Japan's `no-brand' brand to debut in US with NYC store

Muji, Japan's trendy "no-brand" brand of sleek but simple housing goods and clothing, will enter the US with a store in New York.

Muji, which has developed a loyal following in European and Asian cities among some style-conscious young professionals, will open the store in November in Soho.

The 300m2 store will offer more than 2,000 Muji products ranging from furniture to beauty products, parent company Ryohin Keikaku Co's US unit said in a statement released on Thursday in New York.

Muji, an acronym meaning "no brand, good quality" in Japanese, started in 1980 selling a small selection of household articles with a policy of not putting on any logo.

But even without a label, Muji's style has become instantly identifiable, with minimalist designs and few colors other than white, grey and black. The chain also pledges to keep packaging to a minimum so as to be eco-friendly.

Muji opened its first overseas store in London in 1991 and last year even launched an international design award. Muji now has more than 300 stores in Japan and more than 60 outlets in 14 other countries or territories.

In Taiwan, the company launched its outlets in 2004, through a joint venture with President Chain Store Corp (統一超商), the nation's largest convenience store operator.

Muji is the latest minimalist-inspired Japanese firm to set its sights on further expansion overseas.

Fast Retailing, the operator of the Uniqlo chain of casual but affordably priced clothing, plans to open a flagship store in London in November.