Uniqlo hits nyc + china with 88 dancing girls

Japanese clothing retailer, UNIQLO (famed for its cut-price basics and collaborations with upcoming designers) is opening two new superstores in an apparent bid to take over the casual-wear markets of China and the USA.

In preparation for the first Chinese store opening on May 15, UNIQLO has unveiled From Shanghai to the World, a slick new website featuring eighty-eight girls dancing* in eight-eight colours. (I think. I got a little mesmerised by all the flashing colours, kooky beats and general awesomeness that is eight-eight graceful Chinese girls dancing in otherwise-boring polo shirts… So I guess their concept worked). Clicking on a girl opens a short video/audition process which lists her name, age and height. It also allows the girl to ramble on about why she chose that particular colour, such as 23-year-old, 1.73-metre-tall Liu Xiaoqing who says:

I like blue. I like the ocean. So I decided on this blue outfit today,

Before staring a short classical ballet number.

Gripping stuff, and if my understanding of the website is correct, UNIQLO is also planning to release a film version of 88 Colours to coincide with the new store opening.

According to Fast Retailing, the 39,000-square-foot store will be spread over three levels, with ‘flying mannequins moving from top to bottom, giving customers a fresh and unexpected surprise’.

If that’s not interesting enough, there will also be an exclusive series of eight collector’s t-shirts created by Shanghai designers, as part of the store’s UT line.

And just when I was getting exciting about Shanghai, CNN went and announced UNIQLO’s opening their largest store in the world on New York’s 5th Avenue. That’s right, in 2011 the Land of the Supersize is going to be hit with 90,000 square feet of polo shirts, cheap denim, t-shirt vending machines, cashmere and Jil Sander collaborations.

In the meantime, there’s always Shanghai.

<UNIQLO logos from Keisuke Omi, vending machine from Sekimura, flags from Sakura Chihaya>

*Apparently dancing girls in polo shirts are a common theme at UNIQLO. Once you’ve had your fill in Shanghai, there’s plenty more at the Japanese site. If the company didn’t do so much wonderful work with the UNHCR, I might be a little concerned.