For decades, IKEA has been synonymous with modern home design. From furniture to affordable interior decorations, the Swedish brand has always been known for its signature simplistic approach, gaining an almost cult-like following.
While fashion is far from what people associate the homeware brand with, in recent years, this has all changed.
From sweatshirts to tees, the IKEA brand, along with its signature blue and yellow colourway has been steadily popping up in the fashion landscape, particularly in streetwear circles. Whether it was the attention garnered from Kanye West’s tweets looking to collaborate with the brand or the piqued interest of other streetwear names, it’d be an understatement to say that IKEA has been making moves on the low, entering the game of streetwear.
The Shoe Surgeon x IKEA Collab: FRAKTA Collection
A year after politely declining Kanye West’s offer to collaborate, IKEA released a collaboration with custom shoemakers, The Shoe Surgeon in 2017.
The unexpected release consisted of a pair of Air Jordan 1s and a matching bomber jacket. Constructed with blue suede, yellow python, the unique releases were repurposed from the popular IKEA blue bags, made of Frakta material (hence the name of the collection: FRAKTA).
Image via Sole Collector
Priced at $1,500 USD, the popularity of the collaboration hinted at the start of something new for IKEA and was merely its debut into the streetwear world.
STAMPD X IKEA Collab: SPÄNST Collection
In 2018, news about the upcoming, much-anticipated collaboration between STAMPD and IKEA emerged.
Image via Stampd
The unique partnership titled the SPÄNST Collection, showcased a series of sleek and simplistic furniture designs for the urban home. Befitting STAMPD’s minimalistic style, the idea behind the collaboration was meant to instill a sense of simplicity in people’s day-to-day, where the minimalistic aesthetic would follow them home.
Virgil Abloh x IKEA Collab: MARKERAD Limited Collection
In November 2019, customers were greeted with the news of another interesting collaboration between IKEA and the streetwear community, with the release of their MARKERAD Limited Collection products. Carrying a total of 15 product styles, the collection was a set of minimalistic designed items between IKEA and famed OFF-WHITE designer Virgil Abloh.
The collection’s minimalistic designs were enhanced with Abloh’s unique, edgy style and high fashion aesthetic, much like his sneakers.
Looking at the aesthetic as a way to add a sense of artistic freedom and simplicity to the furniture, Abloh attempted to create products that had an added sense of high-fashion edge, much like his sneakers.
“The ethos of the collection is to add an artful quality to anonymous objects.” – Virgil Abloh
IKEA makes moves into streetwear
Fast forward two years since, in July 2020, IKEA released their first-ever streetwear collection.
Partnered with Wieden+Kennedy Tokyo creative agency, the furniture-selling giant enters the streetwear game with the release of their minimalistic take on apparel and accessories.
Image via Ikea
Much like their furniture, the designs are meant to fit right into your everyday collection of clothes, sticking to efficiency and clean silhouettes. Titled EFTERTRÄDA, which means ‘Successor’ in Swedish, the collection was released in IKEA’s newest location, the Harajuku shopping district in Tokyo, one of the global epicenters of streetwear culture.
From a tote bag to a white hoodie, this move by IKEA may be the first of many to come and serves as evidence of the growing influence of streetwear culture in our everyday life.
