CHANGING CLOTHES.
CHANGING CONVENTIONAL WISDOM.
CHANGING THE WORLD.
Fast Retailing has the conviction
and vision to face the challenge
of creating a better world.
PARIS
Valerie Dassier, Head of E-Commerce and Customer
Care, Comptoire des Cottonniers and Princess Tam Tam
To become a leader, it’s not enough to do it a little bit
better. Great leaders see a different reality.
Kate Pierre, Store Manager, Uniqlo UK
We are going to be the number one casual clothes company in the world. And we will look to
our managers in the company to take on bigger roles in their local countries and abroad.
LONDON
Aleksandr Kurchatov, Store Manager, Uniqlo
Your attitude and your smile go a long way. My philosophy is to
give people the chance to smile and they will open up.
MOSCOW
Jennifer Parker, VP Store Management, Theory, NY
More than any other retailer, FR empowers people to be the CEOs
of their own four walls. They put the onus on the store manager to
change themselves and make it the most important role.
NEW YORK
Daisuke Tsukakoshi, Director West Coast, Uniqlo USA
In the U.S., the home of casual clothing, competition is fierce. We’ll need
people who are willing to play major roles in opening up this effort.
SAN FRANCISCO
SHANGHAI
HONG KONG
Joanne Lam, Merchandising Director, Uniqlo, Hong Kong and
Mainland China
I always admired Coco Channel as a kid. She turned around
the whole fashion industry of her time. I want to work in a big
company that is prepared to make that kind of impact today.
Ken Ong, Store Manager, Uniqlo Malaysia
FR interacts with the local communities while enabling people
around the globe to enjoy the fun of wearing good quality
clothing. We call it “glocalization.”
Satoru Onoguchi, CEO, Uniqlo Southeast Asia
With each article of clothing we sell, we can provide
a slice of happiness to the customer.
Mikilindsay Okijima, Director of Public Relations, GU, Japan
GU means freedom and liberty. The sound of these English
letters is the same as the characters phonetically in
Japanese. We want our customers to enjoy fashion freedom.
2
Wei Zhu, Store Manager, Uniqlo Shanghai
I want to revolutionize service from this
global flagship store. This will involve
thoroughly training staff down to the
finest details. Uniqlo will never lose sight
of the potential of our people.
MALAYSIA
SINGAPORE
TOKYO
Earlene Jayne Reyes, Store
Development, Uniqlo Philippines
I want to make a difference, not only in
my life, but also in other people’s lives.
At FR, you get to hone your skills at
making changes with real impact.
PHILIPPINES
Tadashi Yanai
CEO, Fast Retailing Co., LTD
I am seeking top-notch talent from around the world to join us at
Fast Retailing.
We view talented individuals as those who aspire to become true business managers and have an unflagging zest for challenges.
A Fast Retailing business manager’s job requires effort day in and day out. It necessitates high levels of perseverance, creativity,
and ingenuity, and an ability to endure and shine through the rigors of trial and error. We want individuals who can think beyond
themselves, and who not only want to contribute to society, but have the will to do so.
Do you truly want to create a better society?
Individuals who can think in these terms are true business managers. It is an amazing thing when an individual and a company
share a dream, and, through persistent work towards seemingly impossible goals, make what at first seemed improbable
possible. That is what I consider to be a wonderful job.
At Fast Retailing, we have taken it upon ourselves to provide a nurturing environment in which individuals can grow to realize
their full potential. We will spare no expense or investment to train and educate our business managers, so they can build a
long and rewarding career with us. Fast Retailing is embarking on a period of unprecedented growth. The time is ripe with
opportunity, and we intend to maximize that opportunity by using the world’s best practices and our policies of Global One and
ZEN-IN KEIEI.
To do this, we require a large number of talented and motivated business managers who want to and can excel on the world
stage. If this describes you, then I hope you will consider joining us, and that we can grow together.
3
CHANGE THE WORLD
FOR THE BETTER.
“ Changing clothes.
