The store will open in the SoHo neighborhood of New York City in what will be the brand's debut outside of the Asian market, Fast Retailing said in a statement.

The company has opened about 450 GU outlets since 2006, mostly in Japan. Fast Retailing is planning an aggressive growth strategy across North America, a market that has become increasingly important as sales in China suffer from ongoing COVID-19 lockdowns.

(Reporting by Rocky Swift; Editing by Jan Harvey)