OREANDA-NEWS. March 14, 2016. UNIQLO today announced that it will reopen its 311 Oxford Street global flagship store in London on March 18, following extensive renovation. London has held a special position in UNIQLO's global expansion plans ever since the company opened its first store in the UK, and indeed overseas, in 2001. The opening of the London global flagship store followed in 2007, on the same 311 Oxford Street premises, offering the largest UNIQLO sales floor space in the world at the time. In addition to providing the best possible customer experience, the refurbished store will serve as an exciting new showcase for the LifeWear concept and London's rich culture.

Commenting on today's announcement, John C Jay, Fast Retailing President of Global Creative, said, "London is one of the most diverse cities in the world and a true creative and cultural utopia." He added, "At UNIQLO, we believe 'utopia' is more than just a place; it is a means for self-expression through design, creativity and cultural diversity. We wish to celebrate the special connection we feel with London, which was our first overseas market almost fifteen years ago, and we believe that our new campaign, called 'This Way to Utopia,' and campaign ambassadors showcase this in the best way possible."

The completely renovated sales floors of 311 Oxford Street span across five layers, covering a total of 2,240 square meters. A highlight of the store is the UNIQLO WearHouse London, a special area on the third and fourth floors where customers can immerse themselves in the LifeWear concept, which embodies a quest to enhance individual lifestyles by delivering quality clothing that is functional in design and versatile to wear. These special floors will feature UNIQLO's core items for each season along with various items that capture London lifestyles and are also available for sale. The store plans to hold cultural events throughout the year that celebrate London's art and music scenes.

Another new attraction to the refurbished store is a roof terrace where shoppers can enjoy viewing central London's streetscape. There will be public events throughout the year in this space that bring UNIQLO together with the local culture.

To commemorate the reopening of the store, UNIQLO will collaborate with a number of local partners. The LIBERTY LONDON for UNIQLO Spring Summer 2016 collection will make its global debut on March 18. This new collection is a collaboration line with Liberty, the prestigious London store that has been renowned for its floral prints since its founding more than 140 years ago. The line will be available for sale at 311 Oxford Street ahead of other UNIQLO stores around the world.

The UNIQLO X Hana Tajima collection of modest wear will launch for the first time in the UK exclusively at 311 Oxford Street. Hana Tajima, a UK born fashion designer and blogger, she mixes her modern, personal style of modest fashion with UNIQLO's LifeWear concept, to create a collaboration line that has launched in Southeast Asia and the US, and will now be introduced in the UK.

A new partnership with the Tate Modern Museum will include regular events in the UNIQLO 311 Oxford Street curated by the museum. In addition, UNIQLO will be the official sponsor of the Tate Modern's relaunch weekend in June, as well as a new event at the museum called 'UNIQLO Fridays,' which are a series of late night events on the first Friday of every month starting in October.