TOKYO (ANN/THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN) – Japanese fast fashion brand Uniqlo has launched a new women’s fashion line jointly created by Uniqlo and British designer Clare Waight Keller, Uniqlo: C.
Uniqlo has collaborated with many designers since 2006. The collaboration with Jil Sander started in 2009 under the label Plus J, featuring many stylishly designed clothes. It is said to have helped change the image of Uniqlo, which had traditionally focused on its strength in functionality.
The collaboration with Christophe Lemaire, which first went on sale in October 2015, has proved so popular that it has become a long-standing brand called Uniqlo U with new items every season. And, from September 2017, Uniqlo has been collaborating with Jonathan Anderson through his brand JW Anderson, which has proved extremely popular with customers from the beginning.
Uniqlo forms relationships with designers who can continuously attract a large following for their designs, not those who target fashionistas. In terms of fashion, both Sander and Lemaire are leading designers in anti-chic minimalism, which makes quite a good match with Uniqlo’s basic and casual style, and makes for a long-running collaboration.
The collaboration between Uniqlo and Jil Sander was immensely popular, but Uniqlo apparently considers that it reached a turning point in the 2021 autumn-winter collection. Sander will turn 80 later this year, and the collaboration is likely to end. Uniqlo has probably been looking for a designer to replace her. Keller likely fitted the bill.
“Uniqlo’s challenge is what to do with women’s fashion,” said Yukihiro Katsuta, an executive officer of Fast Retailing, during his speech at the launch event for Uniqlo: C on September 13. “We had to add finesse and glamour to casual apparel.”
Keller, who has served as the creative director for a number of high-end brands such as Chloe and Givenchy, has a more elegant style than did Sander and Lemaire.
Notable items include a trench coat and a pleated colour-block skirt (JPY5,990). The entire lineup is available at 68 Uniqlo stores across Japan, online and in US and other overseas stores.
