Uniqlo is the Japanese clothing retailer owned by Fast Retailing and known for its LifeWear concept. LifeWear emphasizes practical, comfortable, functional everyday clothing rather than short-lived runway trends.
The company’s origins go back to 1984, when Fast Retailing opened a casual-wear store in Hiroshima called Unique Clothing Warehouse. The name Uniqlo developed from “unique” and “clothing,” and the brand expanded from a regional Japanese retailer into a global apparel business.
Uniqlo is especially associated with technically developed basics, including HEATTECH thermal clothing and AIRism fabrics. Its business model combines design, material development, production planning and retail under the Fast Retailing group. A frequent mix-up is confusing Uniqlo with Muji: both are Japanese brands known for simple design, but Muji is a separate company and is not owned by Fast Retailing.