Uniqlo to launch T-shirt-only store concept, designer limited editions included

[homme.homme]

Japan's casualwear retail giant Uniqlo is to launch a new concept store selling just designer T-shirts in the Harajuku district of Tokyo on April 28. Called UT, short for Uniqlo T-shirt, it is the idea of creative director Kashiwa Sato whose vision is to develop a futuristic convenience store for tees.

Each style will be displayed on forms in stainless steel display cases, with the individual items packaged in clear plastic canisters resembling tennis ball cans. The T-shirts will be stored on open shelves, making the shopping experience "truly unique and virtually self-service," says Uniqlo.

With more than 5,000 sq ft of selling space over three floors and including a fourth floor picture gallery space, the UT store will in essence "serve as a shrine to this fundamental and favourite article of clothing," adds the retailer.

As part of the high profile launch, the store will also feature the UT Project, a limited-edition collection of T-shirts designed by artists, designers, photographers and musicians including Terry Richardson, Nobuyoshi Araki, Kai Khüne, Bjorn Copeland of Black Dice, Kim Jones, Peter Saville, Gareth Pugh, Solve Sundsbo and others.

Around 1,000 unique T-shirt styles will be delivered each year as part of the UT Project from the artists as well as other collaborations including ECM Records and the Evolution Store in SoHo, New York.

"The UT Project has one goal in mind - to let you wear what you love. T-shirts have become an important form of self-expression for the current youth culture, allowing people to highlight their sense of individuality. By selecting artists from all genres and aesthetics to design T-shirts for this project, we have tried to create a collection that embraces the inspiring diversity of our customers," said Markus Kiersztan, owner of MP Creative and consulting creative director for Uniqlo.

A selection of the UT T-shirts will also be available at Uniqlo stores worldwide, with nearly 100 new styles being introduced to the New York global flagship store each month. New Yorkers will also be able to see the UT packaging through a visual display at the SoHo flagship.

Meanwhile, photographer Terry Richardson has also headed the concept's promotional image campaign featuring model Missy Rayder, actor Michael Pitt, musician Alison Mosshart, and Japanese photographer Keiichi Nitta as well as a group of New York-based up-and-coming artists and future visionaries wearing their favourite tees.

© WGSN 2007

[l3ootlegs]

UT....nice

but alot are sold out....damn

bump for this

[Tyro1]

hey there is a thread for this in superfashion.

http://www.superfuture.com/supertalk/showthread.php?t=26450

cheers

[homme.homme]

hey there is a thread for this in superfashion.

http://www.superfuture.com/supertalk/showthread.php?t=26450

cheers

ahh.

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