Changing conventional
wisdom. Changing the world. ”
WORK WITH PURPOSE
Our mission:
• To create truly great clothing with new and unique value, and to enable people all over
the world to experience the joy, happiness and satisfaction of wearing such great clothes
• To enrich people’s lives through our unique corporate activities, and to seek to grow and
develop our company in unity with society
GROW WITH US, CHANGE YOURSELF
Fast Retailing is Asia’s largest apparel retailer—and #4 in the world. With 50%
international growth annually, our goal is to be #1 by 2020. As a holding company, FR
is home to many of the world’s leading fashion and apparel brands. As a member of the
FR team, you’ll have the opportunity to lead this growth globally, gaining experience in a
diverse range of roles. We regularly rotate employees across all parts of the globe, and our
HR practices support fast career growth with no limits.
4
OUR VALUES, CULTURE & HISTORY
The FR Way
We are building a company for the future and creating a new industry in the process. This requires us to change ourselves
first—all of us must be effective at a global level. We are looking for global leaders aspiring to become business managers. We
are looking for leaders who share our aspiration to change the world for the better and who will work with us to realize positive
changes across the world. We want all of our employees to succeed on the global stage. We are developing business managers
all around the world—people who want to work with purpose. We call this The FR Way.
Values
• Approaching issues from the customer perspective
• Embracing innovation and challenge
• Respecting and supporting individuals to foster both corporate and personal growth
• Committing to ethical standards and correctness
Principles
ZEN-IN KEIEI
“This is my company!” This mindset, in which every employee perceives himself or herself as a business owner and acts as such,
is the very reason Fast Retailing has been able to achieve the success it has today. We call this mindset “ZEN-IN KEIEI,” meaning
all employees maintain a mindset of being a business owner. Practicing this mindset, everyone must seriously consider the
customer, and all employees must aspire to create an organization capable of taking immediate action. It signifies all employees
working as one to address customer needs, achieve company goals and, even in the most difficult of times, solve the challenges
that the company faces. Never blame others. If you truly want to bring innovation to the company to accomplish extraordinary
growth, then you must all aspire to think and act like true business owners.
Global One
Global One refers to using the world’s best business practices and methods in the management of all group companies. This
means that each individual, each department, and each company in each country must all work with the same global mindset
to create the world’s most innovative and efficient work environment. In order to do that, all management processes must be
unified globally to achieve a level of performance superior to that of any other company in the world. This requires that Fast
Retailing be ahead of the most innovative companies in the world, including the world’s leading technology corporations. We will
become the world’s most successful corporate group. We must understand who we are, what we want to be, and where we want
to go by appraising the realities of today. Only by doing that can we pursue our ideals into the future.
Our History
Uniqlo, FR’s mainstay brand since 1984, has led the way by offering high-quality casualwear at reasonable prices using its SPA
business model, which spans product design, manufacture, distribution and retail. In 1998, our fleece campaign sparked a
Uniqlo boom across Japan. Since 2001, Uniqlo has expanded worldwide operations to include the U.K., China, Hong Kong, South
Korea, the United States, France, Singapore, Russia, Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. As of the end of May 2013,
we now boast a diverse range of brands, 852 stores in Japan and 410 stores in other markets worldwide.
5
WORKING AS A GLOBAL TEAM
NEW YORK
Tracey Phipps, General Manager, Uniqlo NJ
I went to Japan and trained for three months in the UMC program. Being in Japan, you
are able to see what a standard Uniqlo store looks like. My first observation was that I
thought everyone working in the store was the manager. There was so much ownership
from every associate. FR invests a lot of time in setting the right mindset. The amount
of training they put into the people to make sure they are able to work independently,
without someone telling them what to do, is unparalleled. Everyone thinks as a business
leader. We call it ZEN-IN KEIEI. Basically, it’s a willingness to change yourself and
change the business.
LONDON
Kate Pierre, Store Manager, Uniqlo UK
I enjoy the people management aspect of my job the most. I set up management of the
store environment with specific goals assigned to employees at every level of the team.
