GU, a sister brand of Uniqlo under Japan’s Fast Retailing Group, has launched in the US with the opening of its first flagship store and e-commerce site.
Fast Retailing has also set up a head office for the label in New York to oversee its expansion in the country, according to Nikkei. This will be GU’s second global headquarters, after Tokyo.
The brand’s new flagship store, located in SoHo, New York, offers women’s and men’s clothing across two floors, as well as a selection of shoes, bags, and accessories. To mark the opening, GU has collaborated with fashion brand Undercover for a new men’s collection.
Customers outside of New York can shop for the brand’s products online via its e-commerce site and app.
Established in 2006, GU operates approximately 470 stores in Asia, mainly in Japan, as well as e-commerce sites in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Japan. The brand opened a pop-up location in New York in 2022.
GU reported 300 billion yen (US$2.13 billion) in revenue for the last fiscal year. The brand aims to lift its global sales to 1 trillion yen in the medium term.
