There’s a new interiors trend that seeing artists and designers introduced to a wider audience by showcasing them in high street stores. Similar to diffusion ranges in fashion, we’re seeing collaborations between the likes of Habitat and Henry Holland, Tom Dixon and IKEA and now MUJI is host to six contemporary Japanese creators in their new offering in Milan. The Idealist met with them at their launch as part of Milan Design Week to find out more about the inspiration behind the range.
The MUJI look
MUJI has always been known for their muted colours and minimalism and that aesthetic is certainly reflected in this new exclusive range, but this is the first time we have seen them showcase the designers/artists of the works themselves and talk about the process of their creation.
Tatazumai
The exhibition is called “Tatazumai” which translates to “appearance,” “shape,” or “atmosphere,” and is an expression of the way a single object can change and charge the atmosphere around it. All the pieces we saw are modest, handmade and beautiful and speak to the process of their own creation (I mean, they look made rather than manufactured). We particularly liked the glassware from Tsuji Kazumi in sea green, orange, blue and white. All of her handmade glass is created in her own atelier, from glassblowing, to cutting, decorating and delivery.
This focus on celebrating the small things suffuses the whole range.
It’s all in the name
If you’ve ever wondered why MUJI products are so plain (it’s the kind of plain we love that’s shared with a certain Scandi aesthetic), it’s all in the name. The name comes from their vision to sell ‘No Brand, Quality Goods’ which in Japanese is “Mujirushi Ryohin”, or MUJI for short. They’ve come a long way from their first concession in Liberty of London in 1992, but the cool, perfectly thought out look remains.
Beautiful ceramics
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