UNIQLO Opens First West Coast Flagship Store in Union Square

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- UNIQLO, the global clothing retailer, will open its new San Francisco store at 111 Powell Street on Friday, October 5^th.

At 29,000 square feet, the three-story Union Square store will mark UNIQLO's first flagship store on the West Coast and will bring together the latest technology and design to transform the Bay Area retail experience.

UNIQLO Chairman & Global CEO, Tadashi Yanai, joined by San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 5^th at 9:45 AM, with the store officially opening to the public at 10:00 AM.

"Friday will be a landmark day for UNIQLO as we open our doors on the West Coast. We look forward to welcoming customers into our San Francisco flagship store and sharing our innovative products and brand philosophy with the Bay Area," said UNIQLO USA Chief Operating Officer Yasunobu Kyogoku.  "San Francisco is the center of global innovation and we are delighted to join this vibrant community." 

"The opening of UNIQLO in San Francisco adds even more excitement to our world-class Union Square," said San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee.  "The arrival of UNIQLO's new West Coast flagship home to the Bay Area brings nearly 500 new jobs and is helping to boost our local economic recovery."

UNIQLO's West Coast store will be a true architectural gem in the heart of Union Square, incorporating sleek design and the latest modern technology to create a unique shopping experience that is Made for All.  High-beamed ceilings and a large basement to roof skylight enables natural sunlight to illuminate the central glass case housing some of the more than 91 rotating mannequins situated around the store sporting the latest UNIQLO fashions.  An LED-illuminated rainbow staircase reflects the colorful diversity of UNIQLO's product offerings while serving as a strong focal point for shoppers to browse the different floors and designer collections.  77 LCD screens line the perimeter of the store on seven large monitor walls featuring a rotational mix of UNIQLO marketing campaigns and product promotions.  And the technology doesn't stop there.

The global unveiling of UNIQLO's "Magic Mirror" technology will occur at the San Francisco location.  Developed by the worlds leading printing company Dai Nippon Printing (DNP), this 'virtual dressing room' allows customers to use the Kinect color-changing engine and half-mirror touch panel technology to instantly switch between different color palettes of iconic UNIQLO clothing.  The exceptionally large bright color monitor brings to life the vivid product quality and details to make consumers feel like they are actually wearing the real product, while also matching color variation to best fit the style preferences of San Francisco's diverse demographic technology that is Made for All. 

"We are very pleased with the beautiful design and stunning architecture of our Flagship San Francisco store," said Kyogoku.  "We've preserved the historical facade while completely remodeling the interior, rejuvenating the space with a modern contemporary twist.  We've also infused the latest state-of-the art technology to create a marquis shopping destination."

San Francisco is the company's fifth U.S. retail location. Other U.S. locations include the UNIQLO store in Paramus, New Jersey, UNIQLO Soho, UNIQLO 5^th Avenue and UNIQLO 34^th Street.

About UNIQLO and Fast Retailing:

UNIQLO is a brand of Fast Retailing Co. (FR), a leading global Japanese retail holding company that designs, manufactures and sells clothing under five brands: Comptoir des Cotonniers, g.u., Princesse tam.tam, Theory, Helmut Lang and UNIQLO. With global sales of 820 billion yen for the 2011 fiscal year ending August 31, 2011, FR is the world's fourth largest apparel retail company and UNIQLO is Japan's leading specialty retailer. Today UNIQLO has more than 1,100 stores in 13 markets worldwide, namely in Japan, the U.S., U.K., France, Russia, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Korea. UNIQLO continues to open large-scale stores in some of the world's most important cities and locations, as part of its ongoing efforts to solidify its status as a truly global brand. UNIQLO operates an integrated business model under which it designs, manufactures, markets and sells high-quality, casual apparel in line with its 'Made for All' philosophy. With a corporate statement committed to changing clothes, changing conventional wisdom and change the world, FR is dedicated to creating great clothing with new and unique value to enrich the lives of people everywhere. For more information about UNIQLO and other FR group companies, please visit www.uniqlo.com or www.fastretailing.com.

UNIQLO SAN FRANCISCO GRAND OPENING PROMOTIONS:

The San Francisco store will offer iconic UNIQLO products including men's and women's basics, HEATTECH, Ultra Light Down, and an endless array of colorful cashmere and designer collaborations with brands like Orla Kiely, Good Morning Beautiful People, and G.V.G.V.

In appreciation of our San Francisco fans, UNIQLO will offer the following promotions:

• Free HEATTECH item to the first 500 customers on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
• Opportunities to win a free premium Ultra Light Down jacket or parka
• With a purchase of $50 or more all customers will receive a free sustainable canvas tote bag while supplies last

UNIQLO will also offer exceptional price promotions of incredible value on high-quality wardrobe staples available in a rainbow of vibrant colors and different style options:

• More than 50 Colors of Premium Down Ultra Light  Down Jackets and Parkas (Men/Women): now $49.90 (regularly $69.90)
• 44 Colors of 100% Cashmere V-neck Sweaters
  • Men: now $59.90 (regularly $99.90)
  • Women: now $49.90 (regularly $89.90)
• Japanese Engineered Denim (M/W): now $9.90 – limited special item exclusive to SF store opening

Other promotional items include:

SOURCE UNIQLO