Japan’s Uniqlo delivers affordable clothing – but escapes the fast-fashion label

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When the global fast-fashion revolution arrived on Canadian soil in the early 2000s, it was met with a rush of excitement as shoppers, including me, flocked to malls to score bags of trendy clothing at hitherto unheard-of low prices. But those carefree days are officially gone. Given the growing awareness of the fashion industry’s pollution problem coupled with the fact that excess clothing winds up in landfills or is burned by the tonne, having a fun little fling at a mass retailer is now a full-on environmental hazard. When the price is low, common thought is that the item is cheap and disposable, qualities that are increasingly undesirable as evidenced by Forever 21’s recent bankruptcy.

Despite all of this, Japan’s Uniqlo has found a way to reach the masses without attracting the stigma of being mass. The key to its success lies in its ability to redefine what it means for a fashion item to be relevant. For Uniqlo, relevancy is not solely defined by an item being on trend, but by its value and usefulness, two characteristics typically lacking at most fast fashion stores. It’s a radical approach to product development that’s changing the way shoppers think about what’s in their closets while sparing Uniqlo the reputation that’s sometimes associated with mass-produced clothing.

Uniqlo has more than 2,000 stores in 23 markets, including 13 retail outlets in Canada. Founded in Hiroshima in 1984 by Tadashi Yanai, the president and chief executive of its parent company Fast Retailing (currently valued at US$21.53-billion), Uniqlo is known for its affordable mix-and-match seasonal basics. Yanai is quick to point out that, contrary to the price tags at his stores, he’s not in the business of making cheap clothing. “If you say accessibility, people think of mass production therefore a trade-off where the quality would have to be compromised,” Yanai says. “We want to offer the very best quality for everyone.”

A big part of this quality lies in Uniqlo’s appreciation of design. The brand regularly collaborates with fashion personalities from around the globe, including Northern Irish designer JW Anderson, French fashionista Ines de la Fressange, British designer and blogger Hana Tajima, and Christophe Lemaire, the former artistic director of luxury fashion house Hermès. Unlike other high-profile fashion collaborations, the pieces by Uniqlo’s partners are not instantly recognizable. For Vancouver-based stylist Leila Bani, this discretion is part of the appeal. “It’s not necessarily a screaming piece. It’s just great design at an accessible price,” she says.

Instead of chasing trends, Uniqlo focuses on innovations in materials, developing new fabrics such as those made of recycled down and PET bottles created through a partnership with Toray, the materials company known for making carbon fibre for aerospace manufacturer SpaceX. According to The State of Fashion 2020 Report produced by Business of Fashion and McKinsey & Co., the materials revolution is a key industry theme for 2020. Leaders in this space will offer more sustainable substitutes and high-tech options that combine style and function – something Uniqlo is delivering at accessible price points.

Beyond these continuing innovations in textiles, a key differentiator for the retailer is LifeWear, its uniquely created category of clothing. “LifeWear is something that sits on top that’s not business wear, not athletic wear, not home wear, not lounge wear. We’re trying to take away those traditional silos, so our expectation is to be relevant to a greater number of people,” says John Jay, Fast Retailing’s president of global creative, describing this category, one that keeps Uniqlo – and its clients – from falling victim to fads.

“They really have the basics nailed,” Bani says.

All of this has resonated with Canadian shoppers, such as those who queued up for the opening of Uniqlo’s first store in Edmonton in September. Quebec’s first store is set to open in Montreal later this year. “There’s something about [Uniqlo] that makes me feel empowered about what I’m buying,” says Katherine Flemming, a writer and mother of two living in Thornhill, Ont., who made a resolution to quit her habit of impulse buying at fast fashion stores last year. “I don’t get out of control because there’s no crazy trends there that I feel like I need to adopt.”

If sales are any indication, Flemming’s sense of approval is shared by millions. Last year, Uniqlo surpassed H&M to become the second biggest fashion retailer in the world by revenue. In the lead is Spain’s Inditex, which owns Zara among other brands.

As consumer mentality continues to shift, the future direction of the fashion industry is anything but certain. By forging its own path, Uniqlo is well positioned to weather the change.

Editor’s note: Uniqlo's store is in Edmonton, not Calgary as previously published.

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