Here is a further look into the 2010 Collection from the very popular collaboration between Japanese basics brand Uniqlo and high end fashion designer Jil Sander. The menswear and womenswear collections appear classic, clean and fresh made with beautiful fabrics that are light and durable. A great collection to get your hands on if you are looking for quality and longevity. Get your pick of the collection from January 14th 2010.

See Uniqlo +J Spring 2010 Collection below.

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We have all heard about H&M’s high profile designer collaborations, however their COS stores are one of the best kept secrets on the high street.  Featuring a more defined aesthetic with better quality materials and cut than their sister store that taking inspiration from the Jill Sander/Raf Simons/Martin Marigela school of fashion, and translating it into simple, original and affordable everyday wear.  They have just previewed their Spring/Summer 2010 range which offers a cool minimally designed collection that sees Cos set to give Uniqlo a challenger for our favourite high street retailer.

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UNIQLO opened their 3rd global flagship store on Thursday night in the city of Paris. Housed within newly renovated Neo-Classical building with the retail space designed by Masamichi Katayama (片山正通) and his firm Wonderwall, the new store will take on the name Paris Opera Store, a reference to the historical Palais Garnier across the street.  easured around 23,000 square-feet in interior space, the store will also be one of the largest. The store opening will also conincide with their highly anticipated Jil Sander X UNIQLO - Fall 2009 – J+ Collection. Take a look at the images of the store below.

Images: glltn

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The 1^st October, sees the launch of this Fall’s most anticipated fashion range; +J by Jil Sander at Uniqlo.  Images of the impressive looking range have been released over the last few months, and the recent edition of GQ features a new preview of some more of the minimal and stylish items we will all be waiting in line for this Thursday.  Check them out below.

Images: Selectism

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Uniqlo has made a trademark of their simplicity and value and their recent venture with colette has culminated in a simple collection of knitwear. Featuring a cardigan, v-neck and crewneck everything is kept to a minimum with “FROM TOKYO TO COLETTE” embroided on the sleeve and a small colette logo featured near the ribbing on the cardigan.

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The shop-in-shop will run from the 31st of August till the 26th September.

Uniqlo offerings include classic UT tees, denim, and of course cashmere! Limited edition knitwear are embroidered with the message “From Tokyo to colette” while other knit piece feature colette’s distinctive blue circle logo. An opportunity not to be missed if you are in the area. Take a look at some of the products below.

(More here)

UNIQLO x colette Shop-In-Shop
213 Rue Saint-Honoré
75001 Paris, France

Top image from Karl Hab.

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As the final preparations go underway for the new store for Japanese brand Uniqlo in Paris we get to see an inside look at it’s new home venue. Set to be named Paris Opera Store, a reference to the historical Palais Garnier (or commonly known as Paris Opera House) across the street, architect Masamichi Katayama and his firm Wonderwall will completely revamp the interior into a multi-level store, complete with a grand staircase and skylight.  Measured at 23,000 square-feet, the store will be one of the largest existing Uniqlo stores.  Plans for opening are to coincide with the global launch of new Jil Sander for Uniqlo on the 1st of October 2009. 

15 rue Scribe, 75009 Paris, France. 

Images FreshnessMag

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One of the most talked about and anticipated collections of the coming season, Jil Sander’s first venture alongside Japanese super brand Uniqlo. +J makes its way into Uniqlo stores worldwide very soon and brings a new mature tone to Uniqlo’s ever growing collections.

Images: HS

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Much has been made of the collection Jil Sander has created for Uniqlo entitled +J and with this further look it is easy to see why. The collection will be in store from October 1 in the US and October 2 in Asia while here is a look at an ad campaign created with GQ Japan that will be in news agents from August 24.

“Uniqlo and Jil Sander have finally set a date for the German designer’s long-awaited fashion comeback. The Japanese chain will start selling the +J collection in the United States and the United Kingdom on Oct. 1 and in Asia on Oct. 2. Prices range from 1,990 yen, or about $21 at current exchange, for a stretch t-shirt to 14,900 yen, or $155, for a Chesterfield coat. Photos of the products, including tailored shirts, button-down jackets and sweaters, leaked online earlier this week. But on Thursday, Uniqlo unveiled a couple shots from the line’s new advertising campaign, which will break August 24 in GQ Japan. Shot by David Sims, it features black and white images of wind-blown models Sean Opry and Isabeli Fontana”.

Thanks to WWD for the news.

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It feels like an age since we first heard that Jil Sander would design a capsule collection for Uniqlo. +J comes at a time when Sander herself has stepped away from the helm of her own brand making way for Raf Simons, but allows us not only to continue to enjoy Sander’s minimalist design aesthetic, but all for under $200.

Info: Men Style

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Not so long ago we talked about the project between UNIQLO and colette that will see the Japanese brand open a “Shop in Shop” at the famed Parisan retailer. Here is another short preview that gives an in sight of what to expect as the two will inevitably compile a collection of items to cement the project, more to come.

