Uniqlo Jeans Going Premium

In a move to alter their brand image Fast Retailing’s Uniqlo will offer jeans for 9,990 yen starting next month. The new jeans which will be manufactured in Fukuyama, Hiroshima by denim maker Kaihara Co., will be labeled “Made in Japan”, which it is hopes will help enhance the Uniqlo brand image from a discount clothier to a premium brand for jeans. This could be difficult as Fast Retailing has built a brand around inexpensive and high quality apparel, especially their g.u. jeans which sell for one tenth of the new Uniqlo jeans at 990 yen.

Do you think Uniqlo’s new branding for their denim will be successful? Can they change their brand perception from cheap to chic?