Uniqlo

photo: Getty
Fashion News Roundup

Fashion News Roundup: Andrej Pejic Has A Song Dedicated to Him, Richard Chai Partners With Filson, and Christina Hendricks Covers UK Cosmo

Someone Wrote A Song About Andrej Pejic: “Fashion Boy,” penned by Victoria Aitken is dedicated to the male model, of whom Ms. Aitken is a card-carrying stan: “As a muse to my latest single, Andrej has taken us to territory we haven’t chartered before. I’m absolutely mad about him!” {Vogue UK}

PETA Puts Up Billboard in Garment District: Penelope Cruz casts what we think was meant to be a disapproving eye on the entire garment district, in a black-and-white campaign for the animal rights group. {Racked}

Death by Hair Extensions: While you’ve been worrying about the formaldehyde in your Brazilian blowout, a London woman was rushed to the emergency room after passing out in a nightclub. The cause? Coroners say she possibly suffered an allergic reaction from the wig glue she’d applied to attach her hair extensions. What a tragedy, and a steep price to pay for beauty. {Daily Mail}

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Streetwalker

Street Style: Carrie Wants Joy For The Holidays

Name: Carrie

Age: 26

Occupation: Architect

What is your favorite city in the world? Paris.

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Streetwalker

Street Style: Julia’s Style is ‘Rayanne Graff Meets Patti Smith’

Name: Julia

Age: 19

Occupation: Student

How would you describe your style? Rayanne Graff meets Patti Smith. There’s nothing that I wouldn’t wear and that’s what I love about Rayanne. She can put on anything and make it look good.

So, there’s nothing you wouldn’t wear? Maybe not a hot pink Juicy tracksuit, but you never know, 20 years from now it could be ironic to wear one. I think it’s how you wear it and quality over quantity with clothing.

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Fashion News Roundup

Fashion News Roundup: Uniqlo’s World Domination, Karlie Kloss Mostly Naked at Anna Wintour’s House and the Rise of the Man Purse

Target’s Web President Exits Post-Missoni Ordeal: If you got stressed out trying to purchase those Target/Missoni collabs online when the site crashed, imagine what it was like for the poor guy in charge. Target announced that its web operations president, Steve Eastman, has left the company just a month after the fiasco, which caused more site traffic than on a typical Black Friday. {WWD}

Uniqlo Set to Become Largest Apparel Retailer on Planet Earth: The fast-expanding Japanese retailer is set to have 4,000 stores worldwide by 2020, and are opening 150 overseas stores this year alone. Uniqlo’s revenue goal for 2020 is $54 billion. Just… whoa. {WWD}

Doo Ri Designs Custom Dress for Michelle Obama: The always-stylish First Lady appropriately chose to wear a custom modified purple Doo Ri gown for a state dinner with Korean leaders. The Korean-American designer “loves that [Obama] supports young designers.” {Washington Post}

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Retail

We Break Down Uniqlo’s New 89,000 Square Foot Fifth Ave. Store by the Numbers, Plus U.S. CEO Shin Odake Talks Expansion Plans and Replacing +J

As you may have heard (or undoubtedly noticed if you’ve ever passed by the main drags of Fifth Avenue or West 34th in the past year), Uniqlo is preparing to open two new stores in Manhattan. An 89,000 square foot global flagship on Fifth Avenue and 53rd St. opens this Friday, followed by a slightly more modest 65,000 square foot flagship on 34th between Fifth and Sixth Aves. next Friday.

I chatted briefly with U.S. CEO Shin Odake, who had flown in from Japan for the launch. With the economy where it is, now may seem like an unlikely time to open the company’s biggest store ever. Odake disagrees. “We don’t focus on the fact that the economy is struggling; we are more focused on the fact that the U.S. is the biggest market in the world so since we came across this real estate, we felt this was great timing.” In addition to the 34th street store, Odake is currently looking to expand into other cities in the U.S. “Our vision is to be the number one retailer in the world and by 2020, we want to do 50 million U.S. dollars worldwide. Eventually, we want to open a store in every city.”

In terms of merchandise, having successfully made a name for themselves with cashmere sweaters and designer collabs, Uniqlo’s current focus is innovative fabrics, like Heattech, which they are promoting for the launch ($12.90 down from $19.90 for a long-sleeve tee). To develop the fabrics, they partner with select manufacturers, like Japan-based Toray Industries, who actually have a team of people working out of Uniqlo’s offices. “We don’t buy fabric just because that’s a trendy fabric for the season or the prices are attractive; we want to create a long-term partnership with fabric brands.” And of course, what’s on everyone’s minds: what, if anything, will replace Jil Sander’s +J collaboration?

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Events

Nicola Formichetti on His New Sportswear Line for Uniqlo and His Own Line, Which He Hope to Launch Next Year

Nicola Formichetti has been on a roll lately. He just opened his pop-up shop, Nicola’s, on Walker Street in Tribeca to great fanfare (and a bangin’ party), selling everything from stuffed pandas to Gaga memorabilia to, now, Uniqlo. Today, Nicola’s became host to Formichetti’s new collaboration line with the Japanese mega-brand (for whom he’s the fashion director), a sportswear line called The Innovation Project that uses Uniqlo’s highly developed fabrics to make basic, easily wearable clothing.

