Global competition speeding up in 'fast fashion'

By Yo Nakai

TOKYO —

Competition is speeding up globally among ‘‘fast fashion’’ chains selling hip apparel products at reasonable prices.

Swedish fast-fashion giant H&M will debut in Japan this fall, opening a flagship store in Tokyo’s Harajuku area, a street fashion magnet attracting young customers.

Japanese casual wear chain Uniqlo is extending its international reach by opening its first global flagship store in Europe on Oxford Street, one of London’s busiest shopping districts.

H&M operates some 1,500 stores in nearly 30 countries.

It produces clothing in collaboration with Chanel’s Karl Lagerfeld and other top designers. People wait in long lines in front of its stores when the newest product lines hit the shelves.

H&M plans to open another Japanese outlet in Tokyo’s upscale Ginza shopping district following the Harajuku store.

‘‘The H&M brand is one of the world’s top sellers and each of the Harajuku and Ginza outlets is likely to generate annual sales of 4 billion yen,’’ fashion business consultant Takahiro Saito said.

‘‘What H&M has achieved is a revolution,’’ Saito said. ‘‘It reversed common knowledge that you have to pay a very high price if you want the latest fashion clothes ahead of anybody else.’‘

Uniqlo is also expanding its overseas operations.

Its stylish European flagship building on Oxford Street has an entrance more than 20 meters wide and trendy clothes on display rotate inside large, cylindrical showcases.

Uniqlo opened a global flagship store in New York’s Soho district in November 2006. It also operates outlets in Hong Kong, mainland China and South Korea.

‘‘We need to become the world’s No. 1 if we are to become the No. 1 in Japan,’’ Uniqlo spokeswoman Yukie Sakaguchi said.

Other fast-fashion retailers are also expanding their global business.

Spanish apparel chain Zara, which operates nearly 30 stores in Japan, boasts a stable of some 200 designers and is known for the speed with which it rushes onto the market outfits reflecting the newest preferences of shoppers roaming the high streets of major cities.

U.S. chain GAP opened its world’s first ‘‘icon shop’’ inside Tokyo’s Harajuku store last year. It displays products such as limited-edition goods created by high-powered designers in a sophisticated setting.

Consumers are increasingly thinking it cool to mix high-end clothing with inexpensive or secondhand items.

A 28-year-old female office worker said she likes wearing a designer jacket with a reasonably priced, simple pair of Uniqlo skinny jeans.

‘‘I will go to H&M shops for trendy things,’’ she said.

A 37-year-old male photographer, who calls himself fashion-conscious, favors GAP pants.

‘‘You can wear them in a casual manner and another good thing about GAP products is that they come in a great variety of sizes,’’ he said.

He said items he usually splurges on are eyeglasses and other personal accessories.

Growing global competition among fast-fashion chains may lead people in most parts of the world to wear similar clothes purchased at similar stores.

‘‘Such a trend is likely to accelerate but people at the same time might begin taking a second look at things traditional in their respective countries,’’ fashion expert Akiko Fukai said. ‘‘A case in point is the recent resurgence in the popularity of kimonos in Japan.’’

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6 Comments

sincity at 11:01 AM JST - 1st April

Great. More crap nobody needs foisted on us by people too vapid to realise they are evil and warped.
gogogo at 11:40 AM JST - 1st April

It's all made in china so marketing / brainwashing is the only difference with fashion.
outhousejt at 08:29 PM JST - 1st April

I know about this. I know the people who are going to be opening the stores in Japan. They are in Europe now for like 6 months getting training in how to market this store. They are in countries such as Norway, Spain, Sweden. I wish I could be sent to Spain for 6 months for a paid training.

Its just this regular chain store like GAP but Swedish. Pretty cheap casual clothes. Its like the Ikea of fashion. Not spectacular but better than a kick in the face.
ColdQQPi at 03:11 AM JST - 2nd April

I find H&M to be very disappointing. The design is copied from current trends set by the famous designers, but the quality of the fabric and sewing is just trash. Although Uniqlo lacks trendy excitement, I have to admit that the fabric and sewing is a good deal for the price range.
nimbus at 10:38 AM JST - 2nd April

"Fast fashion" = McClothes?
dasein at 03:46 AM JST - 5th April

Too fast