UNIQLO LONDON: Diluted Style

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All change down West-End way as ever. Currently there are two brand spanking new Uniqlo stores poised to open on Oxford Street, both a matter of metres away from the Flagship in the Plaza (the land that time forgot) and the original Regent St branch. Spreading like wildfire, it seems this budget APC has been given the stamp of approval. But this rapid expansion begs the question-If the brand has become a UK high-street staple, why are we still being fed an edited Uniqlo? Take a look at Japan and the U.S: The UniqloBlack collection styled by Yasuhiro Watanabe, the Gorgeous Alice Roi and Philip Lim collections, that impressive collaboration with Cloak's Alexandre Plokhov, The full UT T-shirt range (including designs by Terry Richardson) as well as just a more extensive take on the basics...London is a captive audience when it comes to one-off ranges and designer collabs and yet for some unknown reason these never reach our shores. In fact, on last inspection UK-U'qlo seemed to be moving backwards, I've never seen the store look so dull and uninspiring; we love you Uniqlo but we suspect you're holding out on us...

Ah Well, anyway, the rant comes in wake of discovering that Issue3 of Uniqlo paper is out (online at least), a few shots follow below, click to big. We'll probably never get our paws on any of the clothes featured, but interviews with Penny Martin (Showstudio), Peter Saville, Dizzee Rascal, Mr Sartorialist, Samantha Morton, Katy England and some typically brilliant fashion stories from Nicola Formichetti still make it a very worthwhile read. Here's hoping Uniqlo's creative push will finally translate to the UK shop floor...

All Images-Uniqlo