Why Is 'Old Uniqlo' All the Rage? A Collector Reveals the Hidden Gems of Mass Production

There's a quiet buzz around Old Uniqlo right now.

We're talking about your standard fleeces, down jackets, and cargo pants released from the late 1980s to the early 2000s. This 'ordinary everyday wear' from a mass-market brand is now back in the fashion spotlight. It's not high-end or avant-garde, yet it possesses a unique vibe, texture, and a distinct feel of its era.

One of the first to recognize the appeal of these vintage Uniqlo pieces is the collector Mifura, who has been amassing a collection with his keen aesthetic eye. Why did he see value in a brand often seen as the epitome of mass production? And why is Old Uniqlo now experiencing a cultural resurgence? We're here to dive into the reasons.

How Secondhand Finds Sparked a Passion for the World of Old Uniqlo

Riding the wave of the recent vintage boom, Old Uniqlo is steadily gaining a following. So, when did the 27-year-old Mifura first become captivated by its charm?

"When I was a kid, my image of Uniqlo was just 'the clothing store my parents would drag me to,' so I had no special attachment to it. I only started to notice it as an adult, about five years ago, when I found an item at a thrift store with a tag that was different from the current ones.

'Oh, this is the tag from the loungewear my parents used to wear!' I suddenly remembered. That was the spark, and from there, I started to dig deeper bit by bit."

The first piece Mifura encountered was a garment presumed to be from the early 2000s, with a tag that had 'UNIQLO' written in a bold sans-serif font on a navy blue base.

"The definition of Old Uniqlo is still somewhat ambiguous in the market, but personally, I believe it covers the period from 1987, when Uniqlo began developing its own products, to around 2009, before the logo underwent a major change."

As a long-time fan of secondhand clothing, Mifura's collector's spirit was ignited as he delved deeper, using tags, books, and garment details as his clues.

He soon realized that even for a brand as seemingly 'timeless' as Uniqlo, there were distinct evolutions in design, materials, and silhouettes from one era to the next.

Uniqlo's Hidden Masterpieces That Impress Even Collectors

The 'UT' line, which is still going strong today, first launched in 2007. Back then, tight silhouettes were all the rage, and many items, including the UTs, were designed with a slim fit.

"With the current Y2K trend, it's amazing how well the items Uniqlo was putting out in the 2000s fit today's vibe. Maybe they were a bit ahead of their time, but looking at them now, I find a lot of pieces and think, 'Wow, this looks so contemporary.'"

"Every time I find a piece like that, I'm amazed and think, 'I can't believe they were making something this bold back then.' It makes me appreciate their appeal all over again."

According to Mifura, today's Uniqlo is refined, offering a lineup of well-balanced and highly polished products. In contrast, the Uniqlo of that era had an energy of desperately trying to catch the latest trends, a sort of trial-and-error spirit that you can feel, as if they were thinking, 'We have to jump on this bandwagon.'"

This energy is perfectly embodied by a piece in Mifura's collection: a denim jacket presumed to be from the late 1980s. The washed-out denim, the buttons stamped with the old logo, and the vibe of the inner tag—all of it radiates a charming, 'un-Uniqlo-like' quality that's worlds away from the brand's current image.

"In terms of style, it's pure American casual. It has a very masculine vibe. In fact, up until the mid-1990s, there wasn't even a clearly defined womenswear line. I believe the motivation behind Uniqlo starting its own product development was a desire to challenge the conventional wisdom of the time: 'stylish clothes are expensive, and cheap clothes are frumpy.'"

Mifura adds that tracing the evolution of the logo is another one of the great joys of exploring Old Uniqlo.

Before the current, familiar logo designed by Kashiwa Sato, the design changed at various turning points in the brand's history. During its founding period (circa 1984–93), the logo featured an illustration of people holding hands with the words 'UNIQUE CLOTHING WAREHOUSE.' Later, it went through a 'UNI-QLO' phase before becoming 'UNIQLO,' and in the early 2000s, a navy box logo also existed.