It’s quite a departure from Formichetti’s usual robots-in-bondage type stuff; cranberry puffy nylon winter parkas, lime green HeatTech fleece pullovers and snowy white windbreakers don’t exactly scream the kind of stuff he’s been doing for Thierry Mugler. The attention to detail does, however, like the zippers which can pull apart Hulk-style to make shedding layers easier on athletes. The price point is fitting for the pop-up as well; prices don’t rise above $200, even for the parkas.

I got the chance to chat with Formichetti about his partnership with Uniqlo, his store, and what he has planned for the future (hint: he’s working on his own brand!).

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Campaigns

Susan Sarandon, John Leguizamo and More Unconventional Models Star in Uniqlo’s Fall Campaign

You might not have pegged John Leguizamo or Tumblr founder David Karp for models, but Uniqlo is bringing out their blue steel.

Uniqlo’s fall “Voices of New York” campaign, which drop this week, features Susan Sarandon, Laura Linney, John Leguizamo, Glee-star Darren Criss, Tumblr founder David Karp, and Esperanza Spalding (you know–the jazz singer who “stole” Bieber’s Grammy), WWD is reporting.

With two huge outposts opening in NYC on Fifth Avenue and 34th Street–traditional tourist hotspots–Uniqlo is expanding its “Made for All” philosophy with this super diverse cast.

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Campaigns

New Images of Uniqlo’s Final +J Collection (Tear)

We’re still sad that Jil Sander and Uniqlo are ending their collaboration, but new images of Arizona Muse sporting the +J fall/winter 2011 collection are making us feel a little bit better. Uniqlo launched this special website for the last +J collection ever complete with intense piano music, a slideshow and collection details.

In a way, we’re glad Uniqlo and Jil Sander ended with fall/winter. +J outerwear has always been really strong and this collection looks to be no exception. It hits stores September 7, which is two weeks from today, so you might want to get in line soon.

Click through for some fantastic women’s coats, via Cadmus Family.

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Shopping

Uniqlo Brings Outdoor Roller Skating to the High Line

The fashion crowd now has a summer answer to this past winter’s Standard Hotel ice rink. Now, starting next Thursday, there will be a cute little roller skating rink nearby under the High Line, thanks to Japanese retailer Uniqlo.

New Yorkers willing to brave the heat for some old-fashioned roller skating and other fun activities can head to the former parking lot on 10th avenue and 30th street from July 28 to September 26. And, if you’re one of the first 500 people on either of the first two days, you can get in for free! Uniqlo is also erecting a pop-up shop that will, according to the press release, be “glowing” adjacent to the rink. Here’s what this will all look like:

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Fashion News Roundup

Fashion News Roundup: Claudia Schiffer On German Vogue, the Next Uniqlo Collab and Topshop Goes Out Vegas-Style

Claudia Schiffer Looks Amaaazing On The Cover Of German Vogue: She casts eyes at us from under a black lace mask and we are struck with envy at her absolutely flawless waves (and lips and skin and everything because she’s Claudia and she’s perfect…). This image rocks. {Models.com}

Undercover Will Be Uniqlo’s Next Collaboration Line: Uniqlo sent out a press release heralding Jun Takahashi’s Undercover as their next collaboration line, which will take the place of +J (so sad). No details yet, but we have awhile; the line won’t be out until Spring 2012. {The Shophound}

Topshop Adds An Eveningwear Line And Is Building A Vegas Store: Called Dress Up, the new line is comprised of “elaborate, embellished pieces in fine silks and satin with beading and sequins” to target the “going out” market, says director Philip Green. It will do well in the sequin capital, Las Vegas, where they have a store coming in March 2012. Other future store plans include Chicago and Toronto, plus ones in Brazil, Australia and Mexico. {Racked}

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The Proenza Schouler/Andrew Rosen Deal Might Finally Go Through

Looks like Proenza Schouler and Andrew Rosen are finally teaming up.

It’s been over a year since we first learned that Theory ceo Rosen was interested in buying Proenza Schouler. The label is part-owned by Permira Group, a London investment firm that also owns Valentino. Permira put its 45% stake in Proenza on the block in February of 2010.

At the beginning of 2011, we heard that the deal had been penned for months but that Permira wasn’t happy with the terms, resulting in severe delays.

Then Mark Holgate pretty much confirmed on the pages of Vogue that it was all happening!

Now WWD reports that it is indeed happening, probably by the end of this month. The partnership will be structured similarly to the agreements Rosen has with Rag & Bone and Alice and Olivia, which are also personal investments. Rosen runs Theory and Helmut Lang, but they’re owned by Uniqlo.

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Accessories

Watch: Lady Gaga Heralds the Return of the Mini Backpack at a Japanese Press Conference

By Lauren Sherman Friday, Jul 1, 2011 / 10:11 AM

Lady Gaga’s in Japan, and she did a little press conference to promote the t-shirt she designed for Uniqlo. (The proceeds benefit disaster relief efforts in the country.) Yet we only have eyes for her black mini backpack. Read more »