This allows me to see which members have high potential. I evaluate and introduce
them to their career paths accordingly. From there, anything is possible. A colleague
of mine successfully applied for the Career Challenge program, allowing him to apply
for vacancies globally. He has gone from a member of the Store Management team to
working in International Merchandising in Japan. He truly has created a career with
no limits.
MOSCOW
Aleksandr Kurchatov, Store Manager, Uniqlo Russia
ZEN-IN KEIEI means that, even as a manager, I am open to feedback from every member
of my team. So everyone is thinking not simply about his or her responsibilities, but the
business as a whole. It can improve the store atmosphere and the entire company. It also
empowers me to share new ideas about the business with my supervisors. This is an
open atmosphere that helps us grow and become a truly global company that can
expand to any market. It’s all based in Uniqlo core values and principles.
SHANGHAI
Wei Zhu, Store Manager, Uniqlo China
The first time I shopped at Uniqlo, I was deeply impressed by the level of service I
received. I made the decision to change jobs and stopped working at a major restaurant
chain to sign on with Uniqlo immediately. While training in Japan, I understood that we
should treat all people, including other staff members, with kindness and respect. By
building trust with each other, staff members can create a great atmosphere in the
stores. Customers feel it as soon as they walk in the doors. That’s a big part of the
FR Way.
TOKYO
Koh Boku, Store Manager, GU Tokyo
My priority is to support my staff to grow. If they are empowered and well trained,
our sales will reflect it. That’s why I encourage the other team members to bring
their opinions to the table, make their voices heard and raise the level of quality in
the store. This way, they can find inspiration in their work every day. The concept or
strategy of the GU brand is to make fashion more free. I encourage the same in their
ability to share their feedback and ideas.
6
LARRY MEYER, CEO, UNIQLO USA
As someone who built his name partnering with many of the world’s most recognized
consumer brands for over three decades, Larry is no stranger to thinking globally. If
fact, most of his professional life has focused on working with international teams,
which gives him a unique perspective on Fast Retailing’s vision for the future and work
with purpose.
A Global Team
I have two goals as part of the Uniqlo
team. The first is expanding Uniqlo
throughout the U.S. at the rate of 30-40
stores a year, which offers incredible
opportunities. The second is building the
team that will support the globalization
of Uniqlo in the coming decade. It will be
a great day when I can see the people we
develop here in the U.S. grow into new
positions around the world. Mr. Yanai talks
about this diverse group of individuals
from any country, any gender, working
together to achieve our vision.
Make Change
If we share a long-term vision of positive
change through commerce, the world
will be a better place. I believe it is the
only means of inspiring real change.
Everyone is focused on how we achieve
that goal. It’s not about “I win—you win.”
It’s how do we win together. We’re building
a business together that will make future
generations and society better. That’s work
with purpose.
Share Ideas
You’ll learn something different here
as Fast Retailing and Uniqlo continue
to evolve. Being part of a Japanese
organization creates a dynamic that
in many respects is fun. There’s push
and pull as to what will work in each
market. There’s an openness here for that
conversation. This is an organization that
welcomes discussion and suggestion. And
that can produce great ideas—ideas that
will change the way the world works.
NEW YORK
JENNIFER PARKER, VP OF RETAIL STORES, THEORY
As a VP of Retail Stores for Theory’s stores, Jennifer describes her role as a one that keeps
her in constant motion, from understanding the business in individual stores, to analyzing
quarterly sales, to making sure the merchandizing always turns heads. In addition to her
passion for Fast Retailing brands, she leverages a knack for reacting to change every day.
She is someone who never hesitates to own her own path or encourage her team to think
differently.
Brand Passion
FR supports us to bring our passion to our
work and the brands we love. When we
dress women and men at Theory, there
is such a comfortable ease to it. You feel
something in these pieces of clothing.
You stand a little taller. You feel more
confident. You’re going to stand out, not by
being flashy in any way, but just because
you look that amazing in it. It translates to
your everyday life. It puts an extra spring
in your step. FR can do this for your career
too. I’m excited to come to work every day.
