GU (retailer)

Japanese clothing brand G.U. Co., Ltd.Native name株式会社ジーユーRomanized nameKabushikigaisha JīyūTypeKKIndustryFashion retailFounded21 February 1973; 53 years ago (1973-02-21)Headquarters Minato, Tokyo, JapanNumber of locations478 (28 February 2025)ParentFast RetailingWebsitegu-global.com GU (Japanese: ジーユー, Hepburn: jīyū) is a Japanese discount casual wear designer, manufacturer, and retailer. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fast Retailing, the parent company of Uniqlo. The name is a pun of the word jiyū (自由), meaning "liberty, freedom" and its slogan means "more freedom in fashion" (ファッションを、もっと自由に, fasshon o, motto jiyū ni). Its signature product is a pair of jeans costing 990 Japanese yen ($9.02 USD), though they ceased production in January 2014. As of 28 February 2025[update], there are 478 locations globally. Francesco Risso has been appointed creative director of GU. History GU opened its first shop in Chiba Prefecture in October 2006 as a more affordable concept in fashion than Uniqlo. In September 2013, the company opened its first overseas shop in Shanghai, later expanding to Taiwan in September 2014 and South Kor