Overview
Your life is about to be filled with hand-knitted wine bags, minimalist bean bags and slick storage options. Japanese design and homewares retailer MUJI has opened its very first flagship store in New South Wales — the third MUJI in Australia. Opening on May 14 at 500 George Street, the huge 1344sqm corner space is located on level one of The Galeries (where the old Freedom Furniture was) — counting Kinokuniya, Incu and Sushi Hotaru as friendly new neighbours.
If you're a bit vague on MUJI, they're a Japanese brand all up in simple, elegant homewares and consumer goods with an eco-friendly aim to reduce packaging. The company's Japanese name, 'Mujirushi Ryohin' means 'no brand quality goods', so we're talking no-name, minimal packaging products — everything from apparel and accessories, to furniture and homewares, stationery and skincare products, bedding and travel goods. Yep, they're into covering all bases with a stripped back simplicity similar to IKEA.
We're keen on their Body Fit Cushion for autumn snuggling:
And MUJI's classic crisp-as-furk weekendy fashion ranges:
And these cute as hell 2009 MUJI penguin bowling pins clearly made for children but shoosh y'face you're not the boss of us:
This is the first NSW MUJI, following Australia's first at Chadstone Shopping Centre in November 2013 and Emporium Melbourne's store opening in April last year. MUJI plan to open more Australian stores, with the promise of an online store in the near future. But MUJI are no spring chickens, having started in 1980 as a private offshoot of SEIYU (one of Japan's bigwig retailers) and growing to a total 703 stores worldwide.
It isn't the only opening planned for The Galeries this year either, with more yet-to-be-revealed international and local retailers set to open throughout the year.
Find MUJI at Level One, The Galeries at 500 George Street, Sydney CBD. Open from May 14.