Japanese apparel retail brand GU, owned by Fast Retailing, has revealed plans to open its first store in the US as it aims to further expand its business.
Located in Soho, New York, the pop-up store is scheduled to open later this year and will mark the brand’s launch in the West.
With a sales area of around 2,900ft², the store will offer a special line-up of ‘choice, on-trend clothing’ and accessories for both men and women.
The GU Soho New York Store will be the brand’s first store outside the Asian market.
GU CEO Osamu Yunoki said: “It is a great honour 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.
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By GlobalData“By opening a pop-up shop in the centre 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.”
Established in 2006 in Japan, GU is a sister brand of Fast Retailing’s primary subsidiary, UNIQLO.
The brand has a network of around 450 locations across Japan, Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
GU said it will provide more details of the Soho store’s opening at a later point.
In April this year, Fast Retailing reported a 23% increase in half-yearly operating profit and raised its full-year profit estimate, following a strong performance in China.
The company’s focus on China and Japan helped it manage the effects of the economic downturn in the US and Europe due to the Covid-19 pandemic.