Japan’s top clothing retailer UNIQLO appears to be facing competition from a gleefully Simmonsing competitor, UN!PRO.
Those whose immediate thought on seeing this is “China!” are actually incorrect for once (although China would actually have to claim this dubious ingenuity as their own) – the shop was spotted in the Taiwanese capital of Taipei, where Japanese culture is high chic, but mainland style approaches to copyright were supposed to be extinct.
A normal store in Chiba, one of 700 in Japan:
Another in Paris:
With nearly 50 stores in China and another 12 in Hong Kong, 40 in Korea, and yet more in the UK, Singapore and beyond, UNIQLO (“unique clothing”) is a fast expanding international brand, but it seems Taiwanese local entrepreneurs decided they just couldn’t wait any longer…
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The names are suppose to be different.
The problem is that Un! Pro used the wrong katakana, that made them copycat :/
Blah blah blah. Japan made a killing off copying other people and bowing to foreign countries while doing it. Everyone starts off doing the same; the US were notorious for copying, selling, and pirating books written by English authors when the US started out.
And for those of you who don't think Taiwan isn't a part of China, you need to check your maps or understand history. Apparently it's OK to mock others for their ignorance for copying others while retaining a certain part of that ignorance for themselves. Why else would political separation/liberation from China be a constant talking point with Taiwanese politicians every election year?
...No?
Taiwan has not been a part of China since 1895, the beginning of Japanese colonization, at which point China essentially ceded Taiwan to Japan and had no hand at all in her political operations. Taiwan stopped being a Japanese colony at the end of World War II, when it was declared the Republic of China by KMT forces who escaped the Communists in the PRC, and China still continued to have no influence or power over the island. Taiwan as the Republic of China was recognized as the sole legitimate Chinese power by the United Nations and the rest of the world until the freaking 1970s, at which point it was expelled because Chiang Kai-shek was being a dick. Since then, there has not been a single official reunification of China and Taiwan. Taiwanese citizens are not subject to Chinese laws, their economies are completely separate, China does not have any officials operating for the government in Taiwan, and Taiwan has her own legislature completely separate from China. Taiwan also engages in foreign relations as the Republic of China (and not the PRC) with other nations. Taiwan has its own army-- Taiwanese citizens are drafted into the ROC army, no the PRC army-- and buys arms from the United States, completely independently of China, and China can't do anything to stop it because they have no true power over Taiwan. Furthermore, if you actually pay attention to Taiwanese politics, the KMT, which is the side that China actually favors at this point, speaks about "eventual reunification" with China, which means that they're NOT the same country.
Essentially, to use a human geographers terms, Taiwan is recognized by nearly all parties, including China, as what would be called a nation-- an entity that operates wholly separately from China. The question is whether it's an independent state-- an entity officially recognized by other states as one. But China has lost its control over Taiwan for over a century and never officially took it back (it's not like Hong Kong, in which both Britain and China agreed on a return). To say that Taiwan is a part of China is ignorant of the situation in both countries-- Taiwan is about as a part of China as Canada is part of the US, in that they share some of the same cultural background, but Canada operates completely separately. Some people in the US SAY that Canada is apart of the States, but they're crazy.
There's one in New York too. I've been inside a few times. Pretty expensive for my tastes.
You know, I'd thought it was cheaper than 100% of the stores in that area.
I'm not saying it's a lot more expensive than the stores around it. I just don't go to too many expensive clothing stores. Clothes that cost more than $100 is not my kind of clothes. I only went in because I heard it was a famous Japanese chain. Their display in the center of the store was kind of nice the first time I went in. It had a lot of chic fashion. Reminded me of the kind of clothes you see in "The world ends with you" game for the DS. Nothing anime-y except for an astroboy shirt I found.
Somehow I doubt anyone actually cares other than the company itself. UNIQLO isn't exactly high fashion.
In Malaysia, we have this company called Pensonic. Whether the history that the name is really originated from Penang + Sonic or obviously ripped from Panasonic, i'd leave it to you..
Really? I always thought it was a complete rip-off, like Asadi. I guess some nations had no talents for naming stuffs.
