Fourth Global Flagship For Japanese Retailer
Uniqlo hopes to have as many China locations as it has in its native Japan by 2020
Largely spared the backlash against Japanese brands that hit automakers operating in the Chinese market in the second half of 2012, Japanese fast-fashion juggernaut Uniqlo is set to open its largest global flagship in Shanghai this May and go public on the Hong Kong stock exchange. Its fourth global flagship, following openings in New York, London, and Paris, the new 10,000 square meter Shanghai flagship will be double the size of the retailer’s Ginza location and nearly triple the size of the retailer’s original Shanghai flagship, which opened in 2010.
To promote the store launch on May 15, Uniqlo will debut a massive collection of polo shirts in 88 colors, including one designed especially for the Shanghai flagship. Additionally, the brand has signed six local stars to endorse the store in television commercials: actor Chen Kun, Hong Kong singer Khalil Fong, dancer Huang Doudou, model Du Juan, singer Betty Sun, and dancer Tan Yuanyuan, the latter three being Shanghai natives.
Whether in the mass-market, fast-fashion or the ultra-luxury segment, as WWD notes this week, brand ambassadors that resonate with the local consumer base are key to making a connection in China — a fact that is even more critical given the lingering sensitivity towards Japanese brands in the market.
Uniqlo's new flagship will be nearly three times larger than its current Shanghai flagship