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If you've ever had the good fortune of visiting Japan, then you might be familiar with a retailer called GU, Uniqlo's hipper sister store that focuses on trendy and affordable fashion. If you hung out around SoHo at all last year, you might also have come across the brand's small pop-up, which drew in big crowds and long lines at the checkout counter.
We have good news: GU is opening a flagship store, its first brick-and-mortar address outside of Japan, at 578 Broadway by Prince Street in SoHo starting September 19.
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Expect men's and women's clothing, shoes, bags, accessories and more sprawled across two floors spanning a total of 10,225 square feet.
The SoHo opening will coincide with the grand reveal of GU's collaboration with the stylish streetwear-meets-high fashion Japanese brand UNDERCOVER, which worked with GU to create versatile and unisex pieces that can be rearranged to create a variety of silhouettes via a single article of clothing.
If you plan to attend the opening in person, GU's interactive launch will involve plenty of giveaways, including a collaborative tote bag designed by Shantell Martin that will be gifted to the first 300 customers, GU shopping trips valued at up to $250 and opportunities to experience Tokyo's bustling culture right here in New York. The store will also be handing out Japanese treats throughout the opening weekend.
GU will also be launching its e-commerce website and app in the U.S., where they'll be selling items that were previously only available in Japan, including the famous barrel leg jeans, the mini skort and the super wide cargo pants. Also on deck: brand new products and color ways that will only be available on this side of the Atlantic.
You can RSVP for the flagship store's opening weekend, which will take place from September 19 to 22, here.