Tadashi Yanai

This year was one in which the bulwark of efforts by Uniqlo to enter Western markets came to fruition. Now with a total of 40 stores in the U.S. and plans for many more, the fast fashion retail giant also entered new European markets with the opening of flagship and concept stores in Berlin and Paris respectively. On the creative side of things, NIGO flexed his design capabilities in the capacity of creative director of Uniqlo UT, whose team pushed out a myriad of designs each season, as well as putting out more press-worthy collaborations, most notably with Pharrell’s “i am OTHER” collection, Alexandre Plokhov, and a kids’ collection with UNDERCOVER. With parent company Fast Retailing’s acquisition of John C. Jay as its new Global Creative President in a concerted effort to boost its international profile, Fast Retailing Founder Tadashi Yanai is set to preside over what may become the world’s top apparel provider with a global sales target of $61 billion USD, should his “2020” plan be realized. From the looks of Uniqlo’s unstoppable international expansion over the course of this year, that goal is very well within Yanai’s grasp.