Muji opens its first flagship store in the Philippines

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Muji, the Japanese brand beloved by minimalists (and many who aren’t), launched its first flagship store in the Philippines on April 24 in Glorietta 3, Makati. Its eighth and biggest store in the country opened in the same month Muji Philippines celebrated its eighth anniversary. Even for dates of special occasions, Muji likes to keep things simple.

Guests at the store launch — a colorful group of style icons, celebrities, and the curious public — sat on wooden benches and snacked on maki while taking in Muji’s spring/summer 2025 collection. Muted pastels and simple cuts dominated the stage, with a few models lugging a couple of Muji carry-on suitcases as they walked down the runway.

“Our flagship stores, like this one in the Philippines, are more than just locations,” says Akihiro Kamogari, officer in charge of Southeast Asia Operations, and director of Business for Muji Thailand. “The stores are spaces where our customers can experience our brand’s identity and values. We build the future of the business together with our partners by listening to the local voices.”

Echoing Kamogari’s enthusiasm for the brand is Anton Huang, chairman of Muji Philippines and president of SSI Group Inc., Muji Philippines’ partner since the brand came to the country over 10 years ago.

“The simplicity of Muji stands out. Muji has great brand recognition globally, especially in the Philippines,” Huang says. “It’s been growing from strength to strength. It’s so simple that there’s not many like it; that’s what makes Muji unique. We’re very happy to have this opportunity to open this flagship location in the iconic Glorietta Mall.”

The partnership of Muji with the SSI Group is a great boon to Filipino consumers. “SSI has a very good track record in retail, and also in managing international brands. We also saw that the Philippines has a very big potential to expand our business. That’s why we decided to partner with SSI Group,” says Kamogari.

Crowd favorites

Muji Glorietta occupies three floors, covering approximately 2,600 square meters of pure Japanese simplicity. It offers 2,500 meticulously curated products, including apparel, home accessories, dinnerware, furniture, cosmetics, stationery, coffee and baked goods, even live plants sourced from a farm in Batangas.

As Muji Philippines’ first flagship store, it unveils a couple of other exclusives, too. On the ground floor is Muji Bakery, the brand’s way to be closer to the daily life of Filipinos as it offers breads — pan de sal, croissants, ensaymada, and others inspired by Japanese and Filipino favorites — as well as freshly baked goodies from the store’s in-house bakery. The bakery opens at 8 a.m. daily and sits 122, with several tables equipped with electrical outlets for digital nomads.

A fitting complement to the bakery’s offerings is the Coffee Counter. The Muji Glorietta branch, the sixth one in Metro Manila,  is now the biggest. Its menu includes new breads, curry rice meals, hot and cold beverages, and soft serve ice cream and drinks prepared with premium Hokkaido milk. Across all its Coffee Counter branches, Muji stays true to its advocacy to support local suppliers, offering coffee brewed from Benguet coffee beans.

A floor above the bakery and the Coffee Counter is the popular apparel section. Within the first hour of the store opening, long queues appear quickly in three sections: Muji Bakery, Coffee Counter, and the garments. At least one Filipino trait was apparent on opening night: We love bread, local coffee, and comfortable, simple clothes that keep us cool in scorching weather.

Muji’s spring/summer 2025 collection features the new Linen collection, with washed linen, linen cotton, and linen blend twill. Especially popular on opening day is the breathable Cool Touch series, with pieces both for women and men. It’s got cool-touch fabric designed with UV protection and Muji’s signature basic lines.

On the top floor, you will find cosmetics, home accessories, furniture, and the stationery line. Muji’s skincare products reflect the brand’s obsession with quality ingredients. The toning water they use for their skincare line is drawn from a natural cave in Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture. You want only organic, well-made products to touch your skin? You got it.

The Philosophy of simplicity

Muji Philippines’ flagship store is not just a means to reach retail greatness; it also wants to spread the brand’s message of the value of going back to basics.

Founded in 1980, Muji emerged from one thought: “We continue to orient ourselves to the basis and universality of daily life.”

It is fascinating to learn that because the brand focuses on the concepts of “natural, anonymous, simple, global,” they’ve come up with products that have become universally in-demand.

Contrary to what many may think, Muji doesn’t consider its items to be in the minimalist style. They are just created according to three manufacturing priorities: selection of material, streamlining of processes, and simplification of packages. By staying true to all three, Muji comes up with products — from food and clothing to furniture and skincare items — that are “empty vessels,” the brand says of their products, providing their users with much flexibility.