SUMMER for Uniqlo means finding joy in dressing up, and using your imagination. Maybe people aren’t bolting out of their doors yet for some summer fun, but, hey, they’d look great for a morning run or a short drive out of the city.
During a press preview last week, Uniqlo unveiled its Spring/Summer 2022 Collection that featured light fabrics, light colors, and surprisingly, lots of denim (but then Bottega Veneta had the same idea). It also featured pieces from long-time Uniqlo collaborators: model Inès de La Fressange, and JW Anderson.
The preview centered around the theme of joy, taking off from the theme of the brand’s LifeWear magazine, “The Joys of Clothing.” Takahiro Kinoshita, Fast Retailing Group Executive Vice-President and Creative Director said in a statement, “The theme for this issue, ‘The Joys of Clothing,’ was inspired by Joy of Cooking, an enduringly popular and beloved recipe book originally published in the US in the 1930s. The title incorporates the idea of the delight found in selecting and styling clothing, in the same way that people enjoy cooking. We want this issue to be an opportunity for people to encounter preppy spring moods and colorful clothing.”
Meanwhile, Jami Barra, In-store Merchandising Head, for Uniqlo Philippines said during the preview, “We really tried to focus on the simple joys that come to life when people and clothes find each other.”
Key pieces include a line of clothes with UV protection, such as a crew neck cardigan made with a cotton-rayon blend, in a range of colors from off-white to a rich green. We’re entranced by a sea of blues, expressed in the Cotton Chambray Long-Sleeve Long Shirt for the ladies. For men, there are the Indigo Sweat Cardigans and the Indigo Dye Crew Neck Short Sleeve T-Shirts (which, while they come in a rich blue, have to be washed with care since the indigo dyes are transferrable to other pieces). More key pieces this summer are a line of sweater vests (perfect for tennis, or when you just want to look dressed up).
More colorful are the lines from Uniqlo collaborations. For example, the Inès de La Fressange line (her 17th collection with the brand) is inspired by her memories of the Moroccan city of Marrakech.
“Traditional Arabic tiles, bougainvillea in bloom, treasure-hunting in the souks… I can picture all of these scenes from my very first trip to Marrakech with my grandmother. I was 13 years old,” recalled the aristocratic model (her father was a Marquis) in a statement.
Reds, oranges, and pinks dominate this collection’s palette, inspired by a rose field near the city. Executed in cotton, linen, and silk, they have a touch of androgyny in mixing together feminine and masculine styles.
Uniqlo’s collaboration with JW Anderson, meanwhile, presents scenes onboard boats and by seaside towns, in a palette of reds, greens, and blues (as inspired by maritime flags).
Meanwhile, Uniqlo’s UT T-shirt collection is touched by art this season, featuring works by Keith Haring, Andy Warhol, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, on T-shirts. A collection with SoCal artist Joshua Vides sees a monochromatic Mickey Mouse. A final touch is a collaboration with Magnum Photos, the international photographers’ collective. The shirts are printed with landscapes transcending time and space: from Nice in the 1990s to Vallejo right before the pandemic.
The company said during the press preview that the items are already in stores, but one will have to watch their Uniqlo website for announcements on where one can grab the items from the special collaborations. — Joseph L. Garcia