Fashion retailer Uniqlo will be collaborating with former Vogue editor and current Global Fashion Director of Harper‘s Bazaar, Carine Roitfeld this year in another high profile partnership for the Japanese company.
The announcement follows recent news that Uniqlo will be expanding into Australia and the US as a result of 2014‘s fiscal year ending August 31, which accumulated around $13.6bn.
The collection will include 40 items which will debut this Autumn. It will precede the high profile collaboration between Uniqlo and former Hermès Creative Director Christopher Lemaire expected in October.
This is not the first time that the Japanese retailer has turned to designers for inspiration. The company previously worked with Jil Sander and Helmut Lang in the hope to push sales and brand recognition.
Uniqlo Design Director Naoki Takizawa is confident that the partnership will be a success:
“Carine goes to see collections all around the world, and the visuals that emerge from this relentless pursuit of leading edge fashion have had a tremendous influence on the fashion industry”.
It is hoped that the venture will maximise on the success other partnerships have achieved, such as Target‘s alliances with Lilly Pulitzer and Missoni.
Marshal Cohen, Chief Industry Analyst at market research firm NPD, cited, “The Missoni products for Target are a walking billboard for the brand.”
Shireen Jiwan CEO of Sleuth, a brand consultancy, spoke of the collaboration highly:
“We want to see people lining up outside Target at 6 a.m. or trying to bribe salespeople for a spot on the tote bag waiting list”.
The high fashion partnership between Uniqlo and Roitfeld should lure in new customers, not just those who favour the high street. The news has already caused a stir and regardless of what the collection looks like it is set to draw in curious crowds – all positive recognition for one of Japan‘s leading retailers.
