Florida State University’s Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship (JMC) has signed a historic memorandum of understanding (MOU) with UNIQLO USA LLC., becoming the first university in the United States to partner with the global retailer.
With representatives in attendance from both JMC and UNIQLO – including members from the clothing brand’s global headquarters in Japan – the MOU was officially signed and celebrated on Wednesday, Oct. 1 at the Jim Moran Building in downtown Tallahassee.
“We’re honored to be the first U.S. university to partner with UNIQLO,” said Susan Fiorito, dean of the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship. “Together, we are building a bridge between global innovation and entrepreneurial education, giving our students a front-row seat to the practices shaping the future of retail worldwide.”
The strategic partnership provides FSU’s Retail Entrepreneurship Program access to UNIQLO’s Management Candidate Program (UMC), preparing the next generation to take on a variety of roles as innovators, talent developers, problem solvers and business leaders. This initiative creates opportunities for students who want hands-on experience to kick-start a career in the retail industry.
UNIQLO is committed to their philosophy of LifeWear - high-quality, essential clothing designed to make life better. Known globally as a “Made for All” brand, UNIQLO prioritizes versatility, wearability and innovative fabric technology that results in clothing people of all ages can rely on.
Through the RE.UNIQLO program, the brand gives pre-worn clothing new life. With donation boxes in all stores, secondhand UNIQLO clothing is collected and sorted for reuse, donated to those in need, or recycled into new products and materials.
The collaboration between JMC and UNIQLO brings together two entities focused on innovation and igniting an entrepreneurial mindset.
“UNIQLO is proud to partner with Florida State University to provide students with the opportunity to gain firsthand experience and develop skills to become the next generation of leaders in this industry,” said Fuminori Adachi, CEO of UNIQLO USA.
FSU’s Retail Entrepreneurship Program prepares students for executive training programs and other entry-level positions in retail merchandising and product development within a diverse range of retail-related businesses. With a curriculum tailored to a fast-changing industry, students leave as highly marketable graduates with the credentials needed to navigate careers in corporate retail operations, product development or store operations.
JMC is a hub for fostering entrepreneurial growth within the university and the local community. It works closely with local businesses, nonprofits and global partners to support economic development and social impact initiatives through the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship.
About the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship
The revolutionary and highly experiential Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship at Florida State University is dedicated to teaching those who wish to embark on an entrepreneurial journey. The Jim Moran College (JMC) attracts students across disciplines and provides them with the education and skills they need to become entrepreneurs. JMC offers students three undergraduate majors, five graduate majors, 10 minors and a vast array of extracurricular opportunities, to inspire innovation, instill compassion and ignite an entrepreneurial mindset in the next generation of leaders.
For more information, visit jimmorancollege.fsu.edu.
About UNIQLO LifeWear
Apparel that comes from the Japanese values of simplicity, quality and longevity. Designed to be of the time and for the time, LifeWear is made with such modern elegance that it becomes the building blocks of each individual’s style. A perfect shirt that is always being made more perfect. The simplest design hiding the most thoughtful and modern details. The best in fit and fabric made to be affordable and accessible to all. LifeWear is clothing that is constantly being innovated, bringing more warmth, more lightness, better design, and better comfort to people’s lives.
About UNIQLO and Fast Retailing
UNIQLO is a brand of Fast Retailing Co., Ltd., a leading Japanese retail holding company with global headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. UNIQLO is the largest of eight brands in the Fast Retailing Group, the others being GU, Theory, PLST, Comptoir des Cotonniers, Princesse tam.tam, J Brand and Helmut Lang. With global sales of approximately 3.1 trillion yen for the 2024 fiscal year ending August 31, 2024 (US $21.42 billion, calculated in yen using the end of August 2024 rate of $1 = 144.9 yen), Fast Retailing is one of the world’s largest apparel retail companies, and UNIQLO is Japan’s leading specialty retailer.
UNIQLO continues to open large-scale stores in some of the world’s most important cities and locations, as part of its ongoing efforts to solidify its status as a global brand. Today the company has a total of more than 2,500 UNIQLO stores across the world, including Japan, Asia, Europe and North America. The total number of stores across Fast Retailing’s brands is now over 3,600.
With a corporate statement committed to changing clothes, changing conventional wisdom and changing the world, Fast Retailing is dedicated to creating great clothing with new and unique value to enrich the lives of people everywhere. For more information about UNIQLO and Fast Retailing, please visit www.uniqlo.com and www.fastretailing.com.