One Piece fans can pick up stylish merch to show off their loyalty to the Straw Hat Pirates this summer. Uniqlo is re-releasing its One Piece UT Archive Collection in the U.S. from June 23.
Per Uniqlo’s official statement about the fashion line dropping again, «‘UT Archive’ is a project that revives carefully selected T-shirts which have been sold in the past. This time, T-shirts from the TV anime ‘ONE PIECE’, which began broadcasting in 1999 is re-released from the anime UT collection that have been released in the past and have been a big hit.» Six older designs in total are seeing a re-release, with the artwork giving a somewhat more retro feel than previous new releases. Official images can be seen below.
Uniqlo Re-Releases Classic One Piece T-Shirt Collection for International Anime Fans
Inside Games also elaborated on what One Piece fans can expect in terms of product designs — as Japan is likewise seeing the same re-release — and confirmed that those shopping at Japanese Uniqlo stores will release the One Piece UT Archive Line as early as June 9, both in-store and online. In their breakdown of the Uniqlo news, the outlet noted that the shirts in Japan would each cost 1,500 yen, including tax. In the U.S., the shirts are each currently listed for $24.90.
This isn’t the first — nor probably the last — time that the fashion brand will collaborate with One Piece. Outside its recent «Egghead Arc» merchandise line, Uniqulo and One Piece also previously launched a 25th-anniversay collection that celebrated One Piece‘s long-running saga through thoughtfully-designed tees. One Piece has also been featured in brand opportunities with LEGO and the Boston Red Sox in unique promotional opportunities. In a more edible sense, fans can now even refresh themselves with Oasis’ One Piece soft drinks.
One Piece's Impact on International Fashion Goes Far Beyond Uniqlo
One Piece has amassed well over 1,000 episodes in the anime to replicate the immeasurably popular manga created by Eiichiro Oda. Uniqlo isn’t the only streetwear brand that’s teamed up to bring contemporary clothing to fans of the long-running series; Supreme and A Bathing Ape have both crafted One Piece-exclusive apparel in the past. Other crossovers have included a Vans One Piece shoe line, Sketcher-branded One Piece character-themed shoes and suede One Piece PUMAs.
Japanese fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto’s almost-forgotten One Piece line took inspiration from iconic characters and stylized them in unique ways. In contrast to brighter, recognizable and eye-catching aesthetics, Yamamoto went for more sophisticated character interpretations. Outside of fashion, One Piece has teamed up with McDonald’s Japan, Burger King in France and the Los Angeles Lakers in California. Meawhile, CASETiFY and Seiko allowed One Piece fans to embrace their fandom on an even more personal level, respectively, with limited-edition watches and cell phone cases, laptop cases, smartwatch bands, earbud pouches and other products that proudly displayed the anime’s instantly recognizable imagery.
Uniqlo’s One Piece UT Archive collection can be purchased online or in stores in the U.S. beginning June 23.
