UNIQLO Appoints Novak Djokovic as Global Brand Ambassador

AsiaNet 49438

PARIS, May 24/PRN=KYODO JBN/ --

     UNIQLO today announces that it has appointed Novak Djokovic, the world's

top-ranked male professional tennis player, as its global brand ambassador. The

five-year partnership, which takes effect from today, will see Djokovic

promoting the UNIQLO brand and UNIQLO clothing worldwide. The partnership will

also include collaboration on future product lines, as well as co-developing

the ultimate UNIQLO functional wear.

    A preview of the collaboration's first results will be seen at this year's

Roland-Garros French Open Tennis Tournament that starts on May 27, where

Djokovic will debut his newly designed UNIQLO match wear to spectators in Paris

and to a worldwide TV audience.

    Tadashi Yanai, Chairman, President & CEO of leading global Japanese

retailer Fast Retailing, commented on today's announcement saying, "We are

extremely pleased to have Novak Djokovic become UNIQLO's global brand

ambassador. We will use the most innovative fabrics and technologies to develop

match wear that can contribute to the performance of a globally recognized and

respected sports person like Novak. At the same time, UNIQLO will incorporate

latest fabrics and technologies to co-develop with him the ultimate functional

apparel that can be worn, and enjoyed, by people all over the world."

    Yanai added, "UNIQLO and Novak share a common, mutual desire to improve

people's lives and contribute to society. In addition to creating truly great

clothing with new and unique value, Fast Retailing takes to heart our mission

to enrich people's lives through unique corporate activities and to grow our

company in unity with society. We look forward to collaborating with Novak on a

number of corporate social responsibility programs around the world."

    Novak Djokovic, commenting on today's announcement said, "I am honored, and

also very excited, to have been appointed as the UNIQLO global brand

ambassador. UNIQLO is a cool brand with strong roots in Japan, a country whose

culture and way of life I respect. I have a personal philosophy which I call

'Be Unique,' and this is based on my strong passion, drive and eagerness to

keep improving myself. I am passionate about being the best possible tennis

player, as well as the best possible person, and I have a continuous desire to

help people, especially children, who have been less fortunate than I."

    Djokovic added, "I feel a natural connection with UNIQLO. To me, UNIQLO is

not fast fashion, and it's not sports wear. UNIQLO is the ultimate functional

wear, which is exactly what I need as both a sports person and an individual

who leads a very active life. I look forward to collaborating with UNIQLO in

the development of new products and to getting to know the global UNIQLO family

better."

    In launching the new partnership between UNIQLO and Novak Djokovic today,

UNIQLO confirms that as its first corporate social responsibility activity it

will manufacture a custom-designed charity UT (UNIQLO T-shirt) to sell at a

select number of UNIQLO stores and online. Proceeds from the sale of this UT

will be donated to the Novak Djokovic Foundation to support children's

programs. Details regarding the design of the UT, as well as timing and

location of sale will be announced in due course.

    Pictures of today's press conference are available on http://www.image.net.

You will have access through the following link:

https://www.image.net/xads/actions/inuserRegistration.do

    About UNIQLO and Fast Retailing

    UNIQLO is a brand of Fast Retailing Co. (FR), a leading global Japanese

retail holding company that designs, manufactures and sells clothing under five

brands: Comptoir des Cotonniers, g.u., Princesse tam.tam, Theory, and UNIQLO.

With global sales of 820 billion yen for the 2011 fiscal year ending August 31,

2011, FR is the world's fourth largest apparel retail company and UNIQLO is

Japan's leading specialty retailer.

    Today UNIQLO has more than 1,100 stores worldwide, namely in the U.S., U.K.

France, Russia, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and

Korea, as well as Japan. UNIQLO continues to open large-scale stores in some of

the world's most important cities and locations, as part of its ongoing efforts

to solidify its status as a truly global brand. UNIQLO operates an integrated

business model under which it designs, manufactures, markets and sells

high-quality, casual apparel in line with its 'Made for All' philosophy.

    With a corporate statement committed to changing clothes, changing

conventional wisdom and change the world, FR is dedicated to creating great

clothing with new and unique value to enrich the lives of people everywhere.

For more information about UNIQLO and other FR group companies, please visit

http://www.uniqlo.com or http://www.fastretailing.com

    Source: UNIQLO