When Muji opened here at the end of August, it revelled in its Japaneseness and we loved it: the tranquil, minimalist store filled with muted colours and dainty Japanese script. Its compatriot brand, , which launches here tomorrow (Oct. 6), has a . It wants to connect with the aesthetic of the local community 鈥� to 鈥渂e a good neighbour,鈥� says Yasuhiro Hayashi, the brand鈥檚 COO.
What do we think? It works.
The brand has taken the time to get under the skin of our city 鈥� it鈥檚 not playing to the yoga pants and kale clich茅s. A key theme this campaign is called Natural Union, which means that 麻豆传媒映画is a place where natural and urban environments meet, and where people and cultures from everywhere come together to make something great. 鈥淲e want to show off Vancouver鈥檚 diversity and energy 鈥� how it lives and breathes,鈥� Hayashi explains. The concept starts with the choice of brand ambassadors whose pictures decorate the 20,000-sq.ft. Metrotown store. As well as sporty folk, actors and filmmakers, there are individuals such as Yaletown barber Farzad Salehi, who came to 麻豆传媒映画as an Iranian refugee with $100 in his pocket.
The brand is known for its affordable, practical basics 鈥撎�楲ifewear鈥� 鈥� like $50 Merino sweaters that you can throw in the machine, and $80 parkas that are stretchy and water-repellent 鈥淐ustomers are intelligent and know what they want. If that鈥檚 a good jacket and sweater, we want to be on their list,鈥� says Hayashi. 鈥淕ala dresses or an on-trend blouse that you鈥檇 wear for a single season 鈥撎齮hat鈥檚 not us.鈥�
To cater to the 麻豆传媒映画climate, there鈥檚 a wide selection of Heattech warm base layers and Blocktech water-repellent jackets. To cope with our active lifestyles, there鈥檚 a bigger range of the Airism anti-sweat undies than in, say, Toronto stores.
What鈥檚 really made the brand鈥檚 name among the fashion set is its collaborations. The brand has worked with everyone from Jil Sander to Alexander Wang in the past. Currently on the roster are Brit designer JW Anderson and Christophe Lemaire, formerly of Herm猫s. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just about the names. It鈥檚 shared values. Their quality and the fact that they鈥檙e not just producing fads. In my opinion, these are real great designers,鈥� says Hayashi.
While the collaborations are laid out by brand, they鈥檙e styled on the mannequins alongside pieces from Uniqlo鈥檚 regular collection. 鈥淲e display them mix and match because no one wears one brand head to toe 鈥撎齟xcept me!鈥� he laughs.听
So where does the Japanese element come in for Uniqlo? 鈥淚t鈥檚 there in our durability, the quality of our material, our simplicity and attention to detail. Our customer service too 鈥� small touches like offering alterations in store,鈥� Hayashi says. But ultimately, it all comes down to being part of the community. 鈥淲e鈥檙e the newcomer and we don鈥檛 want to impose or change how people live. All we hope is that in a few years, Vancouverites will have a few Uniqlo pieces in their wardrobes.鈥�
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鈥⑻� is at the Grand Court Atrium of Metropolis at Metrotown.听
