The simplicity of form and color on display at "Product Design Today: Creating 'Made in Japan' " is undeniable. The ceramics are predominantly white, wooden items reveal natural grains, cast iron is kept jet black, contours are uncomplicated and there is not one single ostentatious embellishment.
For some, this is the quintessence of the Japanese aesthetic — clean, pure and natural. But globally, that's not always how Japanese design has been viewed.
Modern industrial design first flourished in Japan during the 1980s, as the nation became synonymous with high-quality, high-tech products. The Sony Walkman and other electronics were coveted in America and Europe, Japanese cars held more than a third of the U.S. market, and at home, consumerism fed a manufacturing industry that successfully competed with Western counterparts.
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