Nothing is lost in translation
Although Uniqlo has a quintessentially Japanese approach to fashion, with a focus on calm, seriousness and perfection, forget about any prejudices against Japanese culture that Sofia Ford Coppola's hit film 'Lost in Translation' may have left in the Western world. Because you don't have to spend many minutes talking to Uniqlo's Global Creative Director, Shu Hung, to realise that this brand takes constant change and development seriously.
"There are many similarities between Danes and Japanese. Both countries have a tradition of minimalism, of peeling away the unnecessary elements and focusing on how design and function can complement each other. This value will only become more important in the future if we are to consume responsibly, but retain the excitement of what we allow ourselves to buy," explains the New York-based creative director. With a background at international brands like Audi and Nike, Uniqlo's inclusive business model appealed to her.
"In the past, brands had to speak with one voice, one figurehead, one pay off. We've turned that around. We interact with the local community, learn from our employees across time zones, and we make room for a wide range of authentic personalities to embody our brand. In a country like Denmark, our ambassadors are not models or top athletes. They are local enthusiasts who are passionate about gastronomy, music, arts and crafts."
And in case outsiders have any doubts, the creative director makes it clear. If you want to be a pioneer in fashion today, you have to dare to be a quiet but persistent "Rasmus-Modsat"*:
"Even when we do collaborations with big names like Alexander Wang and J.W. Anderson, it's not to be modern. It's to be democratic. It's to give more people access to thoughtful and accomplished design that they will use for a longer period of time," says Shu Hung. She stops herself. She doesn't want to be preachy.
"Well, right now I'm preaching to the converted. Because you Danes already know what it's all about when we say that our motto is 'Simple Made Better'. But that's actually the ideal. Nothing more, nothing less." The legacy of the German Bauhaus school of architecture, which prioritised function over form and opposed superfluous decoration, lives on not only in Scandinavian interiors and Danish homes. By looking to the past, Uniqlo has cracked the code to the future. Democratic, sustainable design should appeal to most, suit everyone and look like modern classics.
* A "Rasmus-Modsat" is a person who usually thinks or does the opposite of what others think or do.