Uniqlo outsources designer clothing

Casual clothing retailer Uniqlo Co. said Tuesday it outsourced the design of its autumn and winter clothing lines, which will be launched worldwide Friday.

Uniqlo said its autumn and winter collections for this year were designed by seven teams of designers, including Paris-based Adam Jones and Gentaro Noda, who design for the menswear brand ILIAD. Uniqlo has set a 5 billion yen sales target.

The retailer said the price of its designer-label clothing will be the same as its regular products. Designer skirts, for example, will be priced at 4,990 yen and men's jackets at 6,990 yen.

Noda said he was able to design high-quality Uniqlo clothing for about a quarter of the price it would sell for under his own label.