Tadashi Yanai was born in an autocratic Japanese environment and joined his father’s retail store, Ogori Shoji (at Ube, Yamaguchi Prefecture) that sold tailored clothes for men. The concept of fashion was restricted and the task at hand wasn’t easy. Yanai was inspired by the American fashion retailer GAP and Hong Kong based apparel and accessory provider, Giordano. He launched his first shop, Unique Clothing Warehouse (Uniqlo) in Hiroshima in 1984 and began importing casual clothes for teenagers at low costs. He knew he had to inculcate an independent production and distribution method to innovate and survive in a world that was moving at a rapid pace. The massive profit margins earned by the company allowed it to expand to New Jersey and London, although it proved to be a misguided and hasty move. Yanai had failed to recognise the unique characteristics and tastes that the consumers in these cities possessed. The firm lost a fortune and was forced to shut down its operations after failing to compete with other brands. Yanai believed in the magic of thinking big and hadn’t planned to give up so easily. He decided to collaborate with famous fashion designers such as Kashiwa Sato, and decided to give emphasis to the Japanese tailoring of its designs. He gained an in-depth knowledge and re-branded Uniqlo to acquire a suitably competitive edge in the global markets. After defeating his failures, Yanai was bestowed with the international retailer of the year award in 2010, immediately following the massive success of his retail holding company, Fast Retailing.