Tokyo design week presents “Muji manufactured by Thonet”

Thonet, the famous German furniture brand, is producing a simplifi ed form of bentwood and tubularsteel furniture for the Japanese retail chain Muji. “Muji manufactured by Thonet” is the new collection of simplified, stylised Thonet icons made of bentwood and tubular steel and it were presented at Tokyo design week in November 2008.

The first models are reminiscent of those bentwood chairs that were the cornerstone on which the Thonet success story was built. The chair is sold alongs idea range of tables that has a convincingly understated elegance thus marrying perfectly with the expressively styled chair. The english designer James Irvine is also creative director at Thonet.

In addition to the bentwood tradition, the Muji manufactured by Thonet collection also features the second revolutionary trend associated with the Thonet brand, namelythe company’s tubular steel furniture tradition dating back to the 1920s. An iconographic tubular steel cantilever chair is sold alongside a desk and a range of side tables,created by the german designer Konstantin Grcic.

In Europe, the collection is to be distributed as from spring 2009. It is to be marketed via Muji’s own chain of stores.