virgil abloh's IKEA collection includes a giant receipt rug and a mona lisa lightbox

ahead of the highly anticipated release of virgil abloh‘s MARKERAD collection, a collaboration between his fashion label off-white and IKEA, an extensive range of prototype products have been unveiled during IKEA’s annual democratic design days event. as well as the previously reported windsor chair, with its little red door stop addition, the series of teasers included a wooden display cabinet, a mona lisa light box and a giant receipt rug. offering the largest insight into what the final collection could look like, during the event IKEA’s head of design, marcus engman, and the collection’s dedicated product developer were on hand to give further insights.

image courtesy of IKEA

the collection, which IKEA confesses is an attempt to tap into the millennial market, hoping to ignite their interest in the home. the series of prototypes comprises ‘statement pieces challenging tradition’, including like the various rugs highlighted during last months youtube live workshop, and then hessian-type textiles, a distorting mirror and a series of faceless clocks, pieces given a spotlight only now. prices on display ranged from €299 for a large rug and €9.99 for a cardboard interpretation of IKEA’s iconic FRAKTA bag.

abloh and engman during a prototype workshop
image courtesy of IKEA

‘the collection will include 15-18 products and is designed for millennials for their first home,’ said engman when asked to define the collection. ‘it hopes to interest them in the home and allow them to make a statement.‘

and on working with abloh? ‘he is one of those renaissance men who is into art, music, fashion and architecture so it has been a constant flow of ideas. it is typical virgil to take something that you wouldn’t expect to be there to add curiosity and make people think. take the windsor chair: the door stop is anonymous design that you don’t notice. here it gets a very prominent place.’

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as outlined during a brief presentation, the collection’s minimalist aesthetic and neutral colour palette is said to be an ode to abloh‘s background in architecture and fashion as well as his love of classics. of course almost every piece is slathered with quotation marks, a feature that has become ubiquitous when it comes to off-white. the products are still in prototype stage and the event will most likely be another chance for the collaborators to gain feedback before possibly further advancing the designs. stay tunes for more information regarding the collection.

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