Turn Heads Together
I want people to turn and say, “Look
what Theory is doing in their stores.” It’s
collaboration. It’s not just one person
sitting at a desk. I think the best ideas
come from bouncing our ideas off of each
other. It’s what happens in that brainstorm
that takes us from A to B—to Z. If we
can put our minds together to push this
business forward, we’re going to blow
people away. It’s one thing to think of
an innovative idea. It’s another thing to
execute it together as a team and change
the world.
Take Responsibility
More than any other retailer, FR
empowers people to be the CEOs of their
own four walls. They put the responsibility
on the store manager and make it the
most important role. If you want to be
a leader in the company, your training
ground is in the stores. The managers
understand that the power is in their
hands. They control their own business,
the P&L, and their staff. I want to
empower every store manager to say,
“I own this business. I can walk into my
store with a different perspective every
day.” That’s what we mean when we say
change yourself.
7
SAN FRANCISCO
DAISUKE TSUKAGOSHI, DIRECTOR WEST COAST, UNIQLO USA
Daisuke Tsukagoshi started working for Uniqlo in 2002. After gaining experience as a
store manager, area manager and regional manager, he went to work in the United
States as Sales and Store Operations Manager. He handled the opening launch of the
New York 34th Street store in 2011 and the San Francisco store in 2012, bringing Fast
Retailing values and culture to life.
Open to Grow
In October 2011, Uniqlo opened stores
on Fifth Avenue and 34th Street in New
York City within one week of each other. I
handled the openings. I was nervous—it
was a lot pressure. Were the sales floors
okay? Was there enough inventory? Would
the staff perform like they’d been trained?
When I went outside before the 34th Street
store launch, I saw a line of customers
waiting out front, which made me happy.
There were about 1,000 customers waiting
to get in.
Begin Anew
After the 34th Street store, I started
preparing for the opening of the new
San Francisco location, Uniqlo’s first
store on the U.S. West Coast. We started
from scratch—I had to handle everything.
I negotiated with the construction firm
and the logistics company about product
deliveries. I recruited and trained staff
while working with a marketing company
on a project related to the store launch. I
truly grew professionally by leaps
and bounds.
In the U.S., the home of casual clothing,
competition is fierce. I want us to get on
track as quickly as possible and secure
a dominant position in this market. We’ll
need people who are willing to play major
roles in opening up this effort—people
who are ready to challenge and change
conventional wisdom.
NEW JERSEY
CHRIS STRICKLAND, GENERAL MANAGER, UNIQLO
As the General Manager of Uniqlo’s flagship store in New Jersey, Chris and his team
celebrated their one-year anniversary in the fall of 2013. Having previous experience
in retail, he describes Fast Retailing as being unlike any other organization. Today, he
manages over 100 people working in 43,000 square feet in one of the biggest malls in
the world. He has seen firsthand how quickly one can drive and experience change with
Fast Retailing.
8
Inspire Ownership
When I think about Fast Retailing’s goal
of becoming the #1 apparel group in the
world, one thing becomes immediately
clear: to achieve that goal, no one else
is going to do it but “me.” Often in big
companies you can imagine that someone
else is going to take care of it. We will
have 60 stores in the U.S. in the next few
years. There is a sense that everything
depends on you and your colleagues being
ready to rapidly grow with us. We’re the
ones who are going to make it happen.
Changing the whole industry will require
nothing less.
Dream Big
You have to dare to dream, to skip levels
and push yourself further. I received
feedback from my management team that
even my own career path—store manager,
regional manager, merchandising
manager, GM of a global flagship store—
sounded too realistic. That changed the
way I thought about a lot of things. I’m
not thinking of the position I’m going to
be doing next year. I’m thinking of the one
I’ll do in five. I need a “turbo” button for
training and developing people just to fill
the positions I will be exiting.
Be More than a Number
Watching people grow is the most
inspirational part of my work as a General
Manager. When I see someone manage
a situation they have never approached
before, and do it well, I feel inspired. At
FR, we identify each individual’s strengths
and natural passions, then give them the
responsibilities they need to develop. The
numbers of the sales and profits serve as
tools to measure more than just business
growth. They serve as a means to track
how well we are developing our people
and the growth of individual potential.
