Tadashi Quotes & Sayings

Am I famous in Japan? I don't know, and I don't really think of myself in that way. — Tadashi Shoji

I tell people that we must have the courage to share what we feel, but no one follows me. — Tadashi Yanai

I design to make women feel confident and beautiful. — Tadashi Shoji

I think I may not be able to retire. — Tadashi Yanai

There are two impulses in theatre: to be frivolous or to make rules. — Tadashi Suzuki

Forty-five years ago, when I was 18, I came to San Francisco by boat and took two weeks to get here. I had a great impression. I think San Francisco is the welcoming gate for people from Asia. — Tadashi Yanai

I hate politics. What they say and what they do is completely different. — Tadashi Yanai

...to live and to die. Can living just for the sake of living, without having any objectives, be categorized as truely living? Or is it simply another form of death? — Tadashi Kawashima

The air of the English is down-to-earth. They care about details; there's a tradition, but there's also a counter-culture: the younger generation versus the older generation and so on. But then that's well blended into a happy balance and crystallised into common sense. — Tadashi Yanai

Our underwear used to just be cotton, but we wanted to see if we could create something out of synthetics. — Tadashi Yanai

More than trends, consumers need functionality. Everything needs an element of fashion, but that's more like a spice. — Tadashi Yanai

The Japanese director Tadashi Suzuki once stated, 'International cultural exchange is impossible - therefore we must try.' I agree with all my heart. The impossibility of seeing beyond one's own cultural context is a political act in the world and has the potential to break down the rigid assumptions surrounding us. — Anne Bogart

Politicians make decisions in favor of their interest groups or their supporters back in their hometowns. — Tadashi Yanai

Japan's biggest problems are conservatism and cowardice. — Tadashi Yanai

I might look successful but I've made many mistakes. People take their failures too seriously. You have to be positive and believe you will find success next time. — Tadashi Yanai

People say that globalisation has negative aspects, but I don't believe globalisation is bad. It's criticised from a western perspective, but if you put yourself in the shoes of people in the developing world, it provides an unprecedented opportunity. — Tadashi Yanai

Japan has only 100m people. Asia has 4bn. At least one-third, maybe nearly half, will become middle class, and this is a big opportunity for Japanese businessmen. — Tadashi Yanai

Using a forecasting company is like going to a fortune-teller. If you believe the company and the color does not sell, who do you blame? The forecasters? No, you blame yourself. — Tadashi Shoji

The Asian brand, which I admire for having become a global success, is Samsung. In comparison, we're just starting, but I believe that we at Uniqlo will be the next Asian brand to do well globally. — Tadashi Yanai

In general, the apparel industry isn't about continual process improvement or making the perfect piece of denim; it's about chasing trends. — Tadashi Yanai

The biggest part of my job now is to quickly develop successors, and around the world I am working to develop new business leaders in the company. — Tadashi Yanai

Everyone thinks the fashion business is so glamorous. It's completely the opposite. — Tadashi Shoji

Anyone can wear my dresses. They will look good on any figure, no matter what shape you are. I want to celebrate a woman's inner strength, to inspire real women and make them feel confident and beautiful. — Tadashi Shoji

Time flies so quick. I remember my second year in business when Bullocks Wilshire did a whole window of my white dresses. I was so excited, I went there at night and took pictures. — Tadashi Shoji

America, for me, is the country where, if you have something great to offer, you'll be valued highly. — Tadashi Yanai

Modern medicine views people as a collection of parts, not as a whole. For example, they check blood pressure and give medicine according to the numbers. But if the blood pressure is high, there must be some reason. There is no point in trying to lower blood pressure itself without seeking to cure the cause. But this is what modern medicine does. — Tadashi Yoshimura

If you always think about your dreams or goals, work steadfastly towards them and continue to challenge yourself, you will definitely be able to realise those dreams or goals. — Tadashi Yanai

