Design Moment: Muji, c. 1980

For a company defined by its no-brand and no-logo ethos, Muji – with not a little irony but with massive marketing savvy – has, since it was founded in 1980, become one of the most recognisable global brands. The original name of the Japanese-founded company – Mujirushi Ryohin – means “no-brand quality goods”. The aesthetic across its thousands of products is based on simplicity and utility. For design-conscious shoppers the brand offers minimalism at an affordable price. Originally there were just 40 Muji household items – including food – sold through a supermarket, now there are more than 7,000 items sold mostly through its own branded shops which are high-street staples in the US, Europe and Japan. Everything is plain and neat – the brand sells a cool, sophisticated idea of a Japan that is quiet and serene with no gaudy excesses or embellishments. It describes itself as making “products that are really necessary in everyday life in the shapes that are really necessary”. Stationery and storage are big sellers. From its earliest days it became known for its use of unbleached papers and cotton and repurposing the waste materials left over from industrial production to create something else. Its clothes are famous for their restraint, wardrobe stables – in greys, browns, red, black and white – with shapes that ignore fashion trends.