YUTARO NAKAI, STORE MANAGER, PLST (THEORY BRAND)
Nakai started in a temporary role at PLST, becoming an official employee mid career.
Participating in the LINK Theory training and store manager training for mid- and seniorlevel managers gave him the comprehensive skills required to become a true leader.
As a Store Manager for PLST, he’s learned more than just business acumen, but how to
transform himself and grow his team with Fast Retailing’s supportive HR practices.
Use Your Voice
One of the things I learned in the LINK
Theory training is how to speak to
people effectively. When I joined the
company, I was the only male on staff. I
had to consider how I select words and
communicate in a new way. This was key
to inspiring my team, but it is especially
important for our customers. When you
think about communication, you discover
that the person you are speaking to is
mirroring what you are feeling. If you look
down, they will look down. If you look
cheerful, they will look cheerful. It has a
big effect. Your words and voice can have
the same effect. As I grow my team and
work with our customers, I am actually
learning better ways to interact with people.
Become a Leader
Everyone is a business leader in this
company. That’s one of our most basic
principles (ZEN-EN KEIEI). But I do not
simply discuss profits and losses with my
team. What I like to communicate is that
your store is like a home. And the staff is
like a family. The more we make it a family,
the more our customers will love our
brand, our products and our quality
of service.
We listen to our customers’ feedback and
even allow it to define certain elements of
the product. That is unique. Our staff walks
side by side with our customers’ lifestyle. If
everyone thinks of our customers that way,
we will become #1.
TOKYO
MIKILINDSAY OKIJIMA, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS, GU, JAPAN
Wordsmith. Marketer. Brand ambassador. Ms. Okijima previously worked for an ad
agency before joining Fast Retailing to work on the GU brand. She is focused on
driving marketing that directly impacts the company’s ability to generate revenue and
promoting trendsetting fashion. GU is just one example of the dynamic brands born in
the FR family that are rapidly changing everything.
Fashion Freedom
We are giving birth to a new brand: GU
means freedom and liberty. The sound
of these English letters is the same as
the words or characters phonetically in
Japanese. It could be defined as fashion.
But when we think about our brand,
to us, it’s much more. We are applying
details, including the attention to quality
and excitement. We want to create
something brand new. It’s beyond fashion.
It’s an experience of personal freedom,
expression and fun. We want to make this
experience accessible to as many people
as possible.
Change Yourself
My work allows me to realize my self. I
want to have an occupation that allows
me to make an impact on society. To do
this, I am constantly refining my own
abilities and will stop at nothing to deliver
my best. I want to energize the younger
generation. By enjoying earning money
and buying clothing they love, they make a
contribution to the Japanese economy.
We’re invigorating society as a
whole, generating more revenue, and
contributing back to the people. We want
to be a driver of the Japanese economy.
And hopefully, this ripples to the rest of
the global economy with stores around
the world.
9
HONG KONG
JOANNE LAM, MERCHANDISING DIRECTOR, UNIQLO, HONG KONG &
MAINLAND CHINA
Joanne was born and raised in Hong Kong, arguably one of the most cosmopolitan cities
in the world. She majored in fashion design as an undergrad, but gained her MBA at the
University of Wales, Cardiff Business School. She made a name for herself in fashion
merchandising with some of the world’s most recognized brands. Working at Uniqlo
gives her the freedom to bring all her talents, and her global perspective, to a much
bigger playing field—one without limits.
Big Ambitions
When I was just a kid, I always admired
Coco Channel. She was such an
extraordinary dresser. She turned around
the whole fashion industry of her time.
I want to work in a big company that is
prepared to make that kind of impact.
Other companies don’t have the vision
to become the world’s #1 retail apparel
group. With Mr. Yanai’s ambition, anything
is possible.
10
Continue to Grow
Originally, I worked in fashion buying.
