Five of the most exciting IKEA collaborations to look out for this year

Ikea is everyone’s go-to for affordable flat-pack furniture and great meatballs. But the Swedish retail giant is giving its minimalist reputation a make-over with a growing list of flashy collaborations.

B. Åkerlund

The Swedish stylist and costume designer has worked with pretty much everyone in pop from Britney to Beyonce. B.Akerlund released her Ikea collab in March this year: OMDELBAR. Inspired by her signature Ruby Woo lipstick by Mac, the collection includes red lip shaped pillows alongside lots of monochrome, think Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland. It’s very Gothic glam, with top hat vases, a black tulle dress bed canopy and pendant lampshades. As B.Akerlund says, “It’s all about individuality and creativity”, not your typical basic Ikea furniture.

Chris Stamp’s SPÄNST

The LA based designer behind Stampd, known for its stylishly clean cut designs, is a match made in minimalist heaven for Ikea; they released a limited edition collection called SPÄNST back in May. The collection merges fashion and furniture, with acrylic shoeboxes and shoe/skateboard racks that can turn your room into a trendy gallery. There’s also an indoor basketball hoop, just what everyone needs.

Adidas

The sports powerhouse announced an Ikea collab in June but they’re not giving much away just yet. All we know is that they’re creating smart designs to make working out at home easier. As Josefine Aberg, VP of Design at Adidas says, “Working with IKEA, we’ll look at why some people are more active than others, especially young women, and explore what role the home can play in removing barriers to fitness.” Exciting.

Saint Heron

One of the most unexpected but fabulous collaborations is with Solange Knowles’ multidisciplinary cultural platform. They’re teaming up to create multifunctional architectural and design products, but that’s all we know thus far. Solange’s minimalist aesthetic is sure to fit into the Swedish retailer perfectly.

off-white

We saved the biggest ‘til last. The Louis Vuitton creative director, founder of Off-White and generally the busiest guy in fashion, has just got busier. Announced in June last year, Virgil Abloh gave us a sneak peek of his Ikea collab via live stream in April. There’s lots of his trademark capitalised font, with Frakta bags reading “SCULPTURE”, rugs saying “KEEP OFF” and “WET GRASS”, and a red door stop attached to a chair. Aimed at millennials buying for their first house, but they’ll have to wait until 2020.

words
Sadie Bargeron