Gossip on Uniqlo
A little more gossip from Japan Fashion Week. We told you last year about Uniqlo’s new presence in the States. It appears that this powerhouse of a company has more plans to extend its global reach.
Even Uniqlo, the fast fashion brand offering clothes at rock bottom prices, is planning to trade upwards next season with a line from a young designer duo.
Interestingly, though, the new product looks like it will be created here in New York, and not in Japan. I couldn’t find an article which mentioned the nationality of the designers; it will be very interesting to see what the clothes look like once they come out. Japan has a treasure trove of images and ideas to mine for original designs; I’d hope that Japanese designers themselves would be conscious of this, take pride in it, and deliver something really outstanding to the ever-hungry-for-originality consumer.
Poor Mari….she’s my favorite. If I ever become a j-pop singer and part of the...
It’s important to find out where Uniqlo’s products are manufactured, as well. And the role those factories and workers play in the provision of those “rock bottom prices.”
April 1st, 2006 at 7:55 amAh, yes. Always a problem with fashion.
A friend and I were talking the other day about the staying power of peasant blouses, sequins and embroidery; she pointed out to me that the mass marketing of these goods is only possible because of cheap labor. And this of course brings many more questions to mind.
April 1st, 2006 at 8:00 amI went to Uniqlo in soho last weekend, I’m actually wearing the shirt I bought there today. I think the tag says made in Malaysia or something. Anyway, they say they will alter any pair of pants for free after you buy them, which is nice.
April 1st, 2006 at 8:16 amUniqlo’s reputation in China is quite good, according to the Chinese I know who work for them.
You may be surprised to know that expensive brands also use cheap labor. They are no less immune to the need to reduce costs. Chinese are happy to have the work, so I wonder what exactly the “questions” are.
Incidentally, looking at the tag is not a n accurate way to learn country of manufacture. Because of EU and US protectionist quotas, Chinese factories will happily print “Made in (name your country).”
April 1st, 2006 at 9:31 amYou may be surprised to know that expensive brands also use cheap labor. They are no less immune to the need to reduce costs. Chinese are happy to have the work, so I wonder what exactly the “questions” are.==ghoti
no one in their righ mind would be surprised to know that. it’s quite well known, indeed.
April 1st, 2006 at 10:58 amas far as the “questions,” they have to do with factory conditions, workers rights, wages and safety, etc. hardly small matters–particularly in second and third world scenarios.
Well then you may be surprised to know that factories that manufacture for international brands are among the most desirable employers of unskilled labor in 3rd world countries. Any more questions?
April 1st, 2006 at 5:48 pmmost desirable says who?
April 3rd, 2006 at 2:49 pmI recently saw an amazing documentary about sweatshops in China: China Blue, by documentarian Micha Peled.
http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117928549?categoryid=31&cs=1
http://asianamericanfilmfestival.org/films/film_detail.php?i=26
Not sure when it will hit PBS/and or theaters, but watch it if you can.
And just because unskilled workers want a job at a factory, doesn’t mean that they arren’t being exploited.
The documentary is amazing, and really unravels the impact of globalization in a personal and touching w ay.
April 6th, 2006 at 10:15 pmanon-
April 6th, 2006 at 10:24 pmSays I and all the Chinese I know, as well as my first hand experience in China. Where do you get your information? Mother Jones?
no. 9, meet no. 8.
April 7th, 2006 at 5:16 pm[...] The wall of color and the simple lines may look like Uniqlo to you, but I promise you, this is NOT the same store you might visit in Japan. I was privileged enough last night to attend the flagship store opening ; longtime readers of Japundit will remember that we had a lively discussion last year about the early test-marketing attempts of Uniqlo corporate here in NYC, and that we speculated how it would fare long term against global competitors such as H&M and Zara. [...]
November 11th, 2006 at 4:07 pm