Here, I can contribute to other business
areas without limitations. I’m heading a
Visual Merchandising department, leading
window design and even selecting outfits
for the mannequins. It is more of a creative
role, one in which I can make use of all my
abilities. Opening our flagship store in Hong
Kong, I had the freedom to share my own
understanding of the brand. I will join the
Japanese merchandising team in New York,
contributing to the clothing development
process for the first time.
Change Fabric
HEATTECH, Ultra-light Down and Airism are products that changed the
industry. Other companies have similar
clothing. But none of them have made
such an impact in the market. In Hong
Kong, it never gets colder than 13°C
(55°F). We still sell the Ultra-light down
product, even in August. It’s so easy to
wear. You can even wear it when its 15°.
The appearance and performance are
changing the way people think and dress.
PARIS
VALERIE DASSIER, HEAD OF E-COMMERCE AND CUSTOMER CARE, COMPTOIR DES
COTONNIERS / PRINCESS TAM TAM
Entrepreneur. Business owner. Experienced retailer for over 17 years. As a member of
Fast Retailing Management and Innovation Center (FRMIC), Valerie traveled to a unique
business leaders program at the IMD in Lucerne, Switzerland. Valerie is no stranger to
the responsibilities that come with freedom and ownership and a sense of purpose.
Innovate Training
I belong to FRMIC. It is an amazing way to
understand Mr. Yanai’s vision. I was asked
to participate in an experimental 2-year
MBA program at the IMD in Lucerne,
which is the most important business
school in Europe. Fast Retailing asked
IMD to offer this program. Business
professionals from the world’s largest
companies participated. It was lifechanging—everything went toward
creating stronger leadership. FR gives
me the training and freedom to define my
own path, change myself, and develop
my own business. The spirit of Mr. Yanai’s
goals inspires individuals who assume
responsibility. For an entrepreneur like
me, it’s the only way to work. This is how
we will anticipate customer needs for the
future.
Create New Markets
It’s very important to balance the
operational piece in business with the
creative piece in order to envision our
future. I opened an e-commerce website
in China for Comptoire des Cottonniers
and Princess Tam Tam, creating a new
product that will open a whole new
business and generate over a million
euros. This is something that is totally
different than the initial challenge
presented to us.
But we discovered a great opportunity in
the process of trying to solve a problem. I
have to think constantly outside the box.
This is how I approach everything. This is
the best way to become a leader. It’s not
enough to do it a little bit better. Great
leaders see a different reality.
LONDON
HARINDER BAINS, AREA MANAGER, UNIQLO UK
What’s possible when you truly believe the sky is the limit? You can experience fast
career growth, from being a part-time Customer Advisor, to Assistant Manager, to
Store Manager, to General Manager opening the UK Flagship store on Oxford Street in
London. Harinder’s path is uniquely her own. Now, she is an Area Manager for Uniqlo
UK and Star Store Manager on Regent Street. But she won’t stop there.
Become Number One
Fast Retailing has very big dreams “to
become number one in the world.” It is
truly becoming global, “from Tokyo to the
world.” To achieve this, new opportunities
are open to everyone. You just need to
reach out and grab them. My ambition
is to become CEO of Europe! That’s a
long-term goal, of course. But anything
is possible. I am hoping to gain as much
expertise as possible now, so that I am
able to fulfill that goal to the best of my
ability in the future.
Drive Results
My motivation is my team. Only through
my team will I be able to achieve great
results. A happy team equals happy
customers, along with an inspiring shop
floor and stellar sales! To date, my store is
achieving a sales average of 105% against
the target and 135% profit against the
target. As for staff promotion, in the space
of 3 months, the store has promoted
successful Supervisors to Assistant
Manager level and one Assistant Manager
to Store Manager.
Make Opportunities for All
There are no limitations here. Everyone
who works for FR is encouraged to think
as a business owner regardless of any
differences from ethnic background,
country of origin, gender, race, age, etc.
The best employees treat this like their
own business, take action, see the results,
and reap the rewards. There is no saying
how far someone can go. If you want to
run your own business, FR is for you!
