28 Nov 2007 1030H

NYC: Muji, Uniqlo

Need to break out the category ‘design’ into multiple categories: print design, packaging design, interaction design, information, retail presence, blah blah blah. Having said that let’s talk about MUJI and Uniqlo, Japanese retailers that have landed, where else? Manhattan. Details about my next big shopping trip follow:

While I was working in Hong Kong during the summer break at Melbourne Uni back in ‘91, ‘92, I encountered the Muji brand for the first time: cheap, unadorned, no name, no brand (hence the name, muji: no brand) household goods made of recycled or recyclable materials, suffused with a certain urbane coolness and quiet understated elegance. They even make houses. We talked briefly about them opening a store here some time ago. The flagship store’s a manageable 2K sq. ft. space at 455 Broadway in SoHo. Gothamist has the retail porn.

Uniqlo seems to be the Japanese GAP, but unlike the GAP they seem to know where their sweet spot actually is. It’s up the street from Muji at a ginormous 36K sq. ft. space at 546 Broadway and has been open about a year now. What a great brand. Still haven’t made it out there. Sucks. Again, Gothamist for the retail porn. Check out the Uniqlo site for more tastiness.

I seriously want to go to New York City for a couple of days. I don’t know if I could stand a whole week there but a few days would be enough to do me.

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3 responses to "NYC: Muji, Uniqlo"

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30 Nov 2007 1824H

Tim writes:

I visited one of these stores in Tokyo. Pretty cool. I’ve been saying for a while that America is becoming Asianized.

Man. I miss Tokyo.

30 Nov 2007 1857H

Gino writes:

Assimilation is a two-way street. I think someday when I get bored with the web, I might write the history of assimilation in this country.

03 Dec 2007 0718H

K writes:

It was bound to happen, right? It can’t all be a one way street.

And now it's your turn.

Fire your weapon, soldier. Just be careful of friendly fire. NAME & EMAIL required.

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