What GU is known for

Founded 2006 as Fast Retailing's budget sister brand to Uniqlo; the name puns on the Japanese word jiyū (freedom). Expanded to Shanghai in 2013 and opened its first US store in 2022.

GU was founded in 2006 as a low-cost sister brand to Uniqlo, under Uniqlo's parent company Fast Retailing. The name is a pun on the Japanese word jiyū (自由), meaning 'freedom,' reflecting the brand's positioning as an escape from higher-priced fashion — its stated ethos is 'Making fashion freer.' GU relies on Uniqlo's supply chain and manufacturing infrastructure to hit lower price points while still turning over trend-driven pieces faster than Uniqlo's more basics-focused range, targeting a younger customer base with items including gender-neutral pieces. The brand expanded outside Japan for the first time in 2013, with a store in Shanghai, and reached the United States only in 2022, via a pop-up store in New York City. By 2022, GU's sales had reached roughly $1.9 billion, about 12% of Fast Retailing's total group revenue, making it a significant earner within the Uniqlo parent group rather than a minor side label.