GU UNVEILS DETAILS OF FIRST US FLAGSHIP, APP, AND E-COMMERCE LAUNCH

GU, a Uniqlo sister brand and part of the Fast Retailing Group, will open its US flagship at 578 Broadway in SoHo, New York City, on Thursday, September 19, 2024 from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm, simultaneously launching its US e-commerce site. The store will offer women’s and men’s clothing on two floors, including shoes, bags, and accessories. 

GU (pronounced as the letters “G” and “U”) was established in 2006 as a sister brand of Uniqlo and currently operates approximately 470 stores in Asia, mainly in Japan, with e-commerce sites in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Japan. Derived from the Japanese word for “freedom,” GU offers a dynamic range of contemporary apparel with a focus on affordability and trend-driven styles.

With a sales floor area of about 10,225 square feet, GU NY SoHo will showcase the GU New U concept, which features the latest fashion trends. The flagship will also highlight GU’s unique brand philosophy, Mini Edit Max, which brings maximum style and quality with lower prices and curated collections.

A new men’s collaboration with fashion brand Undercover will also drop as part of the store opening. This collaboration offers a lineup that can be enjoyed by all genders, including pieces featuring detachable sleeves to create multiple silhouettes with one garment that can be worn casually.

Opening weekend, September 20th to 22nd, the store will operate from 10am to 8pm with special opening weekend hours (normal operating hours will be 11am to 8pm Monday through Sunday). Activities will include giveaways, and a drawing to win the best of Tokyo experiences in New York. The first 300 customers will receive a collaborative tote bag designed by Shantell Martin as a gift with a minimum purchase amount. The limited edition tote bag is filled with GU favorites and a chance to win experiences like GU shopping trips valued up to $250 and exclusive experiences of Tokyo culture in NY. Additional giveaways include exclusive Japanese treats that will only be available on the opening weekend. The latest information on the activities will be updated on the store’s events page and on the GU Instagram account. Beginning today, customers can RSVP for the launch event via Partiful to get updates about the weekend’s activities.