Virgil Abloh and IKEA – The MARKERAD Collection

Virgil Abloh is one of the world’s renowned fashion designers, artistic director of Louis Vuitton menswear and founder of his irony-filled label Off-White. For this collaboration with IKEA, he’s taken his signature high-low references into furniture design to “satisfy both practical needs and emotional aspirations” for millennials.

Abloh’s signature quotation marks and block lettering appear throughout this collection, which is primarily targeted at young adults furnishing their first homes. And although it features plenty of high-end design elements, the price points are surprisingly accessible for a designer as renowned as Abloh.

The MARKERAD mirror, for instance, features a crack in its top left corner that creates an intriguing reflection. Furthermore, it is made from corona and glass combination which makes it lightweight and portable – ideal if you enjoy travelling!

Other MARKERAD furniture includes two minimalist glass-door cabinets (S$300) and chairs with built-in door stops on the legs. Abloh’s signature poppy tag appears on many items, and many can be assembled without tools.

This collection is an exquisite marriage of contemporary art, street style and classic IKEA pieces that we all know and love. Abloh, who holds degrees in architecture and engineering, calls this combination “the most important thing in design.”

This is the first collaboration between these brands. The 15-piece collection includes a daybed, table, chair, mirror, rug and other accessories with an irreverent edge that should appeal to a wide range of customers.

The collaboration, appropriately named MARKERAD (meaning “marked”) in Swedish, is the outcome of an intimate and productive collaboration between Abloh and IKEA’s product design team. Created to help millennials furnish their first homes, this project combines contemporary aesthetic with Swedish retailer’s commitment to democratic design principles.

On Friday November 1st, MARKERAD will be available for purchase in select IKEA stores worldwide via ticket system with sales starting at 10am local time. Each wristband entitles you to one unit of each product style.

Abloh has said the collection is about ‘interrupting’ anonymous objects to give them an artful quality. This sentiment resonates with Abloh’s own work, which features muted colors and crisp lines with intentional interruptions and ironic flourishes.

Some of the items are playful and edgy, while others are simply bold. This collection includes a bag, clock, pillow and blanket set, welcome mat, mirror, Mona Lisa light box, shelving unit, chaise longue chair rug table toolkit all at affordable prices.

This collection was curated to add an artistic and daring twist to everyday items that millennials use, such as mirrors and doorstop chairs. For instance, the MARKERAD mirror offers a unique reflection while Abloh’s trademark poppy tag can be found on both pieces.