Uniqlo, Disney double down with new collection, first store in southeastern U.S.

Japanese fast fashion brand Uniqlo is building on its six-year relationship with Disney Consumer Products, announcing Monday that it will unveil an apparel collection featuring Disney, Pixar, Marvel and “Star Wars” designs at the upcoming D23 Expo in Anaheim, a biennial gathering of Disney fans.

Dubbed the “Magic for All” collection, it will include a range of T-shirts, sweatshirts, flannel button-front shirts, ultra-light down jackets, a plush Mickey Mouse toy and a limited-edition T-shirt featuring art by Disney and Pixar Animation Studios Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter. (Given Lasseter’s predilection for Hawaiian shirts – some custom ones from his personal collection will be on display at D23 -- we’re guessing it might have an aloha vibe.)

The fall 2015 collection will be unveiled in an on-site Uniqlo pop-up store during the Aug. 14-16 fan-focused event in Anaheim. In a further nod to synergy, Uniqlo is the official clothing partner for the event, so specially designed T-shirts, polos and jackets will be worn by Disney staff.

The collection will debut at the end of September in a new Magic for All concept shop being built on the top floor of Uniqlo’s five-story Shanghai flagship as well as themed sections within its flagship stores globally. Although Disney Consumer Products has had a relationship with the label as far back as 2009 (Mickey and Minnie Mouse T-shirts), it seems to have deepened significantly as of late, with two collaborations announced in May (one was a line of T-shirts featuring Mickey playing golf and tennis, the other was a plush Tsum Tsum toy) and the announcement in mid July that the 2016 theme for Uniqlo’s annual T-shirt design competition would be “friendship in Disney Pixar movies.”

And it appears that the brand relationship is expanding into another kind of Disney property altogether. Uniqlo, which has 42 U.S. stores clustered in the Northeast and around the San Francisco and Los Angeles areas also announced Monday that its first store in the southeastern U.S. is set to open in spring 2016 at Disney Springs (the former Downtown Disney) at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

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