By Gabriella Nuovo, News Correspondent
In recent years, international merchandise companies such as Topshop have been expanding to the US. Continuing this trend is a Japanese clothing store, Uniqlo, which is seeking locations in Chestnut Hill Mall according to the Simon Property Group’s public
- Photo Courtesy/Creative Commons/Galant
lease plans.
Uniqlo was opened in Hiroshima, Japan in 1985 as a unisex casualwear store. Modeling themselves after their American counterpart, The Gap, the store eventually was able to expand. In 1998, Uniqlo established its first location in Tokyo and, by 2002, it opened outlets in Shanghai and London according to its website.
Uniqlo designed Japanese Olympic athlete uniforms in 1998, 2002 and 2004, and second place world-ranked tennis player Novak Djokovic has worn custom Uniqlo athletic wear at various tournaments, according to its website. A specific line characterized by black and grey geometric patterns embellished with scarlet seams has been designed for Novak Djokovic in lieu of the 2014 Australian Open.
The company has high aims for the next decade. By 2020, Uniqlo hopes to reach 5 trillion yen (over $61 billion) in annual sales, according to Bloomberg, which said that the company was “turning American Eagle Japanese” because of its competing market. Aiming to become the world’s largest “specialty retailer of private label apparel,” Uniqlo continues opening stores on almost every continent.
Elisabeth Borja, the website manager for the Fashion & Retail Society of Northeastern University, is a fan of the store.
“Uniqlo is definitely a reasonably-priced store,” she said. “I have bought several pieces from there and have been very satisfied with them. I will definitely be a customer at the Boston locations.”
The Chestnut Hill Mall already has stores such as Madewell, Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics and Soft Surroundings. According to the Boston Herald, Uniqlo hopes to add itself to the long list of stores in the mall directory by Fall of 2014.
For Borja, this means a new co-op warddrobe.
“Uniqlo has so many great pieces that I think are perfect for students,” she said. “Especially those about to go on co-op or start an internship.”
Others, however, are skeptical about the new addition.
“I wouldn’t shop there until I heard good reviews about the store. Then, I would give it a try,” said Shirley Wang, a frequent shopper at Quincy Market.
Others felt just as negatively.
“Well, my opinion is that I would never shop there,” Christine Luong, a first-year health sciences major, said. “It’s just not my style. It’s just a little bit too expensive for me considering most of the stuff is just basics.”
Borja, who oppositely argued that the store has accessible prices, said that she envisions success for Uniqlo once it joins the Boston retail market.
“Since there are so many college students, I think [it] will do pretty well,” she said. “Not every student has the means to buy all of their clothes on Newbury Street, and Uniqlo helps bring reasonably-priced fashion to anyone looking to get the most for their money.”
