Today, UNIQLO is one of the world’s most famous apparel brands. It operates in 24 countries outside Japan, so you’ve probably heard the name before. But do you know that UNIQLO is a short form for UNIQUE CLOTHING WAREHOUSE? UNIQLO opened its first store in Hiroshima, Japan in 1984 as a casual warehouse. The concept is to create a cheap, high-quality apparel brand, and in less than ten years, by 1991, there were over 100 shops across Japan. In 1998, UNIQLO opened a store in the heart of the city, in Harajuku, Tokyo, with fleece as its feature product. It then became UNIQLO’s first hit product with the combination of its low price and high quality. Reaching 20,000 to 30,000 sales, a product may be considered a hit in the apparel industry. UNIQLO sold an astonishing 2 million fleece in 1998, 8.5 million in 1999, and 26 million in 2000. The success of the fleece led to UNIQLO’s highest sales in 2000. The succeeding year, in 2001, UNIQLO opened its first overseas store in London, marking its initial global expansion. UNIQLO continued to open stores in the U.K. and expanded to 21 branches, but due to the rapid expansion, employees’ training and store management became a challenge. In 2003, UNIQLO closed 16 stores in the U.K. and focused on operating just five stores. The company used the failure to rebuild its overseas operations and opened another UNIQLO store in New York in 2006. In 2010, when its overseas operations were on track, it expanded its global market, mainly in Asian countries, Europe, and the U.S. Today, UNIQLO has 810 stores in Japan and 1,500 stores overseas, making it a world-famous apparel brand. By strengthening its marketing in each country and region, and by drawing on strategies suited to each area, the company’s overseas sales now exceed those in Japan.
Why UNIQLO is so popular？
Known for its low price, excellent functionality and unique design, UNIQLO has been one of the world’s top apparel brands. In Japan, UNIQLO has become a staple brand across all ages with its basic designs “made for all”. This is also true overseas, where UNIQLO is highly regarded as a Japanese brand, with the right balance of price and quality, mainly in Asia, Europe, and the United States. In the past, UNIQLO products were considered “tacky” in Japan, and young people felt embarrassed with the concept of cheap clothes which everyone else can wear. Japanese used to have a strong sense that luxury brands are the only fashionable, but over the years, the desire for luxury brands has waned. UNIQLO introduced a new concept that simple designs can be fashionable as well. Today, UNIQLO is collaborating with designers across the world, developing fashionable lines while retaining the UNIQLO style. It has been featured in fashion magazines and has become one of the most fashionable brands in the world. Celebrities and influencers are now endorsing UNIQLO on social media, further accelerating their popularity. UNIQLO also conducts detailed marketing in each country and region to conceptualize the products it sells. UNIQLO captured the Indian market, launching the “Kurta Collection,” featuring traditional Kurta clothing, created by a popular designer, intended for women to wear on a daily basis, which became a hit. The company has also introduced the UT T-shirt collection, which features limited-edition designs in each country, made in collaboration with companies, making it fun to visit UNIQLO stores in different countries. In addition to the area-specific strategy, the key elements of low price, high quality, and basic design have made UNIQLO a big fashion success.
Popular UNIQLO items
Shirts & Blouses
UNIQLO shirts and blouses use materials that are particular to each season. In addition to the standard shirts and blouses that are sold every year, UNIQLO also has designs that incorporate the latest trends. In summer, shirts and blouses are made of quick-drying fabric, while warm materials such as flannel, corduroy, and the popular HEATTECH fabric are used in winter. There is a wide range of shirts and blouses from formal to casual, so why not choose the one that best suits your needs?
Tops
UNIQLO offers a selection of a wide range of tops for every season focusing on unique materials that UNIQLO has developed to make clothes comfortable to wear for each season. In the summer, UNIQLO utilizes materials such as quick-drying “Dry” fabric and “Airism” fabric that focuses on breathability and cooling functions, while using the “HEATTECH” fabric with its excellent heat retention properties in the winter. The low-cost, high-quality fleece has become synonymous with UNIQLO. You can choose the best UNIQLO tops for every season and climate.
Jacket
The Ultra Light Down Jacket is one of UNIQLO’s most highly rated jackets. This jacket folds up compactly, and is surprisingly light, yet warm to the touch, and sells like hotcakes every year. In addition to down jackets, UNIQLO has recently been collaborating with designers to produce highly-designed jackets that are sold out every year.
Coat
The cost of coats may have gone up compared to the past, but the quality and design has innovated amazingly. You may feel that they are expensive for UNIQLO, but you can buy a coat that is worth more than the price.
Skirt
Although UNIQLO focuses on denim and pants, it actually has a large lineup of skirts. Many of the skirts are designed to be longer and more relaxed, using lightweight materials rather than tight ones, making them suitable for women of all ages.
