Fashion

GU Mixes Online, Off-line With Innovative Retail Concept in Harajuku

HARAJUKU-BOUND: GU, the trendier and lower-priced sister brand of Japanese apparel retailer Uniqlo, will test a retail concept with a store set to open in Tokyo’s trendy Harajuku district in November. The store, GU Style Studio, will link online and off-line shopping.

The new store will encompass about 6,400 square feet of floor space and display samples of GU’s full product lineup for men and women.

Customers will be able to see and feel the items and put together outfits based on their preferences and personal style. Shoppers will then be able to purchase products online to be shipped to their homes or picked up at their desired time and place, including GU stores or convenience stores.

“GU Style Studio will be a store that embodies the GU brand message of ‘your freedom,’ providing customers with a new fashion experience that is more convenient and exciting than ever before,” said GU’s chief executive officer Osamu Yunoki.