11
SINGAPORE
SATORU ONOGUCHI, CEO, UNIQLO SOUTHEAST ASIA
Business leader. Game changer. Onoguchi started working at Uniqlo in 1996. After
gaining experience as an area manager, he worked at Uniqlo University, then went
on to launch and run Uniqlo’s operations in Singapore and Malaysia. He’s found his
professional home at Fast Retailing—changing conventional wisdom.
Change Perspectives
Working with Uniqlo presents new
opportunities to change perceptions,
especially when opening a new store
in a new market such as Singapore.
During a video conference with the
Tokyo office, I mentioned that I wanted
to sell HEATTECH as a featured product.
Everyone immediately objected, arguing
that nobody would wear such items in
30°C temperatures in Singapore—a place
where it’s always summer.
Finally, I called President Yanai at his
house. Maybe he liked my conviction—I’m
not sure. But in the end, I got the OK to
include winter clothing, as long as it made
up no more than half of the product mix.
The moment HEATTECH, fleece, and
Ultra Light Down items went on sale, they
started flying off the shelves. We didn’t
have enough stock. I had to ship product
in by plane from Japan. Why did winter
clothing sell so well in a hot climate?
The answer was pent-up demand from
travelers and people going on holiday.
Singapore is only about as geographically
big as Tokyo’s 23 central wards. If you
leave that small area, you are on an
overseas trip, often with colder climates.
12
Spread Happiness
As a manager, when I look at Uniqlo’s
operations in Singapore, Malaysia,
Thailand and Indonesia, there is one policy
that I particularly value. We don’t want
to just sell articles of clothing. We don’t
want to just become a popular brand. We
want the company to be an enterprise that
people in the local community feel they
need.
No matter how big Uniqlo gets, it won’t
change its determination to provide
exceptional quality in every item and
superior service for every customer.
With each article of clothing we sell, we
can provide a slice of happiness to the
customer who bought it. Bit by bit, we
can contribute to the overall happiness of
Southeast Asia’s 600 million people. This
is a vision I intend to achieve. This is work
with purpose.
DEVELOPING
BUSINESS
LEADERS
FAST RETAILING MANAGEMENT AND INNOVATION CENTER (FRMIC)
FRMIC stands for Fast Retailing Management and Innovation Center. The Center’s goal
is to train and develop 200 upper managerial-class individuals. This is the number of
upper-level managers needed if the company is to realize its corporate goal of five
trillion yen in sales by 2020. Selected from among employees around the globe, trainees
engage in passionate discussion regarding the future of the FR Group.
FRMIC is different from a business school where students simply study corporate
management. The Center is a place where each trainee is required to think in detail
as a manager about the challenges facing the FR Group as it grows into an enterprise
with annual sales of five trillion yen. Take, for example, digital marketing: On this topic,
participants do not simply discuss issues such as how best to utilize the web. They have
to go further, envisioning what form the retail business will take as it morphs into a
virtual/brick-and-mortar hybrid. Based on this scenario, participants need to develop,
seriously debate, and implement projects.
Everything they learn, teach, and put into practice while at FRMIC will effect change
throughout the company. The ideas and practices coming out of here are a source of
dynamism for the company worldwide. That is the type of presence the center has
established. Our future business leaders’ experience will match the truly global nature
of FR Group. As we continue to expand within every market, rotations and opportunities
to work internationally will be critical to their development and their impact.
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CORPORATE SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY
FAST
RETAILING’S
SOCIAL
BUSINESS IN
BANGLADESH
EXPANSION
OF THE
ALL-PRODUCT
RECYCLING
INITIATIVE
SUPPORT FOR
REFUGEES
CLOTHES FOR
SMILES
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Fast Retailing and the Grameen Bank Group’s “Grameen Healthcare Trust” established
a new wholly-owned subsidiary to launch a social business in Bangladesh. This initiative
focuses on addressing social problems in the country, as well as issues related to
poverty, sanitation and education, by planning, producing and selling clothing. The
FR Group’s greatest strength is its ability to efficiently produce and sell high-quality
clothing at low prices. The social business will leverage the FR Group’s strengths in
these areas by using business to change society for the better.
