Designer, DJ, visual engineer — Virgil Abloh‘s a man of many talents, yet his most remarkable trait, his chameleon-like ability to collaborate with various brands from the opposite side of the design spectrum, is what’s made him one of the most in demand household names in fashion today.
He’s dabbled in sports with giants Nike and Champion, brought his urban touch to denim with a 12-piece collection for Levi’s, given us a sweet-scented collaboration with beauty brand Byredo, and even managed to get on the walls of London’s Gagosian gallery thanks to a collaborative exhibition with Japanese artist Takashi Murakami. And now for his latest project, having conquered just about every channel in the design industry, Virgil is tinkering with furniture with fast-furniture behemoth Ikea.
Available in stores on November 1st, the MARKERAD range (“marked” in Swedish) is all about statement pieces that challenge tradition, where functionality meets street cred and high cultural references. To promote the new drop, Virgil shared a video of the new collaboration on his Instagram last night, showing off a range of fashion-forward homewares that cater towards fluid and contemporary living.
“The ethos of the collection is to add an artful quality to anonymous objects,” Virgil Abloh said in a statement. “It’s about elevating the anonymous, everyday icons that we use without noticing. When we put a doorstop on one of the legs of an ordinary chair we create something unexpected — an interruption.”
Unsurprisingly, this is a statement-heavy 15-piece collection. Think a numberless clock emblazoned with the word “TEMPORARY,” a green turf doormat that reads “WET GRASS,” and a toolbox with the word “HOMEWORK.” The pièce de résistance and Virgil’s masterpiece though has to be his wall art; a light-up Mona Lisa print that charges one’s iPhone with a USB port.
The rest of the collection features a day bed, table, chair, mirror, lighting, bed textiles, cabinet and accessories. Seeing that Virgil’s ‘KEEP OFF’ rug sold out in just five minutes on Ikea’s website earlier this year, the new collection is expected to be just as popular.
Head to your nearest Ikea store this November 1st to get your hands on the highly anticipated drop.
Now, check out the world’s largest 3D printed building here in Dubai.
Text by Dina Kabbani