"While its history might not be as long as classic denim brands, Uniqlo has gone through dramatic transformations over the years. You can see this evolution encapsulated in its tags and designs, which tell the story of the brand's constant innovation and growth. That's what I find so fascinating."

The Forgotten Story Woven into a Single Piece

Among the more than 200 pieces in Mifura's collection, one sweatshirt he bought from a flea market app holds a special place in his heart.

The sweatshirt features a print of people holding hands, along with the logo for the brand's original name: "Unique Clothing Warehouse." Although a reproduction of this logo was released on a T-shirt for the company's 40th anniversary in 2024, when Mifura first laid eyes on this sweatshirt, he says he couldn't immediately figure out what era it was from.

"I buy vintage clothes from flea market apps all the time, but this piece was so old there was no information available about it. I decided to take a shot in the dark and messaged the seller, asking, \"When and where did you get this?\""

A few days later, the item arrived along with a letter. It began, "I am the seller's father," and went on to carefully detail the sweatshirt's history.

"According to the letter, this sweatshirt dates back to when Uniqlo was still known as 'Ogori Shoji,' its predecessor company before becoming 'Fast Retailing.' The seller's father had been involved in the construction of the very first UNIQUE CLOTHING WAREHOUSE store in Aichi Prefecture. This sweatshirt was a gift he received for helping out as a staff member during the store's grand opening. The whole story was carefully handwritten.

"I've collected countless Old Uniqlo pieces over the years, but this is the first one with such a profound story. It has really stuck with me."

But while he has pieces with heartwarming stories, he also has a 'holy grail' item that symbolizes his passion as a collector: a sweatshirt from the phantom 'Famiclo' line.

From 1997 to 1998, Uniqlo experimented with two spin-off brands: the sportswear-focused 'Spochlo' and the family-oriented 'Famiclo.' Both were discontinued after only about a year.

"The design still looks fresh today, but because it’s a defunct brand, items rarely show up on the market. I found this one at an Old Uniqlo-exclusive pop-up event hosted by the vintage shop 'Juyonsai' from Osaka and 'cultureclub' from Okayama. I live in Fukuoka, but the moment I found out this sweatshirt existed, I knew I had to go to Osaka. I immediately booked a ticket on an overnight bus and rushed over."

A Collector's View on Uniqlo's Evolution

The deeper you dig, the more fascinating Old Uniqlo becomes. So, how might these vintage pieces be valued in the future?

"The 2000s are a transitional period for Uniqlo—it's right on the edge of what you might call 'old.' My impression is that people enjoy those pieces more as a deliberate style choice, rather than simply as 'vintage.'

"The pieces that will likely gain serious appreciation are from the pre-90s era, which have a strong American casual vibe. They were also very well-made products. I think the 90s will get the spotlight first, and then interest will gradually expand to the 2000s.

"That said, for vintage enthusiasts with a unique eye, pieces from the 2000s will also hold a certain appeal. I expect their value will continue to rise."

Mifura's quest no longer stops at Old Uniqlo. Today, he says he's deeply moved by the evolution of the Uniqlo brand itself.

"Maybe it's because I spend so much time researching the brand, but now, just walking into a store makes me emotional. I can't help but think, \"What an incredible company this has become\" (laughs).

"It's the accumulation of all that past trial and error, like with the old denim jackets, that has led to the Uniqlo of today. The brand might not be what it is now without that history. When I think about it that way, I'm not at all critical of modern Uniqlo. On the contrary, I'm a genuine fan who enjoys their current lines like 'Uniqlo U' and 'Uniqlo C.'"

So, what does Uniqlo mean to him?

"To me, it's a presence as vast and profound as the sun—something that feels incredibly close, yet always has more to explore. Just when I think I understand it, I realize there are aspects I hadn't noticed before. Its charm is endless, so I find myself thinking about Uniqlo every day, almost like a lover (laughs)."

Tracing Uniqlo's past, observing its present, and pondering its future—Mifura's perspective is one of loving curiosity, a quest to understand the story of a company's evolution through the unique lens of its older garments.

It's this constant change that makes it so fascinating. And as Uniqlo continues to evolve, the story of Old Uniqlo will only grow richer.