MANILA, Philippines — Japanese retail giant Uniqlo will open its first store in the Philippines, at a sprawling 1,550-square meter floor space at the SM Mall of Asia. One of the first Asian brands to establish a global presence, Uniqlo will attempt to go from cult to mainstream in a market largely unaware of it.

“We are coming through as a relatively unknown brand in the Philippine market, despite enjoying a strong command in the Japanese and international markets. In turn, the SM group is the leader in Philippine retail business and there are many aspects in which they are of big help in our aim to make a smooth entry. Our partnership is better viewed as ‘coming together’ and not ‘coming through.’ With this business venture we are looking forward, in the course of time, to open more Uniqlo stores,” Katsumi Kubota, chief operating officer of Fast Retailing Philippines Inc., the brand’s domestic parent company, explains.

Naoki Otoma, group executive vice president of Fast Retailing Co., Ltd. and managing director of Uniqlo Asia and Japan relates how Uniqlo envisions its aim, through its chairman, president and CEO Tadashi Yanai’s  strategy that “to become number one in the global industry, we must attain a dominant position in Asia.”

“We don’t see Western and other European brands fizzling out or losing steam (as reports suggest) any time soon. I believe that they still have the majority, or are enjoying a huge share of the market, and are still very strong. It’s not that they are losing steam, it’s just that the Asian brand is becoming bullish as it finally comes out globally. Therefore, now, a very healthy competition exists between Asian and Western brands.  Also, the advantages that we have being an Asian brand doing business in Asia are realized in terms of proximity, familiarity in culture and lifestyles.” And in moving forward, Uniqlo underlines its catchphrase “From Tokyo to the World.”

When asked if the anticipated shopping experience will be comparable to the telltales Uniqlo flagship stores are made of, Kubota responds in an absolute “Of course, yes.”

To say that Uniqlo is in a league of its own is to state the plain obvious. As Kubota puts it, “The brand pleads to go beyond the phenomenon of fast fashion and would rather bank on its philosophy that quality clothes should not come at a higher price and that affordable ones should never be made cheap.”

For the latest information and updates, visit www.facebook.com/uniqlo.ph or http://www.uniqlo.com/ph.