Uniqlo, the Japanese fast-fashion brand that continues to grow in preferences among youth culture according to our upcoming 15th Annual Spring Youth Culture Study 2015, has announced another high-profile designer collaboration with Christophe Lemaire, formerly from Hermes, and previously Lacoste. The capsule collection of both men and women’s items will launch in the Fall of 2015.
Lemaire left Hermes and launched his own self-named brands called Lemaire with designer Sarah-Linh Tran, but seems excited to be the next in line for Uniqlo’s popular collaboration series—the next one since Pharrell Williams.
“We have always dreamt to work with Uniqlo,” said Lemaire and Tran in a joint statement today. “Uniqlo designs qualitative and made-for-all garments for everyday life, is also our approach to fashion and the philosophy of Lemaire.”
In the wake of many teen retailers taking a beating, Fast Retailing Co., owners of Uniqlo, announced an incredibly strong fiscal report back in January, 2015, with profits up 64% in the first quarter.
According to Tadashi Yanai, the chairman of Fast Retailing, “Lemaire’s approach to design respects individuality and merges perfectly with the Uniqlo lifewear philosophy, aimed at making life better,” he said. “I myself am really looking forward to getting a glimpse of the results of our tie up, and am thrilled that we are able to bring it to our customers around the world.”
Uniqlo has strong humanitarian and sustainability programs, and is vertically integrated. The brand is probably most known for is it’s technical-wear, first layers pieces, and colors. It is of course, most popular in Japan with 852 stores, but it is expanding in the United States and has 39 stores so far.
Lemaire, who led Lacoste for nine years before going to Hermès in 2010, now designs his namesake line at a luxury price point with partner Sarah-Linh Tran and with the help of Managing Director Bastien Daguzan. Daguzan told BoF that the company is seeking investors and talks have already begun. Regardless of how those talks pan out, it looks like 2015 will be a year of growth for Lemaire.
