We ‘Qlo again

Japanese clothing brand Uniqlo, known for its range of high-quality basics to satisfy all of your “normcore” needs, is attempting to properly crack the American market again, with plans to open over 20 stores across North America in 2024 as part of its goal to reach more than 200 stores throughout the continent by the end of 2027.

As of parent company Fast Retailing’s latest count, there are just 59 Uniqlo branches in North America, after the retailer made a conscious effort to retreat in recent years, shutting stores in the region and taking time to learn what American shoppers really want (shoulder bags and crop tops, apparently).

That was a rare faux pas for a fashion brand that’s been growing rapidly since the first Uniqlo, back then the Unique Clothing Warehouse, opened its doors in Hiroshima 40 years ago. Thanks to its semi-utilitarian offerings, viral products like its immensely popular cross-body bag, and a catalog of impressive collaborations with everyone from Alexander Wang to Keith Haring, Uniqlo has carved out a slice of the market that’s way too big to be considered a niche.

Today, the brand is one of — if not the — leading fashion retailers in Japan, with ~800 stores across its native country, and its international expansion has been equally rapid… even with a few hiccups in the US. Since 2005, when its first US store opened, Uniqlo International revenue has skyrocketed: sales abroad outstripped sales in Japan for the first time in 2018, growing to ¥1,437bn (~$9.5bn) by 2023, largely thanks to China and other Asian nations.