A Japanese casual wear designer, manufacturer, and retailer, Uniqlo Co., Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fast Retailing Co., Ltd. Since 2005 Uniqlo Co., Ltd. has been listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Uniqlo Co., Ltd. also operates stores in Australia, Bangladesh, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The first UNIQLO store opened in 1994 in Hiroshima, Japan. The Uniqlo Co., Ltd. brand has evolved from a chain of roadside stores to an international leader in style and quality.
UNIQLO niche market is men and women all over the world who want clothes that transcend all categories and social groups. Uniqlo Co., Ltd. clothes go beyond age, gender, occupation, and ethnicity. Uniqlo Co., Ltd.’s clothes are simple and essential yet universal. Customers can mix and match them to create their unique style.
In 2005, Uniqlo opened three mall stores in New Jersey: Menlo Park, Rockaway Townsquare, and Freehold Raceway. In November 2006, Uniqlo opened a flagship store in the SoHo fashion district of Manhattan, New York City.
New fashion designers have boosted fashion concepts for Uniqlo in the U.S. market. There is presently only three North American flagship stores: the SoHo store, a second and third flagship locations on Fifth Avenue and 34th Street near Herald Square in New York City. In 2012 Uniqlo opened its largest mall store in New Jersey’s Garden State Plaza Mall.
Uniqlo plans to open 200 stores, located in every major U.S. city. Uniqlo grossed $10 billion in North American sales by 2020. Planned new locations include Boston, King of Prussia Mall, downtown Philadelphia, and the Los Angeles/Southern California region. The first of five Southern California locations will open at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa this September.
