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interface news reporter | chen qirui

interface news editor | lou qiqin

japanese fast fashion brand uniqlo recently announced that british designerClare Waight Kellershe will serve as creative director of the french luxury brandChloéandGivenchycreative director of the british prince harry and megan designed the wedding dress, and the cooperation with uniqlo began2023released in september“Uniqlo: C”series.

uniqlo did not disclose“Uniqlo: C”the exposure and sales of the series, but judging by the appointment decision, it seems to be satisfied with the results. but this is not the first time uniqlo has done this. the french designer brandLemairefounderChristophe Lemairethat is “Uniqlo U” creative director.

the difference is,Clare Waight Kellernot only responsible“Uniqlo: C”she recently accepted an interview with fashion business mediaVogue Businessin the interview, he said that he would be responsible for the entire“LifeWear”the series under the concept of (fashion life) basically covers all of uniqlo's core products.

according to the plan,Clare Waight Kellerthe wide-leg jeans designed by the designer are already on sale, and men's wear will have softer tailored jackets and other wide-profile styles in the future. the air padded jacket, which was once a hit in uniqlo, will also be updated, with more diverse colors and more fashionable shapes.

this and2023the first one released in“Uniqlo: C”the collection is similar. checked coat, loafers, color-block pleated skirt and indigo suit with a denim look……these design elements are obviously too fashionable for uniqlo, which has always emphasized classic and basic styles.“Uniqlo: C”the same is true for the series.

although uniqlo does not charge a higher price for its designer collections, its determination to pursue fashion and luxury is obvious. competition in the fast fashion industry forces uniqlo to do so.

H&Mexist2000in the 1990s, the company began to enhance its image and positioning by collaborating with well-known designers or luxury brands.Karl Lagerfeld、VersaceandMaison Margielain addition, the parent companyH&Mthe group alsoCOSandARKETwait for higher-priced sub-brands to attract mid- to high-end consumers.

recent,H&Mannounced reforms. the new ceoDaniel Ervérin accepting fashion industry mediaBusiness of Fashionin the interview, he saidH&Mthe current value positioning is to get rid of price competition, provide a wider range of products from low to high-end, and use the concept of integrating fashion and music for marketing.

Zaraso does bank of america.Bank of AmericaanalystGeoffroy De Mendezsay,Inditexthe overall price of its brands is2022year5%the increase and2023the annual increase is2%another measure that can prove this is thatZarain recent years, it has also started to collaborate more frequently with designer brands, includingADER ERRORandSUSAN FANG。

even other smaller fast fashion brands have begun to join the competition. if there were no ideological differences,GAPuntil now or will continueYeezycooperation, the latter even broughtBalenciagaenter the market; the choice of spanish fast fashion brands isVictoria Beckham，Urban OutfittersthenDieselcooperate.

as one of the largest brands in the industry, uniqlo has also collaborated with designer brands.Christophe Lemairein addition, spanish luxury brandsLOEWEcurrent creative directorJohnathan Andersonit is also a long-term partner of uniqlo.Jil Sanderi have also participated in the collaboration.

andH&M、ZaraevenGAPin comparison, uniqlo's designer collection is trendy, but not fashionable enough.——it is suitable for daily wear, but not for showing off one's personality. this can be seen in the activities organized by these brands for their joint series:H&Mthere will be fashion shows, parties, and appearances by big stars and supermodels, but these practices are not common in uniqlo.

from the perspective of adhering to history and continuing the consistency of its image, uniqlo cannot be required to completely copy the actions of other fast fashion brands. but the key point is that the core of uniqlo is not to sell basic styles, but to sell relatively more fashionable or better quality basic styles with the help of a complete supply chain.

in the fiercely competitive market, uniqlo also faces challenges. according to the parent company fast retailing group2024according to the third quarter financial report of the fiscal year, the performance of greater china region declined due to multiple unfavorable factors.

as a comparison,south korea recorded both revenue and profit growth.southeast asia, india and australia recorded revenue growth and significant growth in operating profit. north america and europe, as emerging markets, achieved significant growth in revenue and operating profit. among them, europe's same-store net salesdouble-digit growth。

as a response, uniqlo said that global or regional flagship stores that are more conducive to showcasing the brand image and meeting customer needs will be the focus of its layout, and the corresponding measure is to open more flagship stores and image stores.some stores will make improvements based on their original locations, such as moving to better locations within the same shopping mall, expanding sales floors, and redecorating.

then the brand will inevitably need to have a more fashionable image.

it is worth mentioning that large fast fashion brands rarely appoint creative directors who are in charge of the overall situation.GAPi tried it before when i was transforming, but one person’s aesthetic thinking was in conflict with the needs of the huge market, and eventually the creative director left, and the transformation was unsuccessful. this is different from the operating logic of luxury brands and designer brands.

uniqlo did not discloseClare Waight Kellerin terms of internal decision-making authority and processes,Clare Waight Kellershe also said in the interview that she is adapting to the operating model of uniqlo. she said that her dressing style has changed significantly since she joined the company, using jackets, whiteTt-shirts paired with overalls are the norm, a departure from the refined, luxurious clothing she wore when she worked for luxury brands in the past.

obviously, the two sides still have some way to go in getting used to each other.