California Apparel News

Uniqlo is coming to Southern California.

On Feb. 13, Fast Retailing, the parent company of the popular Japanese clothier, announced that it will open Uniqlo stores this fall in top malls South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, Calif., and Beverly Center, a mall owned by Taubman Centers in Los Angeles.

In a statement, Larry Meyer, chief executive officer for Uniqlo USA and Fast Retailing Group senior vice president, said that his company was thrilled at the prospect of opening stores at iconic retail destinations and introducing Uniqlo to a new group of consumers.

South Coast Plaza offers a store mix of designer brand boutiques such as Prada and fast-fashion stores such as Forever 21/XXI Forever. Debra Gunn Downing, executive director, marketing, for South Coast Plaza, said that a Uniqlo will stand out at the retail center.

“Uniqlo is a globally recognized fashion brand that will resonate well with our shoppers both locally and from around the world,” Gunn Downing said. She did not comment on the square footage of the upcoming Uniqlo or where it will be located in South Coast Plaza.

Fast Retailing will be opening a handful of Uniqlo stores at Taubman malls, said William Taubman, chief operating officer for the mall company, headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, Mich.“Our shoppers are going to love this brand,” Taubman said, “We’re anxiously awaiting the spring openings at Stamford Town Center and Sunvalley Shopping Center and the fall opening in Beverly Center.” Sunvalley Shopping Center is located in Concord in the San Francisco Bay Area, and Stamford Town Center is located in Stamford, Conn.

While Fast Retailing runs 1,300 Uniqlo stores around the world, it only started making a major push to introduce its popular brand in California recently. It opened a multi-level flagship in San Francisco’s Union Square in 2012. In Fall 2013, it announced that it would open locations for Bay Area retail centers such as Hillsdale Shopping Center in San Mateo, Stonestown Galleria in San Francisco, Westfield Valley Fair Mall in Santa Clara and Bay Street Emeryville in Emeryville.

Uniqlo is a coveted tenant, said Chuck Dembo, partner of Beverly Hills, Calif.–based real estate Dembo & Associates, in a past interview. “Savvy landlords are rolling out the red carpet for them,” Dembo said. “They occupy large spaces, and they serve as an anchor tenants.”

Uniqlo also has become a mall favorite because it produces technical fabrics. Uniqlo’s Heat Tech fabrics absorbs body moisture, and moisture generates heat around the garment. An antibacterial agent also controls odors, according to a company statement.