s how the flagship was reshaped and how the brand balances global identity with local expectations. Inside Retail: How does the new design reflect Uniqlo’s evolving approach to physical retail and customer experience? Joey Tong: We’re extremely proud to welcome our community back into our Uniqlo Orchard Central global flagship store – reimagined to offer an even stronger value for all. Our stores are not just places to shop: they are key experiential hubs where people can see, touch and feel the essence of LifeWear in a tangible way.  The renewed design reflects a more intuitive shopping journey that makes our customers’ lives better through every element of the space. This includes a more open and welcoming layout, increased touchpoints for styling inspirations and upgraded fitting rooms, allowing the Uniqlo Orchard Central global flagship store to redefine how we engage our community through thoughtful design.  IR: In what ways does this flagship distinguish itself from other Uniqlo stores in Singapore and the wider region? JT: When customers walk into a global flagship store, we want them to feel a sense of wonder and excitement. These stores play a vital role in shaping how our communities connect with Uniqlo and LifeWear.  The Orchard Central global flagship store was first opened in 2016 as the first ever global flagship store in the Asia Pacific region, and also Singapore’s largest store to date, with approximately 2700sqm across three levels. Being the first to bring such a unique global experience to the Singaporean community was very special for us! From the full range of the latest lines across women, men, kids and babies, to special services like Uniqlo Flower, Re.Uniqlo Studio and UTme! customisation services, we have continually offered a differentiated experience to delight our customers. With an upgraded and reimagined store experience, we strive to establish the Orchard Central global flagship store as a must-visit destination for both locals and tourists.  IR: What key consumer behaviours in Singapore informed this redesign? JT: Over the past nine years, we have closely observed how customers shop in our store and made changes to better incorporate Uniqlo’s “Help-Yourself” concept into our retail design. This includes more strategic zoning across all three levels, increased digital lightboxes for better wayfinding and upgraded fitting rooms to provide an overall enhanced shopping experience. At Level 1, we opened up the facade to create a more inviting shopfront across both entrances. We also curated this space to focus on LifeWear essentials for women, men and kids, at a glance. This includes Uniqlo’s recommended everyday essentials and seasonal picks, such as HeatTech and Cashmere collections for the winter season, that we know customers love and look for.  We also observed that female customers are often the demographic that shop for themselves and their kids in a single visit. This prompted us to combine the kids section with Level 2 (originally on Level 3) so we can showcase the full range of women, kids, and babies on one floor. With this change, we could also include more family-styling inspiration to guide shoppers on how to colour-coordinate or find matching outfits! Lastly, we also saw a growing appetite for local collaborations and limited-edition designs among both locals and tourists. This inspired the expansion of UT and UTme! zones at Level 3, to focus more on experiences that celebrate Singapore culture and communities within the store.  IR: How do you balance global brand consistency with local expectations when designing stores in Singapore? JT: Our LifeWear Philosophy is universal – all Uniqlo touchpoints around the world share the same brand messaging about our clothing designed to make everyone’s lives better through simple, high-quality and functional designs.  However, we also cater to our local communities in line with Fast Retailing’s spirit of “Koten-keiei”, creating touchpoints that reflect the vibrance and culture of the city. Uniqlo’s Orchard Central global flagship store is at the forefront of this with the launch of its City Guide featuring 12 homegrown brands, and a Magic For All Collection featuring Mickey Mouse reimagined with a Singapore twist. With a good balance of global brand consistency and localisation, our Uniqlo stores will offer a uniquely Singaporean experience that allows our communities to feel right at home when they visit us. IR: The new City Guide spotlights 12 homegrown brands. What inspired this initiative, and how does it fit into Uniqlo’s broader commitment to community? JT: Uniqlo Singapore has proudly supported locals since we opened our first store in 2009. With a longstanding commitment to connecting meaningfully with our community, our stores are also designed to reflect the specific neighbourhoods we open in – their people, energy and culture.  This time around, the new City Guide shines a spotlight on a vibrant lineup of 12 homegrown brands across food and beverages, museums and more. Each featured brand is located conveniently around the Orchard Central global flagship store to allow locals and tourists to walk and uncover what Singapore has to offer. In addition, the City Guide includes profile interviews that shine a spotlight on homegrown entrepreneurs who contribute significantly to Singapore’s fabric.  IR: How is Uniqlo rethinking the role of physical stores in the era of e-commerce and digital engagement? JT: Our Uniqlo stores remain our most important contact point with customers, and they are much more than just a location to sell products. All Uniqlo stores are beautiful spaces that inspire and delight our customers and allow them to experience Uniqlo and LifeWear in full. It is also where our teams, through their extensive product knowledge and deep understanding of local customer needs, work hard to provide exceptional service to our customers each day. In the era of e-commerce and digital engagement, we launched our first-ever Touchpoint concept store, Uniqlo Velocity, a small but mighty store that focuses on serving omnichannel shoppers with an online-to-offline experience. While the store is 10 per cent the size of a typical Uniqlo outlet, it offers an efficiency of digital and the accessibility of physical retail through enhanced Click & Collect services complemented by the Uniqlo App and website.  No matter how the world evolves, our promise remains the same: Uniqlo will always place our customers first and continue creating value for our community. Further reading: How Uniqlo’s creative direction is powering record global profits.