MUJI Presents “ReMUJI: Koi Continuum by Reiko Sudo & Adrien Gardère” at NYCxDESIGN 2026

Japanese lifestyle brand MUJI invites visitors to experience “ReMUJI: Koi Continuum by Reiko Sudo & Adrian Gardère,” an immersive installation making its U.S. debut during NYCxDESIGN 2026. Created by textile designer Reiko Sudo and exhibition designer Adrien Gardère, the installation highlights the brand’s long-standing commitment to thoughtful manufacturing and circular design through a large-scale display of koinobori — traditional Japanese carp streamers — crafted entirely from reclaimed garments. The exhibition will run at the MUJI Fifth Avenue location from May 14th to June 7th.

Founded in 1980, MUJI emerged from a philosophy of rationalized manufacturing aimed at producing simple, high-quality, and affordable products across a wide range of categories, including clothing, household goods, and food. This ethos continues through ReMUJI, first launched in Japan in 2010, which collects, restores, and regenerates used garments into new forms. In “ReMUJI: Koi Continuum by Reiko Sudo & Adrien Gardère,” locally collected textiles are washed, dyed, and reconstructed into sculptural installations that demonstrate how materials can be renewed while retaining their inherent value.

Coinciding with the exhibition's opening, MUJI will officially launch the ReMUJI initiative in the United States, debuting a locally produced collection at its Fifth Avenue flagship including apparel such as tops, bottoms, and outerwear, as well as accessories like bags and pouches, before rolling out to additional MUJI stores across the country.

For this exhibition, Reiko Sudo and Adrien Gardère drew inspiration from their earlier work Koi Current -- an installation launched in 2008 featuring over 300 koinobori crafted from recycled fabrics, which were exhibited at venues from Tokyo to Paris. Sudo is the owner and design director of NUNO Corporation in Tokyo, widely regarded as Japan’s most internationally-renowned textile innovator with works held in permanent collections of MoMa, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and more. Her team has long-advised MUJI on the use of recycled fabrics, serving on Ryohin Keikaku’s Advisory Board. Together with Gardère, they reimagine the life cycle of clothing and space through textile expression and turning secondhand materials into freeform works of art.

Reiko Sudo explains, “May 5 is Children’s Day in Japan, a holiday when families wish for the health, well-being, and growth of their children by flying decorative carp-shaped streamers known as koinobori from poles and eaves. Formerly known as Boys’ Day—while Girls’ Day is celebrated on March 3—both observances trace their origins to the traditional Chinese festival calendar. It is believed that samurai families began the custom of flying koinobori in the mid-18th century. The carp motif comes from a legend in which carp that successfully swim upstream and leap the rapids of the Yellow River at Longmen transform into dragons, symbolizing the strength and future success of children. Today, we have collected used garments from Muji customers and upcycled the fabrics into streamlined koinobori forms, imbued with a contemporary spirit. We hope they bring a touch of light, refreshing color to your spring season.”

Rooted in Japanese tradition, koinobori symbolize strength, resilience, and hope for future generations. Suspended throughout the exhibition space, the flowing carp forms create a dynamic, immersive environment that reflects transformation, continuity, and care for material life cycles. Visitors are invited to reflect on the lifespan of everyday objects and consider sustainability as a creative, tangible process.

“Adapting our Koinobori installation for ReMUJI felt entirely natural: its immersive, dynamic, and circular spatial composition resonates with ReMUJI’s philosophy of reuse and the ongoing cycle of textiles, while echoing the enduring life cycles of koi and the cultural symbolism of traditional carp streamers in a swirling, school-like formation,” says Adrien Gardère.

Weekend workshops will be held on May 16th and May 23rd, inviting visitors to engage hands-on with the themes of circularity and renewal. Using ReMUJI fabrics that would otherwise be discarded, participants will craft take-home souvenirs — including coin pouches, keychain tassels, and buttons — transforming remnant materials into functional, meaningful keepsakes.

“ReMUJI: Koi Continuum by Reiko Sudo & Adrien Gardère expresses MUJI’s respect for materials and our belief in giving new life to what already exists,” says MUJI US President & CEO, Richard Rappaport. “By transforming reclaimed garments into sculptural forms, the installation encourages visitors to see sustainability not as an abstract idea, but as an active and creative practice.”

About Reiko Sudo
​Born in Ishioka City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Reiko Sudo is the representative of NUNO Corporation Ltd. and a Professor Emeritus at Tokyo Zokei University. Since 2008, she has worked as a textile design consultant for Ryohin Keikaku Co., Ltd., Az Co., Ltd., and others. She has received numerous honors, including the Mainichi Design Award and the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award for the Arts. Sudo is known for creating innovative textiles that blend traditional Japanese dyeing and weaving techniques with cutting-edge modern technology. Her works are included in the permanent collections of major institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, among others.

@nunocorp

About Adrien Gardère
​Born in Paris, France, Adrien Gardère studied literature before training as a cabinetmaker and furniture designer. He is the founder of STUDIO ADRIEN GARDÈRE (SAG), whose holistic approach has earned international recognition in museography, scenography, and design. Since its founding in 2000, the studio has designed permanent displays for 13 major international museums, created more than 80 temporary exhibitions worldwide, and developed cultural programming for over 12 institutions. The studio has also established long-standing collaborations with leading cultural institutions and renowned architectural firms, including Foster + Partners, SANAA, Maki & Associates, David Chipperfield Architects, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, and Herzog & de Meuron. In 2020, Adrien Gardère was awarded the Medal of the ​ French Academy of Architecture Foundation.

@studioadriengardere

https://www.studiogardere.com/en/