GU to expand overseas with store opening in New York

Japanese apparel retailer GU is set to open a flagship store in New York, alongside an accompanying online platform, this fall, marking its first store outside of Asia. 

Located in SoHo, New York, ‘GU NY SoHo’ will span two floors, and offer a sales floor area of approximately 10,225 square feet. Boasting a diverse array of fashion-forward offerings, the store will cater to both men’s and women’s apparel, featuring a selection of trendy products ranging from footwear to bags and accessories.

The forthcoming online store will mirror the product lineup of its brick-and-mortar counterpart, with the aim to extend GU’s reach nationwide. 

The opening follows a successful pop-up store in New York, which is scheduled to close this summer. 

“For about a year and a half since opening our first pop-up store in the U.S. in the fall of 2022, we have been able to provide GU products to many customers, so we have great expectations for our business development in the U.S,” said GU CEO Osamu Yunoki.

“We have applied what we learned from the pop-up store to establish a framework for product development and business operations at a global level, and we are extremely pleased to be officially opening a store in the United States this fall. We will also launch our online store at the same time, and hope that even more customers will enjoy GU fashion.”

In September 2023, GU established a product division in New York to promote product development at a global level. Looking ahead, GU will strengthen the local recruitment of designers, pattern makers, and other positions for further business expansion.

Since its inception in 2006 as a sister brand to Uniqlo, GU has become a household name across Asia. It currently operates a network of approximately 470 stores mainly in its native Japan.