Uniqlo's game plan to evolve its 'basics' reputation

Anderson, who is behind Uniqlo's beloved JW Anderson line, will continue despite his flashy new appointment, said Mr Yanai, who added: “Dior is important, but I hope he will continue to prioritise us.”

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Australian actress Cate Blanchett made her debut appearance as Uniqlo's newest global brand ambassador.

(PHOTOS: UNIQLO)

Yet no one person deserves more credit for Uniqlo's head-turning rise in sophistication than Waight Keller.

The 55-year-old British designer's relationship with the retailer began as a collaborative line, Uniqlo : C, launched in September 2023. That dalliance was cemented when she was named creative director of Uniqlo a year later.

And a lot can change in one year. At the 2024 LifeWear event in Paris, when Waight Keller - whose CV includes leading French luxury houses Chloe and Givenchy was still freshly appointed, a certain air hung over the journalists and fashion set present.

It was apparent they were waiting to see how she might prove herself in this new role. Would she stumble? Or turn out to be just another famous figurehead subject to the whims of a global retailer whose priority is the bottom line?

Things are now markedly different. Her twice-yearly C collections sell like hot cakes and the media clamour to have just five minutes to pick her brain.

Now fully integrated into the brand, Waight Keller has been looking more at the technology and details that Uniqlo prizes, she told ST.

"Basics are tied fundamentally to what people imagine when they walk into Uniqlo. So I guess my mission is to bring a lot more design be it that tweak of originality, a beautiful finish or a scientific function to the fabric - that potentially will elevate it from being ultra-basic."

Her hand in the retailer's clothes shows. Think collared details, a more refined colour palette and multiple skirts, paired with structured tailoring, that bring a modern, once-lacking sense of femininity to the brand.