Furniture retail giant IKEA is teaming up with 10 African designers from the fashion, sculpture, architecture, and furniture industry to create an epic African-inspired homeware collection titled “Överallt“. This marks the brand’s first real creative effort in Africa.
The brand introduced this initiative at this year’s Design Indaba conference in Cape Town and the Överallt collection will have items ranging from tableware and seating to textiles, inspired by the modern, urban rituals that are common across all cultures.
One of the designers, Laduma Ngxokolo from South Africa has unveiled some of his work for the new collection which will be available in 2019. Known for his signature geometric patterns, Laduma worked with Ikea’s Mikael Axelsson to create two rugs, one wool and one acrylic, with prints and colours which represent his Xhosa culture roots and designed with Ngxokolo’s signature Ndebele beadwork-inspired language.
According to Laduma, in an interview with Architectural Digest: “Coming from Port Elizabeth, at the very southern tip of Africa, to IKEA I looked around and wondered how I’d contribute my African DNA to this aesthetic, but after meeting with the designers and talking about my ideas I was more confident. I felt excited because we don’t have this type of design aesthetic in South Africa. I did some research on IKEA’s design philosophy and understood what they’re about. After that, the process was easy to me because their style is quite minimalist so with my bold style it was like an application exercise.”
Other designers who are part of this initiative include; Issa Diabaté from Ivory Coast, Hend Riad and Mariam Hazem from Egypt, Bethan Rayner and Naeem Biviji from Kenya, and Bibi Seck and Selly Raby Kane from Senegal with Sindiso Khumalo and Renee Rossouw also representing SA.
Although seven African countries are represented, the line will only be available in Egypt and Morocco, the only countries in Africa that IKEA has stores.
Photo Credit: www.architecturaldigest.com
