Get ready to rumble H&M! The Japanese retailer Uniqlo will open its first Scandinavian store in Stockholm this fall, going toe to toe with the local giant on its home turf. The launch in Sweden is a part of Uniqlo’s plan for continued expansion in Europe. Uniqlo in Stockholm will also offer an in-house collection, LifeWear, for men, women, and children. “As one of the world’s most innovative nations, Sweden has an appreciation for technology and design, as well as for leading a modern lifestyle. I hope the Swedish public will embrace our LifeWear concept and make it their own”, said Tadashi Yanai, CEO of Fast Retailing, in a press release. The store will open in Sverigehuset with a total of 1,580 square meters spread over four floors. Sverigehuset is located at the Kungsträdgården park in the heart of Stockholm. Uniqlo opened its first store in 1984 and today has over 1 900 stores, of which 831 are located in Japan and 580 in Europe. The first store for Uniqlo outside Japan opened in London in 2001. The parent company Fast Retailing also includes GU, Theory, Comptoir des Cotonniers, Princesse Tam and J Brand. Krull is just happy that next fall we can stock up locally on Uniqlo’s HEAT TECH, Ultra Light Down and AIRism lines, not to mention its collaboration with Christophe Lemaire. Maybe the next long, dark “winter half-year” won’t be so bad! Winter is coming y’all!   – Noëlla D. Kembo