uniqlo to launch unexpected Japanese streetwear collab – here’s when it drops

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 that they could get their hands on. Her love of American companies like Levi’s and Brooks Brothers inspired her American clothing distribution business, Nepentes, and later Needles in the 90s.

The collection melds Uniqlo’s signature cozy lifewear with the vintage, refined designs Needles is known for, and it arrives just in time for fall. Balanced neutral options paired with deep purple pieces have Instagram users saying “Take my money!” As they offer a chance to wear premium brand designs for less.

Oversized cardigan made of wool

wool wide pants

fleece full-zip jacket

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 short collection includes cardigans, including a vertical-stripe black and purple design, zip-up fleece jackets, and wide-leg 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 is the first collaboration between the two Japanese powerhouses, but Uniqlo has long been known for its designer-led collections. Current collaborators include Anya Hindmarch, Christophe Lemaire, British designer Claire Waight Keller and Jonathan Anderson.

Uniqlo launches X Needle online in usa On October 30, mid-morning et.