Virgil gives the FRAKTA a makeover.
IKEA’s tease of a potential collaboration with Virgil Abloh finally came to fruition today when the pair joined forces at Sweden’s Democratic Design Days, where the Scandinavian presents a sneak peek of upcoming collections and products. Abloh arrived carrying his own spin on the now fashion-famous FRAKTA bag, reimagined with the word “SCULPTURE” plastered on the side of a cardboard tote, tied together with tape and yellow and blue straps.
Abloh was thrilled to be given the opportunity to work with IKEA, explaining how the brand is a fresh landscape where new concepts and ideas can be fertilized.
“My duty then, is to provide something provocative. Given how tremendous this opportunity is, I’m not content to make another chair. I love working with the best in class of any genre. IKEA is a brand that spans generations — that stands for something. To give this collection a young approach and pay respect to that DNA is my goal,” said Abloh.
While this news is exciting enough, it wasn’t all the duo discussed during the conference. One of the more important issues they explored was their ongoing journey to find ways to transform homes at low costs for first-time buyers.
Skip to the 19-minute mark in the video to see Virgil take the stage for IKEA’s Democratic Design Days.
“We’re looking at that first phase of adult life, when you start making purchases for your space. Largely people grow up in their parents’ environment. They’ve never had to consider furniture. Then when they’re off on their own and have their own aesthetic, what are their first purchases? I’m interested in thinking about how those purchases are informed,” said Abloh.
