Giant Robot Store and GR2 News
I was surprised to read this story from The Korea Times, since it’s usually big Korean mass-market clothing companies doing the knocking off, but Uniqlo got busted for being copy cats. Korean clothing company, Coevel caught Uniqlo in the act of copying their “Navajo” socks. It’s a pretty blatant rip-off, and while Navajo inspired designs aren’t particularly unique, the Uniqlo design looks like a direct pull from Coevel’s. The Southwest decor craze of the late 70s, and the pastel version of the late 80s, seems to be on the rise again. Even Shepard Fairey’s Obey Clothing came out with a series of “Navajo” clothes and accessories. Uniqlo issued a public apology on their Korean website, but there’s been no official statement about how the issue will be resolved, and the CEO of Coevel is readying her legal team. Too bad there aren’t any royalties for the Navajo Nation. Here are the socks in question: No mention of it on the You Thought We Wouldn’t Notice But We Did blog, but there are plenty of rip-offs to go around these days.
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Uniqlo is currently fourth in the world in clothing behind Zara, H&M, and Gap and now has four shops in the US. Yet the goal of Tadashi Yanai… a whopping 1000 stores in the US and to become a company that makes 50 billion a year in revenues by 2020. (Forbes – Uniqlo)
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It’s happening. Uniqlo is on their secret mission of becoming the world’s largest retailer. Why is it that while the economy still blows, a giant can continue to get more giant. They’re not selling oil, gold or diamonds at inflated prices. They’re selling cotton and polyester. Often times nearly the same as clothing makers of the past… but, who are American. The Gap and Old Navy have been around, but Uniqlo? Sounds like a name for the ages. 20-30 new stores in the US in the next eight years? Sounds doable, especially when they’re charing low prices in high rents in Soho and 5th Avenue in Manhattan, NY. Much like IKEA revolutionized dorm rooms, first time home owners, and great “IKEA hackers”, Uniqlo will do the same. Where will that leave the small shops like Giant Robot, which nearly at the polar opposite end? We’ll be here. (NYTimes – Uniqlo) There are plenty of Uniqlo posts in the past on GiantRobot.com and a recent visit yielded new clothing collaboration by Undercover (Uu) x Uniqlo at sale prices. Meanwhile in other Uniqlo news: They signed up Novak Djokovic.
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Uniqlo’s retail expansion seems like it’s happening at the wrong time. Bookstores are closing, the Gap just announced it’s closing 189 stores, but Uniqlo is thinking about doing 12 billion in sales in the US. Why are they doing exactly what the others aren’t? This article explains it a little bit. A) Good Pricing B) No Gaps C) Big Store Experience. It’s happening and perhaps it works because of their base that’s not in the US. (Portfolio – Uniqlo)
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The major huge Uniqlo behemoth shop is opening. 89,000 square feet, 100 dressing rooms, 50 registers, and clothes that fit Asians better. A statement mentioned that the folks at Uniqlo aren’t eyeing The Gap as their goal in the US, they’re looking more towards Apple! It’s a bold thing to say, but at the same time, at Giant Robot, we eyed magazines like National Geographic over the many street culture or Asian American types of magazines as what we wanted to be like. But Apple? If you didn’t remember this shop boasted a $300 million dollar lease for 15 years, which was a record at the time. Uniqlo
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