Uniqlo has joined forces with another Japanese fashion label for its latest designer collaboration. Founded by Keizo Shimizu, streetwear brand Needles is one of the most recognizable of the Japanese Americana movement, both inside and outside Japan.
Shimizu grew up admiring America’s preppy yet free-wheeling Ivy League style, poring over what scant books and magazines he could get his hands on. His love of U.S. companies like Levi’s and Brooks Brothers inspired his American clothing distribution business, Nepenthes, and later in the 90s, Needles.
The collection melds Uniqlo’s signature cozy lifewear with the vintage, refined designs that Needles is known for, and it comes just in time for fall. The balanced neutral options paired with deep purple pieces have Instagram users shouting “Take my money!” as they spot the chance to wear the premium brand’s designs for less.
The vintage-inspired collection features the brand’s signature butterfly logo embroidery, inspired by American actor Steve McQueen’s tattoo in the 1973 film Papillon.
The small collection features cardigans, including a vertical-stripe black and purple design, zip-up fleece jackets, and wide-legged trousers, and each of the three styles comes in neutral colors. The collection is unisex and designed as a capsule to mix and match.
The line marks the first collaboration between the two Japanese powerhouses, but Uniqlo is known for its longstanding designer-led collections. Current collaborators include Anya Hindmarch, Christophe Lemaire, British designer Clare Waight Keller, and Jonathan Anderson.
Uniqlo x Needles launches online in the U.S. on October 30, mid-morning ET.
