Ikea releases shopping receipt rug as part of Virgil Abloh collection

The rug is designed to look like a shopping receipt from Ikea

Chelsea Ritschel
in New York
Thursday 07 June 2018 21:19 BST
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Ikea's new collaboration with Virgil Abloh features a receipt rug (IKEA)
Ikea's new collaboration with Virgil Abloh features a receipt rug (IKEA)

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Swedish furniture brand IKEA has teamed up with Virgil Abloh to create a larger-than-life shopping receipt rug aimed at millennials.

The design was revealed during Ikea’s annual conference, Democratic Design Days, and it’s the latest first-look at the widely-anticipated collection designed by Ikea and American fashion designer Abloh.

The new collection, named Markerad, is targeted at millennials and has been in progress for over a year.

While the other pieces in the collection are sure to be talking points as well, it was the oversized rug that captured and divided people’s attention on social media.

For some people, the rug design was pure genius.

However, others were mostly amused by the statement piece.

“I want to be excited about this new Ikea rug but I am just not. I am, however, bemused,” one person wrote.

Abloh and Most collaborated on the collection, set to be released in 2019 (IKEA)
Abloh and Most collaborated on the collection, set to be released in 2019 (IKEA)

Another said: “Lol stop it,” in response to a picture of the new floor covering.

But according to Ikea creative lead for the collection, Henrik Most, who is working with Abloh, the point of Markerad is to elevate the normal.

“Virgil has a fantastic ability to work with essential functions and basic materials and create something new,” he said. “Each Markerad item is both a design object and a piece with high artistic value.”

Other pieces in the collection include an oversized doorstop (IKEA)
Other pieces in the collection include an oversized doorstop (IKEA)

Since the announcement that the unlikely duo would be working together to create a line of furniture, people have been eagerly waiting for a release date.

Designer Virgil Abloh has partnered with IKEA on the collection (Getty)
Designer Virgil Abloh has partnered with IKEA on the collection (Getty)

Although an official date has not yet been announced, Ikea and Abloh offered insight into what to expect from the collection with official photos of two other pieces.

The additional pieces displayed at the conference included a previously-seen red triangular doorstop and a glass cabinet.

Of the unusual pieces, Abloh, the artistic director of Louis Vuitton's men's wear collection, said at the conference: “I want each item to bring a sense of pride, and I want the great design to be the biggest reason why you get it.”

The collection is expected to be in stores in 2019.

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