Concentrated Coziness: Uniqlo Taps Needles for Debut Collaboration

The latest brand to take the leap into Uniqlo’s world of accessible fashion has been revealed as Japan’s Needles — the eldest brainchild of the Nepenthes family founded by Keizo Shimizu in 1995.

Joining an elite rank of Uniqlo collaborators that respected designers like J.W. Anderson, Marni and Jil Sander (to name a few) have previously called home, Needles will use Uniqlo’s global stage to communicate its message of relaxed, contemporary styling, zoning in on a concentrated capsule that celebrates the multi-disciplinary nature of humble fleece fabric.

While Needles has a reputation for some of the more affably eccentric outputs in the streetwear space, the brand is no stranger to the notion of core wardrobe staples — as evidenced through its commitment to the butterfly-branded tracksuits and military-inspired fare that has remained a staple of the brand’s uniform since before the turn of the century.

This isn’t the first time a branching offshoot of Shimizu’s Nepenthes family has worked with Uniqlo, as first in 2019, then again in 2023, Engineered Garments was tapped by Uniqlo for its own affordable range of high-class designs.

Coincidentally, one of the more sought-after pieces to come from the Engineered Garments x Uniqlo projects were the patchwork fleece jackets, and in an attempt to capture its own penchant for coziness, Needles is following suit with just three feature items, comprised of fleece jackets, cardigans and trousers.

Needles & Uniqlo’s ultra-relaxed Winter uniform is presented in a positively gloomy palette that switches between black, dark grey, purple, and beige — joined by an outlier cardigan option that displays a sartorially-informed purple-on-black pinstripe pattern.

The Fleece Jacket opts for a heavier pile handle, while the Wide Pants and Cardigans come in micro-fleece variants — all finished with Needles’ ubiquitous butterfly insignia embroidered in a tonal fashion. The bottoms also carry over the same side taping that is known as a quintessential feature of mainline Needles sportswear.

Available in unisex sizing, the Uniqlo x Needles collection releases globally via Uniqlo’s website and physical stores starting Thursday, October 30.

The Fleece Jacket retails at $60 USD, while the Wide Pants and Cardigans are set at $50 USD.