiden Uniqlo store opens in Ho Chi Minh City

    Maiden Uniqlo store opens in Ho Chi Minh City

    The first Uniqlo Vietnam store opened its doors today, marking the Japanese fast-fashion brand’s sixth market in Southeast Asia.

    Setting its foot in one of the fastest-growing economies in the region, parent Fast Retailing hopes to strengthen its presence in both the country and the region at the same time as Vietnam becomes a manufacturing hub in the face of the ongoing US-China trade war.

    “I think Vietnam has massive potential and will be one of the biggest consumer markets in the world,” said Tadashi Yanai, chairman and CEO of Fast Retailing prior to the opening.

    Yanai described Vietnam as the key market in the region and an important part of the group’s development strategy.

    He said Uniqlo is now producing US$3 billion worth of products in Vietnam annually and plans to increase that even further. However, this does not mean that Vietnamese consumers will experience lower prices for Uniqlo products.

    “We implement a medium- and long-term pricing strategy to ensure revenue and profit for each store… We want to compete with high quality, sustainable products at reasonable prices, not [by] discounting,” said Osamu Ikezoe, Co-CEO of Uniqlo Vietnam.

    Uniqlo is already planning its second store in the country, which will be located in the capital city of Hanoi.

    “We are not talking about 100 stores in Vietnam,” said Yanai. “Much more.”

    The company says it is focusing on physical stores, with no plans to deploy an e-commerce sales channel as yet.

    Located opposite stores of rival fast-fashion chains H&M and Zara, Uniqlo Vietnam’s first store in Ho Chi Minh City is also its largest outlet in Southeast Asia to date, with a gross floor area of 3107sqm across three storeys.

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