— Tiancheng Li
Kenya Hara and the “Alive” Identity:
Xiaomi’s 2021 Logo Redesign
Introduction
In March 2021, Chinese technology giant Xiaomi unveiled a subtle yet conceptually ambitious rebrand at its “Mega Launch Event.” The new logo, designed by renowned Japanese designer Kenya Hara, replaced the company’s sharp-cornered square emblem with a mathematically refined “squircle” — a form between a square and a circle. While the change sparked online debate for its minimal visual difference, Hara’s design philosophy reframed the logo as more than a cosmetic update: it was a statement about life, adaptability, and the evolving relationship between humans and technology.
Hara’s process began with the question: How can a logo embody life? Using mathematical formulas, his team explored 24 variations of curvature before selecting the one labeled “n:3” — the most balanced between a square’s stability and a circle’s organic softness. This “Alive” concept was intended to reflect Xiaomi’s adaptability in a fast-changing tech landscape.
Xiaomi’s Mathematically Inspired New Logo
✓ explained by designer Kenya Hara
The redesign also considered practical versatility. The squircle form scales more harmoniously across Xiaomi’s vast product ecosystem — from smartphones and wearables to home appliances — and adapts better to digital interfaces, app icons, and physical branding.
Despite the conceptual depth, the public reaction was mixed. Many online commentators mocked the high reported cost (over US$300,000) for what appeared to be “just rounded corners.” Yet, design professionals noted that the value lay in the strategic thinking, brand cohesion, and long-term adaptability the redesign offered.
This event reinforced my belief that design is not solely about personal aesthetic preference — it’s about serving a broader purpose. Hara’s work demonstrates that subtle changes, when grounded in philosophy and function, can carry profound meaning. As a designer, I’m reminded to look beyond surface-level beauty and consider how design lives in the world, value context and adaptability over novelty for novelty’s sake, and recognize that audience perception is part of the design equation — even controversy can spark valuable dialogue.
In my own practice, this translates to creating work that balances my creative instincts with the needs, values, and long-term vision of the client or community it serves.
References
- MARKETING Magazine Asia, and Raihan Hadi. “Xiaomi’s Mathematically Inspired New Logo, Explained by Designer Kenya Hara.” MARKETING Magazine Asia, 5 Apr. 2021, marketingmagazine.com.my/xiaomis-mathematically-inspired-new-logo-explained-by-designer-kenya-hara/.
Author Name
Tiancheng Li, the author of this page, is a student from Oral Roberts University.