Uniqlo Goes Upscale

Looks like Uniqlo is continuing on its quest to become the Japanese Gap, which honestly, is not something the world needs more of.

Fast Retailing Co, the casual-clothing store operator known for its Uniqlo brand, opened its first large-scale Uniqlo Plus outlet in Osaka’s Shinsaibashi district as part of efforts to improve its brand image by promoting high-quality products, rather than low-priced ones.

The Uniqlo Plus shops are considered to be a litmus test for future global operations. The company plans to open two or three more of these outlets in Japan by next August, the officials said. (Kyodo News)