GU lands in the US with first permanent store, e-commerce

GU, a sister brand of Uniqlo and a Fast Retailing Group retailer, announced on Thursday the opening of its first permanent US store in New York City’s SoHo district, as well as the launch of its US e-commerce site and app. 

Located at 578 Broadway, the opening marks the brand’s first flagship outside of Asia. GU NY SoHo spans two floors and over 10,000 square feet, offering a curated selection of women’s and men’s apparel, and accessories. The SoHo store showcases the GU NEW U concept that empowers customers to constantly reinvent themselves through style with the latest fashion trends.

Meanwhile, the newly launched e-commerce platform and app give US customers the ability to shop GU’s popular collections and exclusive collaborations nationwide. The brand is also offering special pricing on select items during the first eight days of the online store’s opening.

To celebrate the US launch, GU is debuting an exclusive collaboration with Japanese brand UnderCover. The collection, titled Kosmik/noise, features 22 gender-neutral styles, including track jackets, convertible pieces, and items with a unique inside-out design. It also includes limited-edition items inspired by The Wizard of Oz and NYC-themed pieces like “Big Apple” graphic t-shirts.

“Since opening our first pop-up store in the U.S. in the fall of 2022, we’ve had the opportunity to introduce  GU products to many customers, which has greatly fueled our expectations for business growth in the U.S.” said GU CEO Osamu Yunoki.

“We’ve leveraged the insights gained to create a robust framework for global product development and business operations. We’re thrilled to announce the grand opening of our official store in the US alongside the launch of our US e-commerce site. We look forward to bringing GU fashion to an even broader audience.”

GU aims to offer essential, practical items. Its MINI edit MAX philosophy, focuses on providing maximum style and quality at mini prices, with a streamlined assortment of on-trend, easy-to-wear pieces that encourage versatile styling. This approach not only lowers costs but aligns with GU’s commitment to minimizing waste. As part of this effort, GU stores worldwide collect clothing donations for redistribution to those in need.