The first UNIQLO store opened its doors in June 1984. We proved the success of the SPA manufacturer retailer model controlling the entire process from product planning, production, distribution and marketing. UNIQLO enjoyed superb growth by providing high quality casual wear at remarkably low prices.

Our fleece campaign sparked a UNIQLO boom across Japan in 1998. The post boom period saw a comparative fall off in revenue and profit, but our timely expansion of women’s wear products helped generate a recovery in our business and saw the company generate sales of ¥400bln in fiscal 2006. We now boast a network of over 760 stores across Japan and we are working on increasing the UNIQLO appeal ever further through the development of 1650sqm stores (double the initial regular store size of 800sqm), and large-format stores with extensive shop floors of 3300sqm.

※1 m=10.76square feet/p>

In the area of product development, we have established a global R&D system linking Research and Development in New York and Tokyo. We seek to capture local trends early and incorporate them in our product development and design.

In addition we opened stores outside of Japan starting in the UK in 2001. Since then, we have expanded our international store network into a number of countries including China, Hong Kong, South Korea, USA and France. We opened global flagship stores in New York’s SOHO shopping district in 2006 and on London’s Oxford Street in 2007. We continue to develop UNIQLO as a global brand.

• For more details on corporate development,
  ※please go to the FAST RETAILING website.

UNIQLO accounts for roughly 90% of total sales at the FAST RETAILING holding company. FAST RETAILING is clearly in the top class if you compare its scale of sales with other specialty clothing retailers from around the world.

• Source: Compiled from the annual reports of the companies listed above.
  * Figures calculated in yen using August 31, 2008 foreign exchange rates.