It says quite a bit about Muji’s expertise that the Japanese clothing retailer — whose tendrils are in every category from fashion to ready-made food items — has successfully built a brand whose entire essence is…having no brand.
Famously opposed to logography of almost every kind, it’s well-placed to appreciate the Club C 85: an ’80s-era tennis shoe, originally marketed by Reebok as the ‘Club Champion’.
Now, while kick-conscious shoppers are looking harder than ever for avenues of expression beyond the Samba or Cortez, Muji has taken it upon itself to simplify the British-born sportswear firm’s original silhouette even further.
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Offered in just two colourways, this new Muji-fied Club C 85 strips away the Reebok logo (traditionally located in the window on the shoe’s lateral side).
Similarly, gone too is the tongue and heel branding that sneakerheads would expect to see on the Club C — leaving a low-top silhouette that can be worked seamlessly into most daily rotations, without fear of muddying your personal aesthetic.
In fact, the only conspicuous addition appears to be an elastic heel pull: similar to what you might find attached to your favourite Chelsea boot.
That’s hardly surprising: at Muji, design has always been a practical discipline — solve everyday problems first, worry about marketing collateral later.
Note that at the time of publishing neither Reebok nor Muji has confirmed local retail pricing in Australia. In any case, you can nab these with the aid of a Japanese proxy shipper (e.g. Zenmarket) come August 28th.
Or, while you’re waiting, why not get into a pair of the brand’s ‘Less Tiring’ plimsolls for $45? An absolute bargain if you ask us.
