In little more than a year, who would have thought Ikea would become the ultimate cool? After Balenciaga paid homage to its big, blue Frakta bag, people started making clothes out of the original, before Off-White’s Virgil Abloh took the bag to another level by recreating it in brown cardboard. Now, Abloh has finally unveiled his entire Ikea collection – his version of the Frakta included – for the first time, via a YouTube livestream direct from New York. Featuring both furniture and accessories, it is designed “for millennials” according to the designer.
In the video, Abloh talks us through the collection, which features a triangular, red door stop that can be merged onto the leg of a similarly designed chair and an all-glass display cabinet. Also on the line-up are two rugs with “BLUE” and “KEEP OFF” emblazoned across them – both of which have already been teased on Instagram.
All of these pieces are meant to challenge the way we originally use them as they become art objects. “I’m trying to embed an artistic quality in things that you already have,” Abloh explained. “So the chair is elevated because it feels more like an art object than a typical chair that serves its function with four equal legs.”
More than just a chance to view the collection before it drops, viewers were encouraged to leave comments on the livestream, with Abloh using the feedback to make amendments before further prototypes are revealed in June. The month is looking to be a busy one for him – also set for June is his first show as men’s artistic director at Louis Vuitton when he will reveal his debut collection.
Watch the livestream here.
