Mud is celebrating its 30th birthday with a new store in Islington

Internationally renowned ceramics brand Mud is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary by opening a new store in Islington, expanding its London business and connecting with local designers and creatives. With the opening of its new store on Upper Street among a vibrant collection of luxury retail and dining experiences, Mud hopes to integrate seamlessly into the community and bring its love of minimalist and high-quality ceramics to a new audience.

Mud turns 30

(Image credit: Courtesy of Mud)

The store opened on October 10th and celebrates cake, champagne and a few famous faces. It captures the understated and finely crafted aesthetic that makes Mud products so distinctive. Featuring the brand’s signature Vitsoe 606 Universal Shelving joinery and Barber Osgerby Home Tables, the clean and sophisticated interiors are characterized by a sensitive color palette that draws attention to the ceramics on display. Amid an array of beautiful furniture, the real stars of the show are Mud’s own eye-catching pieces, including a range of tableware and a very special cake stand from the brand’s previous catalogue.

(Image credit: Courtesy of Mud)

The Mud Australia Cake Stand is a subtle nod to the brand’s history and love of its favorite materials. As seen on various social media platforms, where friends of the brand bake adorable cakes to decorate their stalls, the piece will be available in Mud’s most popular color “Milk” and in three different heights. As part of a limited anniversary series, just one hundred stands have been made and will be available in the Islington shop.

(Image credit: Courtesy of Mud)

Starting as a boutique ceramics project run solely by founder Shelley Simpson, Mud has now grown to twelve stores across three continents, selling handcrafted products that are shipped around the world from their production facilities in Australia. This has of course also led to an expansion of the team and diversity of people working with Shelley to lead the brand and contribute to its growth, and this focus on building lasting working relationships remains a key aspect of the business.

With the new store in Islington, Shelley remains committed to building communities and passionate about expanding her team. She explains: “The reason we opened stores in London was so we could visit people we loved on the other side of the world… and of course London is one of the design capitals of the world.”

(Image credit: Courtesy of Mud)

However, Islington itself holds a special place in Shelley’s heart. Through engagement with friends and family in the area, the local artist and designer community, and a supportive boutique business environment, the process of finding and developing the new store in the historic Upper Street storefront was quick, supported by a generous, exceptional landlord construction workers and a crowded workshop on opening night. “Islington specifically… it’s about community, it’s about creative people, people with design backgrounds… it just makes sense.”