Fast Retailing, the Japanese company that owns Uniqlo, has made a record operating profit of ¥743 billion this year. That is up 32 per cent on the year before, and it confirms Uniqlo as one of the great success stories in clothing.
What Uniqlo sells
Uniqlo does not chase every trend. Its shops are full of simple clothes: plain T-shirts, merino jumpers, oxford shirts, chinos, light down jackets and thermal underwear. The colours change every season, but the shapes stay mostly the same. The company puts its effort into fabric, fit and price rather than into loud logos.
That approach has worked around the world, from Tokyo to London. Customers know what they will get, and they come back to buy the same favourite again.
Why basics are winning
There are a few reasons simple clothes are selling so well. Many people are trying to buy less and choose things that last. Many also work in more relaxed dress codes, so they want clothes that can go from the office to the weekend. And with prices rising everywhere, a good basic that can be worn for years feels like money well spent.
What it means for the rest of fashion
Uniqlo’s numbers sit alongside a quieter time for some of the big luxury houses. The message is that people are still happy to spend, but they want to feel they are getting real value: good cloth, good making and something they will actually wear.
The tailoring view
The same idea sits at the heart of bespoke. A tailored suit is the opposite of fast fashion: it is made once, made well and made to last. A navy or grey suit in a good cloth, a well-cut odd jacket and a couple of pairs of trousers make the same kind of hard-working wardrobe that has made Uniqlo so successful, just with a fit that is truly your own.
