GU to Open First Store in the United States

Pop-up store in Soho, New York planned for fall 2022

TOKYO, Aug. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- GU (pronounced by the letters 'G' and 'U'), the Japanese apparel retailer with the brand message "YOUR FREEDOM," today announces the opening of its first store in the U.S., planned for fall 2022. The store in Soho, New York, which marks the first time the brand launches in the West, will offer the people living in this city of diverse cultures, values, and lifestyles from around the world, fashions that everyone can enjoy. The pop-up store will feature a special lineup of choice, on-trend clothing and accessories for both men and women, allowing customers to experience the latest fashions from GU.

Commenting on today's announcement, Osamu Yunoki, CEO of G.U. Co., Ltd., said, "It is a great honor to be opening our first store in the United States. New York is a place where people with diverse backgrounds come together from around the world, an exciting city where fashion, art, music, and other varied cultural elements intersect. By opening a pop-up shop in the center of Soho, we will be able to reach a wide range of customers, including New York residents as well as tourists, offering them products filled with the sense of trendiness exemplified in the GU brand message of 'YOUR FREEDOM,' and allowing them to enjoy outfits that freely express their individuality."

The brand name GU is close in sound to the Japanese word jiyu which means freedom. The company was established in 2006 in Japan as a sister brand of UNIQLO, and part of the Fast Retailing Group, and today has around 450 locations, mainly in Asia. This latest store opening in the U.S., the first outside the Asia region, is aimed at further business expansion.

About GU  
GU (pronounced by the letters 'G' and 'U") is a fashion brand from Tokyo that was established in 2006, at the time of the opening of its first store. Today GU has around 450 stores, mostly located in Japan with some in Mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. YOUR FREEDOM is the concept aimed at helping people to be themselves and enjoy their individuality through the latest GU clothing. 

SOURCE Fast Retailing