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Uniqlo is about to open its first flagship store in Paris, after seeing the location, it looks set to be a giant sized set up. The Japanese kings of cheap and great have set up shop in the meantime at colette, allowing Parisian shoppers a chance to get their hands on their regular selection of basics plus some limited edition items just available at colette. The Uniqlo Colette store opens on August 31, dont get this confused with the existing Marais district pop up shop.

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Uniqlo are preparing to launch one of the most anticipated collections this Fall with Jil Sander. Since she signed on as creative director in March, her first fashion venture since leaving her eponymous label in 2004. Slowing news has been unfolding prior to the launch, with the name the most recent news. +J, unable to use “Jil Sander,” since the company that owns Jil Sander retains the rights. Jil Sander will oversee all products sold at Uniqlo, but for now she’s focusing on the new line. Be certain to hear a lot more about the collection before the launch.

Thanks to WWD for the info.

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When I first read, courtesy of The Look (still one of my favourite blogs and books, and this entry on  Dexys is one of the best online pieces ever) that Kevin Rowland named their deceptively simple Mark 2 look ‘athletic monk’, I briefly flipped out. For those out there still under the impression Dexys Midnight Runners are a one-hit-wonder non-entitity, you’ve got homework to do, and Kevin was sporting the selvedge and Redwing look while you were still hunting behind sofas for Dunk change. Now Kevin seems to have switched to a pencil-tached, sharp-dressed spiv look, once again, he’s made another reinvention.

Whether you’d choose to follow isn’t the point – the key to my fascination with the group generally comes down to Kevin’s perpetual unrest. Had a hit? Got a winning formula? Fuck it, destroy and rebuild. That certainly isn’t the route to a gold house and rocket car, but it makes Dexys, in all their incarnations, very, very punk, and as we still see one offbeat idea or partnership cloned, or a brand like the aforementioned boot company opening themselves up for SMU partners like Rosanna Doll, Kevin’s attitude is more vital than ever before.

The ‘athletic monk’ look (sounding a lot like the kind of Wu-filliate who’d drop on then get dropped by Babygrande) appeared after the success of ‘Searching For The Young Soul Rebels’ where the band aesthetic was Mean Streets meets longshoremen – this uniform identity seemed to maintain Rowland’s ultra-intense James Brown style approach to band discipline. He might not have been fining band members for failing to polish their shoes, but after all bar Jimmy Paterson tired of his uncompromising, attitude and flew the coop, a new group was recruited in 1981.

While the visual contrast is not dissimilar to the difference between Rocky Balboa’s day-to-day attire and meat punching workout gear, that wasn’t the influence – this new band, brought together for the failed, and hugely ‘Projected Passion Revue’ tour, were made to run and exercise together to build group spirit and correlate mind, body and subsequently, soul – naturally there were quirks – alongside the purity of plain white tees, hooded sweatshirts and trackpants they wore boxing boots, never, ever a good look outside the ring, despite some troubling phases of high street ubiquity, and small ponytails, not as a reference to fellow practitioners of self-discipline, the samurai, but as a nod to 18th century sailors, another possible textbook example of total camaraderie – 100% commitment.

This look takes in a spot of casual, a spot of keep-fit revolution, and even the hateful hair modification was something that exploded during the subsequent decade. Was the group responsible? Probably not, and this could have been forward-thinking coincidence. Though this is possibly the strongest period of sound from the group, especially live, Dexy’s Mk 2 proved unsuccessful. But the monastry-style purity in outfit and lifestyle to release pure,  unfiltered elements of “intense emotion”, as was the intent, is one of the most interesting outfitting decisions of any musician.

Bar the boxing boots, I’d like to see a revival, or even better, a contemporary group to make like Rowland and break the mould with the same destroy and rebuild mindset. This “failure” gave way to the Dexy’s your mum remembers, with the Celtic look and appointment of the fiddle wielding ‘Emerald Express’ – attend any British wedding reception, and you’ll understand just how successful that incarnation was. Later, Kevin’s Ivy League preoccupation led to an purchase detailed on Paul Gorman’s site – ”At first I bought a pair of Florsheim Imperials (plain caps or GIs) for old time’s sake, but I kept looking at them in wonderment, at their beauty.  I would sit in my hotel room at night looking at them.  I was dreaming about them.  I felt so inspired again.” That’s the power of good footwear at work.

To the present day, the plain sweatshirt is still a form of sartorial detox, the essential, no-brainer in the wardrobe, whether it’s loopwheeled and ludicrously expensive, or a Uniqlo multiple buy. A marl grey comfort blanket you can wear, I’ve yet to see it look truly smart on anyone, XXL or slim-fitted. It’s the great informal leveller of man – long may it reign.

Good enough for a bonafide genius, good enough for you or I…

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