EXCLUSIVE: Uniqlo Set to Reopen Paris Flagship, Launch Partnership With Opéra Garnier
PARIS — Good news for Parisians looking to score pieces from Clare Waight Keller’s first collection for Uniqlo: The Japanese brand will reopen its flagship next to the city’s Palais Garnier on Sept. 15, the same day the highly anticipated line drops online and in shops around the globe.
“We look forward to welcoming many visitors from Paris and abroad,” said Taku Morikawa, chief executive officer of Uniqlo Europe. The company is taking advantage of its location just steps away from the famed opera house, he revealed.
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To celebrate the store reopening, the brand’s campaign will feature seven dancers from the ballet corps posing on the opera house’s grand staircase and demonstrating moves in the Rotonde du Glacier mirrored reception room, all clad in Uniqlo.
“We are happy to seal a partnership with our neighbor, Paris Opéra, an institution that we have been watching with admiration for years and with which we continue our approach to make art ever more accessible,” he added.
To that end, Uniqlo will team up with the historic institution to support the “My First Time at the Opera” program, which allows families with children access to discounted tickets to attend shows. This season the “Cinderella” opera performance and the “Don Quixote” ballet are part of the special slate.
The Rue Scribe location closed in January for a nine-month revamp. The new layout will add a grand central staircase and significant floor space to the now 24,380-square-foot store. The updated configuration sees the shopping area span three levels and feature more open areas for ease of flow.
The store will also feature an area highlighting Japanese culture, including T-shirts with graphic design inspired by Japanese art, plus an area dedicated to customizing pieces from the UTme line. A repair and tailoring bar will also be on hand for alterations, clothing care and personalization.
The brand also plans to host an opening event during Paris Fashion Week.
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