Found Muji is a concept that was previously unavailable in Singapore – started in 2003, Muji designers are tasked to source daily objects from around the world and to reproduce these curios at a reasonable price while “retaining their original essence”.

While you may not be buy the items in this exhibition, you can however marvel at the motley crue ranging from traditional Japanese geta sandals to cute little wooden stools.

For the month of July, the Found Muji section concentrates on the textiles of India. If you’ve always groused that you’d like to find a bit of print in Muji, here’s your ticket. The small but well-edited range comprises of handwoven rugs, woven baskets, stoles, hemp slippers and tote bags.

My pick of the lot? This adorable tote bag ($39) with a block print that was reminiscent of another Japanese giant – Yayoi Kusama. When I dropped by the store (again) over the weekend, this design was already running low on stock.

Also new to Singapore is Idee, which is a subsidiary brand under the Muji group which focuses on homeware and furniture. It is in this section where it feels rather unfamiliar from the usual Muji aesthetic – colours are richer and tend to be darker and the furniture deviates from the typical clean-cut Muji ware with a more raw and earthy vibe.

For those who hanker for one-off items and exotic curios, you’ll probably be stuck in the Idee section for a good while. I was particularly taken with this “wall hanging” piece by California-based ceramic artist Heather Levine, which at first glance looked like a tribal necklace from afar.

Love Japanese-style tableware? Take your game up one notch with the Kosen series by Idee – each set comes in its own paulownia wood box and is made in Japan’s Gifu prefecture. Plus, the colours are way too cute to pass up on.

While an extremely limited range has been made available at Muji’s Ion Orchard branch recently, fans of the Labo range can expect to find a marginally bigger selection at the flagship store. For those who are new to Muji Labo however, think of it as a more elevated range of its usual offerings, only more stylish (and a tad pricier).

The Labo line, which was started in 2005, was previously available in Singapore at the Paragon store. However, it appears to have been removed and makes a return this year. For fashion folks, why should you care? Well, when Labo first started, it was designed by Yohji Yamamoto’s team and boasted a more fashion-inclined slant – though still true to Muji ideals of course.

However, the line appears to have undergone a rebranding this year and whatever edge it had before seems to have dissipated, unfortunately. Either that, or the Muji Singapore buyers are just being really conservative in their buying selection.

The flagship store is also home to the 3rd Muji in-house restaurant, entitled Cafe & Meal. The stylish lighting installation lends a noticeably darker ambience than its other two counterparts Paragon and Raffles City. What is exclusive to the Plaza Singapura store however, is the introduction of two new dishes – pork katsudon donburi and cheese baked butter curry chicken rice.

As tempting as they may sound, I would hold off on rushing down – queues are extremely long at the moment.

Bright colours? At Muji? Colour me shocked. The range above however, is actually a collaboration with quirky Japanese textile label Mina Perhonen, entitled Pool. The Pool project aims to be more environmentally conscious by reusing leftover fabrics to create new products. Combining environmental sustainability with lovely colours? I’m sold.

Like this? Check out why actress Emma Watson is totally into eco-friendly fashion these days, the Japanese art and fashion exhibition to be seen at this weekend and all the most covetable pieces from the Uniqlo x J.W. Anderson collaboration. 

Main image: Muji