As far as high street collections go, there’s one that always elicits a raised heart rate at Grazia HQ. Uniqlo U is the brainchild of high street retailer Uniqlo – the purveyor of that viral bag – and Christophe Lemaire, the connoisseur of quiet luxury with his own eponymous label and artistic director of Uniqlo.
Uniqlo U has become synonymous with classic wardrobe building blocks that certainly surpass their affordable price tag - and this latest drop, arriving in stores and online today, is no exception. For spring/summer, Lemaire's highly-evolved take on basics has been given a dreamy colour palette - sage, celadon, dusky purple, sorrel brown and white - that is guaranteed to lift the spirits as we emerge from winter (the collection itself is called 'Future Hues').
The clothes themselves, meanwhile, are the ultimate antidote to today's trend cycle. Instead, they elevate the everyday. There's a boxy fit blazer that's cut like it should be hanging in a designer boutique (£69.90), a collared blouson jacket with an ever-so-slightly voluminous sleeve that's pretty much the perfect spring cover-up (£79.90), straight-leg jeans in spring-adjacent shades (£34.90) and the collection's famous fold-over drawstring bags (rom £19.90).
The pieces aren’t trend-led or logoed – they’re the definition of timeless, such as the parachute trousers that are cropped at the ankle (£34.90). Or the seersucker dress, with its relaxed fit and bow-tied waist (also £34.90).
The line-up includes 21 items for womenswear, but the majority of the collection is designed to be genderless, with the women's and men's teams working together to create a collection of essentials, including the utility hooded coat, which is the palette cleanser your outerwear wardrobe needs as we head into spring, as well as the aforementioned boxy fit jacket.
When Does Uniqlo U's Spring/Summer Collection Drop?
Uniqlo U's latest collection drops today, Thursday 7th March - and is available in store and online.
How Much Does Uniqlo U Cost?
Like most of its collaborations, Uniqlo U's price point is similar to the retailer's standard offering, with prices starting from £14.90 for T-shirts, £19.90 for accessories and extending up to £99.90 for the most expensive items of outerwear.
SHOP: The Uniqlo U Spring/Summer Collection
www.uniqlo.com
Lemaire's 100% cotton utility coat has an oversized silhouette for easy layering, as well as a hood to protect your head from spring's inevitable showers.
Firstly, the colours in this collection are so on-point - dreamy but also directional - that everything pairs excellently together. Secondly, this 100% cotton blouson is a winner if you're after a spring jacket that feels comfortable (note the curvaceous sleeves and elasticated hemline) but looks smart.
www.uniqlo.com
Available in off-white, dark grey and this pinky brown, the collection's volumed blouson is a practical yet polished take on an easy-to-wear spring jacket.
The Boxy Fit Tailored Jacket is probably my favourite piece in the whole collection. Cut on the roomy side, the size medium was just right, with the sleeves finishing halfway down my thumb and its hem brushing my upper thigh. If you're looking for a spring jacket that you can wear with dresses or trousers, camis or jumpers, you've found it.
This boxy jacket is one of the collection's genderless items, with a tailored yet oversized fit that means you can layer it over shirts and jumpers while the weather's still fresh.
This simple crew-neck jumper, available in four elevated neutrals, is the perfect light yet warm layer while it's still winter.
www.uniqlo.com
This V-neck cardigan is the perfect 'work' cardigan that you can tuck into the collection's high-waisted jeans or parachute skirt.
www.uniqlo.com
Christophe Lemaire's shirting is famously good so don't be shy - stock up on all three colours of this button down.
www.uniqlo.com
Available in 10 delicious shades, Lemaire's T-shirt is an instant classic that you'll return to, again and again, when you want something fitted and flattering.
www.uniqlo.com
Smooth and stretchy, this long-sleeved tee is part of Uniqlo's Airism, the range designed to keep you comfortable in any weather condition with its lightweight and quick-drying layers.
www.uniqlo.com
These UV protection leggings, also part of Airism, are such an easy way to protect your legs from the sun while looking stylish.
www.uniqlo.com
Made with snap closures down the back and sides, you can reveal and conceal as much skin as you want to in this relaxed 100% slub cotton dress.
www.uniqlo.com
This seersucker dress is the definition of easy, breezy, with a waist belt that lets you wear it three ways (tied at the front or at the back or not tied at all).
www.uniqlo.com
This is denim with a difference. Instead of a zip, Lemaire has given his jeans a tailored waist to create denim pants that will go the distance in the workwear section of your wardrobe.
www.uniqlo.com
Available in sizes XXS-XXL, these parachute-style pants are so easy to style with the collection's perfect take on T-shirts.
www.uniqlo.com
Aren't sold on parachute trousers? Want about a parachute skirt? Lemaire's version, available in three shades, is a perfectly put-together take.
www.uniqlo.com
These smart joggers are the chicest way to do loungewear.
Natalie Hammond is Grazia’s Senior Fashion News Editor. She loves winter, hates summer and can often be found writing about the weather (and what on earth to wear).