Muji is the Japanese “no-brand” powerhouse par excellence, proud to provide minimal design objects without ever revealing the designers behind them.
A strange choice, especially in a time when branding couldn’t be more important. Each day we’re bombarded with news of the latest collaborations in design, fashion, and art — and yet, Muji stays silent.
Don’t be confused, the minimal Japanese company most certainly collaborates with famous designers, but they never reveal the names.
In an interview during the MarketingPulse conference in Hong Kong, reported by Retail News, Ma Kei Suzuki, director of Muji Ryohin Keikaku talks about Muji’s approach and how the company will survive this era of brand idolatry.
“I think we can continue what we are doing because the reason why other people enter into brand collaborations is because they want exposure to the customer by helping each other – because maybe they can broaden their customer range.”
Muji, he claims, was conceived to produce simple and elegant products that make life easier and more affordable.
“We collaborate with designers who have sympathy with the Muji concept so they are happy to be involved, but their names are never to be disclosed”.
“Some designers are already too famous, so if we sold a product with their name, everybody would buy it. But at Muji, there are no names… They can get very nervous, because people judge only from the product”.
So while other fashion and design brands chase the never-ending flash of a star-studded collaboration, Muji prefers to work to expand their products. Back in 2015, the brand designed a minimalist house, Muji camping, and this year, a line of dishes.
“By applying this concept to many different categories, we believe we can broaden our exposure to our customer or potential customer. Eventually, that will help us increase the size of the business, or sales. We will not collaborate with brands, but we believe in collaborating with somebody else with the expertise who shares the Muji concept”.
Just like in the Muji Hotel in Shenzhen: a new venture not typically explored by the brand, but for which it would be open to finding a partner.
“We provide the concept, they provide the hotel.” says Suzuki.
