Tokyo — GU (pronounced by the letters ‘G’ and ‘U’), the Japanese apparel retailer with the brand message “YOUR FREEDOM,” plans to open its first store in the U.S. this fall. The pop-up store in Soho, New York, which marks the first time the brand launches in the West, will feature a special lineup of choice, on-trend clothing and accessories for both men and women.
“It is a great honor to be opening our first store in the United States,” says Osamu Yunoki, CEO of G.U. Co., Ltd. “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. By opening a pop-up shop in the center of Soho, we will be able to reach a wide range of customers, including New York residents as well as tourists.”
The brand name GU is close in sound to the Japanese word jiyu which means freedom. The company was established in 2006 in Japan as a sister brand of UNIQLO, and part of the Fast Retailing Group, and today has around 450 locations, mainly in Asia. The new 2,900-square-foot store opening in the U.S., the first outside the Asia region, is aimed at further business expansion.
Today GU has around 450 stores, mostly located in Japan with some in Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
SOURCE: Fast Retailing