Konosuke Matsushita was a visionary entrepreneur. He started working very young as a teenager, and he eventually created Panasonic to become a truly global company. — Tadashi Yanai

Japanese businesspeople and companies are lacking in individuality. — Tadashi Yanai

I learned that people don't buy anything from unknown stores. — Tadashi Yanai

You have to be a crazy guy and a little eccentric to be very successful. — Tadashi Yanai

What I love about Tadashi is that he isn't a designer that designs only for a double-zero. He designs for double-Ds, you know? Women of all shapes and sizes can wear him. — Octavia Spencer

I am not really brand-conscious; I pick out clothes that appeal to me regardless of the label, but I consider my style very American. — Tadashi Shoji

We are a country of artisans and a country of manufacturing. I think Japanese textile technology is the best in the world. — Tadashi Yanai

So, in the tulip, we have a flower of beauty and grace of charm, refinement and distinction. It is a powerful flower and it knows it — Tadashi Shoji

Don't wear dresses that are too tight. A size number is just a number. If the fit is comfortable, it will look more elegant. — Tadashi Shoji

There's almost a T-shirt feeling to wearing my evening dresses. — Tadashi Shoji

When I was young, about 18 or 19, I read all the Dostoyevsky novels, which made me want to go to St. Petersburg. So I went, and I was so inspired. — Tadashi Shoji

I think like a Silicon Valley entrepreneur. Failure is a great teacher. At the same time, you must remember, success will never last ... Whether it's tech or fashion, it must be for the customer. — Tadashi Yanai

Our international success started out first because we became the No. 1 casual wear brand in our home market of Japan. Then, we set up stores in the world's major fashion centers of New York, Paris and London. — Tadashi Yanai

I do not discriminate about size. I design dresses to accentuate a woman's positives, whether you are a size 0 or a size 3X. — Tadashi Shoji

The world's major metropolitan cities are more or less the same. — Tadashi Yanai

As a businessperson, I don't have the power to change the government. That is in the hands of the political leaders. However, as a taxpayer, we have the right to be critical of the government and demand change. — Tadashi Yanai

As I get older, I find that wearing bright colors cheers me up. — Tadashi Shoji

At first, Uniqlo was a casual chain on the back streets of Hiroshima. Then ... we became a national brand in Japan. So, the next step is to become a global brand. — Tadashi Yanai

My brother told me he was very proud of me, of the business I have built, and that gives me joy. — Tadashi Shoji

I'm afraid Japanese people tend to collective hysteria. — Tadashi Yanai

It is clothes. It is parts. Therefore, you combine the parts differently to create your own unique expression. — Tadashi Yanai

Too often, we have tended to fall into a trap of creating plain hamburgers. — Tadashi Yanai

Americans believe cotton is best, but we've invented new fabrics that will change your lifestyle. — Tadashi Yanai

So many designers only sketch and leave pattern-making to others. Pattern-making is important so you know the structure. Then if someone tells me, 'I can't make a pattern from that sketch,' I can tell them, 'I will make it' and then they are quiet. If I can't make it, I don't design it. — Tadashi Shoji

People shouldn't have to spend a lot of money to get high-quality clothing. — Tadashi Yanai

I like quiet. No television cameras. I'm not the Hollywood type. — Tadashi Shoji

It's a Japanese way of thinking, that I give value for my merchandise. So I don't want to sell unnecessarily expensive dresses and make just 10 or 20 and then feel satisfied. I want to design for real women who can afford my dresses. — Tadashi Shoji

Opening new stores outside of Japan is important, but training our employees is even more important. — Tadashi Yanai

At Uniqlo, we're thinking ahead. We're thinking about how to create new, innovative products ... and sell that to everyone. — Tadashi Yanai

Wal-Mart is an amazing success story. What I particularly admire very much about the late Sam Walton was his policy of valuing his employees. Giving value to employees is very rare in the retail industry. I also admire the strategies Walton used to build up his discount store concept. — Tadashi Yanai