UNIQLO reads as Unique Low, pretty sure that's not what they were going for.
Personally I pronounced it in my mind as "eunuch low", and was absolutely certain that's not what they were going for! ...Maybe.
I'm pretty sure this is just a store made to poke-fun at the actual brand.
I mean, everyone here just poking at the fact that "ha ha ha...fail UN PRO!"
but like... it's "UN!PRO"
Now we were only show a picture of the store banner, there is NO pictures of what the store sells.
As opposed to all the fail crap we see that's from China, where there is actually actual more things to show why it fails, this is just a sign or banner.
For all I know, it's a store with its name made to poke fun at the real brand name.
Competition is good.. What is the present?
They even kept the katakana in the logo and bothered to change "ku" to "pu" [albeit wrong].
I never thought Taiwanese had any love for the yamatos.
Well, Taiwan was a Japanese colony and its teens love Japanese and Korean culture, so it's not surprising.
IT'S THE UNIQLO SHOP AT LES QUATRES TEMPS IN LA DÉFENSE.
Their designs are pretty meh but that's speaking from the perspective of a Mexican, American continent fashion is overall more garish than fashion sold in Europe.
This is most certainly "un-pro"
Does anyone have an address of this place? I want to go check it out and see what they carry.
Taipei's supposed to be getting a real UNIQLO this fall, though.
Well, at least they didn't put Taiwan with China this time... Taiwan is a pretty cool place. :P
Taiwan is basically China's twin brother though...
That's like saying USA is basically Britain's twin brother.
This reminds me CacaCala,SQNY and so on.
Looks like the Taiwanese are UN-PRO, as the name suggests. They even emphasized "UN!" to show their inferiority to the original lol
It's good... I dont think it'll get any worse than China
Here's to hope that Taiwan doesnt end up like China
Amazing that 'simmonsing' is still being used. Even more amazing is that I still get a chuckle when I see it used. :)
If we keep using it, it will enter into the vernacular.
It's our tribute to the man. He enters history through the dictionary.
Lol Oh
China!Taiwan!This is the one time where I agree with the Taiwanese. China is not affiliated with Taiwan in any way. Nope siree. Now I'll just slip out of this side door here...
Strangely, it's not as annoying when Taiwan did it. Maybe because they plagiarize far less than China?
Uni-Qlo stuff is mostly made in China isn't it? It's basically Japanese GAP or Banana Republic right? It's not exactly high fashion.
Taiwan is not a part of China. All the Taiwanese I have met are not interested in being part of China.
wow Taiwan is not a part of China. Its just that China says Taiwan is part of China and would take if over if the US didnt sell military supplies to Taiwan. SO Taiwan in independent from China. Taiwan, the next Hong Kong to fall to China lol.
I have not met a Taiwanese who live outside Taiwan want the island to belong to China. There might be a few who live in Taiwan who want to be part of China, but then again they could be Chinese masquerading as Taiwanese.
OMG I CAN"T BELIEVE THIS!! PEOPLE Who understands ><
I'll just point out that though it IS operating in Taiwan, it might not be Taiwanese-owned, or manufacturing local goods.
It could, in theory, be China Quality after all.
Taiwan IS still part of China...
nah..nothign rly special =_=
Yeah, I'm not even surprised.
China quality in Taiwan? More like CHI-QAL, rihgt?
I posted to be firstXDDD but u replied to be second.... didnt u?XD
Can you actually use 'China' and 'quality' in the same sentence without laughing?
Not now but in the old days Junk are not junk at all.
Naming sense ftw.
UN!PRO Noobs
Their clothes are really nice for their prices, you got to give them that.
Man, there were a crap load of them in Korea when I was over there last summer. Didnt know what it said until I thought about it for a second LOL o.O
But only if you're a girl or a practicing trap.
I don't think they sell cosplay outfits, what a moron.
but I agree, they don't have unique stuff for guys,... this is more for gurlies than guys.
Nothing related to the clothes store was found when I searched UN!PRO on Google!
Because this is first hand = 2ch :)
Actually it was circulated on Twitter.