Uniqlo in West Coast debut unveils ‘virtual dressing room’

San Francisco -- Uniqlo will open its first store on the West Coast, in San Francisco, on Oct. 5.



The 29,000-sq,-ft., three-story flagship, in the city’s Union Square district, combines a sleek design with the latest modern technology, including the unveiling of the chain’s "Magic Mirror" technology. Developed by Dai Nippon Printing (DNP), this 'virtual dressing room' allows customers to use the Kinect color-changing engine and half-mirror touch panel technology to instantly switch between different color palettes of iconic Uniqlo clothing. The large bright color monitor is engineered make consumers feel like they are actually wearing the real product, according to Uniqlo.



“We are very pleased with the beautiful design and stunning architecture of our flagship San Francisco store," said Uniqlo USA COO Yasunobu Kyogoku. "We've preserved the historical facade while completely remodeling the interior, rejuvenating the space with a modern contemporary twist. We've also infused the latest state-of-the art technology to create a marquis shopping destination."



High-beamed ceilings and a large basement to roof skylight enables natural sunlight to illuminate the central glass case housing some of the more than 91 rotating mannequins situated around the store. Other features include a rainbow-colored LED-illuminated staircase, and 77 LCD screens that line the perimeter of the store on seven large monitor walls featuring a rotational mix of Uniqlo marketing campaigns and product promotions.



San Francisco is Uniqlo’s fifth U.S. retail location. The company operates three locations in Manhattan, and one in Paramus, N.J.