Uniqlo enjoying booming sales of winter clothing — in tropical Manila

Japanese clothing chain Uniqlo is a popular brand in the Philippines, particularly in the capital. This year, the Uniqlo shops in the city are selling a wider range of winter items — down jackets, woolly scarves and other items occupy the best locations in the shops — just beside the entrance, for example. Why is winter clothing so popular in a subtropical nation where the average temperature is 26-27 C all year round? According to Fast Retailing, the operator of the Uniqlo chain, locals here are increasingly buying these items for travelling to colder locations abroad, including Japan. A shopping mall in Manila (Image: Nikkei) This is the fifth winter here for the Japanese brand since the operator opened its first Uniqlo outlet in the Philippines in 2012. Its ultralight down jacket carries a price tag of 3,490 pesos ($70.22) — a “luxury” range for Manilans, who earn on average...