Fast Retailing’s All-Product Recycling Initiative is about more than simply collecting
and distributing clothing to refugees and survivors of natural disasters. It also provides
internships for refugees at Uniqlo stores in Japan, in cooperation with the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and its Global Partnership Program.
FR also works with a range of educational institutions to promote efforts to reuse and
recycle clothing.
Fast Retailing started addressing international refugee issues in 2006, in line with its
FR Way corporate philosophy, which compels the FR Group and its employees, as global
citizens, to act with a sense of integrity and conduct business in an ethical manner. In
cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), FR
provides assistance to displaced people throughout the world by donating clothing
collected through its All-Product Recycling Initiative. Of course, there are limits to what
FR can do to address the many issues that refugees face, but it firmly believes that
every tiny bit of assistance is a step in the right direction.
As a professional tennis player and Uniqlo Global brand ambassador, Novak Djokovic
leads Clothes for Smiles. The Clothes for Smiles project, developed by UNIQLO and
Djokovic, is based on a fund of $10 million (U.S.) raised from the sale of HEATTECH and
Ultra-Light Down products, with the aim of bringing hopes and dreams to children’s
futures. $5 million (U.S.) of this fund supports UNICEF educational projects in three
Asian countries—Bangladesh, China and the Philippines—as part of UNICEF’s Schools
for Asia Initiative. The remaining funds will be applied toward eight winning charity
ideas submitted to Uniqlo and Novak for judging and selection: Education Everywhere,
e-Education, Girls Soccer Project, Children’s Library Project, Social Inclusion by
Shopping, Waku Work Center, Uniqlo Dream Wall and Children’s Hospice.
Fast Retailing Brands
Theory was founded by Andrew Rosen in New York City in 1997 as a brand that appealed
to the modern woman. The Theory concept is to create basic, fashionable clothes to suit
a contemporary lifestyle. The stretch fabric used in Theory clothes fits well and creates
a beautiful silhouette. In addition to the Theory brand, Link Theory Japan Co., Ltd. also
boasts labels such as Theory Luxe, Theory Men, HELMUT LANG and PLST.
GU stands for fashion freedom. The GU brand develops fashionable apparel at amazingly
low prices, harnessing UNIQLO’s many years of experience as an SPA (Specialty-store
retailer of Private-label Apparel). As a result, GU has become a full-fledged apparelmaking business, from product planning through design and manufacture, inventory
control and production adjustment, all the way to store operation.
The Comptoir des Cotonniers (CDC) women’s fashion brand emerged from boutiques that
opened in 1995 in Paris, and in Toulouse in the south of France. CDC, a uniquely inspired
brand known for its quality fabrics and sharp silhouettes, designs timeless collections
full of French esprit for the modern woman. CDC promotes fun fashion by drawing out the
different facets of an individual woman’s personality.
Princesse tam.tam (PTT) is a French corsetry, lounge wear and swimwear brand. After
winning acclaim in 1985 for lingerie that featured original prints and bright colors, the
sisters Loumia and Sharma Hiridjee opened their first store in the Montparnasse area of
Paris in 1987. The brand concept of “lingerie that presents women as they are” continues
to appeal.
J Brand is a leading contemporary fashion company with significant experience in
women’s and men’s apparel, particularly in the denim category. Founded in 2004 by Jeff
Rudes, Chief Executive Officer, the company has developed a variety of unique denim
fits and fabrications. Today, J Brand is well-recognized for its minimal yet sophisticated
product design, beautiful silhouette and perfect fit.
To ensure the development of products of exceptional quality, UNIQLO has refined its SPA
(Specialty-store retailer of Private-label Apparel) business model, allowing for control
of the entire business process —from planning and design to material procurement and
sales. UNIQLO is continuously developing products of exceptional quality, in order to
“create clothing with new and unique value and to satisfy customers worldwide.”
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WORK WITH US: uniqlo.com/us/uniqlo-careers