When we’re looking to buy affordable furniture and eat some killer Swedish meatballs in the very same place, IKEA is where it’s at. Although the furniture retailer isn’t generally the first place people head in search of accessories, the clever folks at Los Angeles-based streetwear labels Pleasures and Chinatown Market have turned IKEA’s signature blue tote bags into hats. And the final product is a sight to behold.
The bags retail for a cool 40p each — so they’re significantly more affordable than, say, Balenciaga’s £1,365 electric blue tote which definitely took a few cues from the iconic IKEA tote.
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Chinatown Market posted a photo of the “IKEA FRAKA Cap” on Instagram yesterday and assured prospective buyers that it’s multifunctional, easy to wash, and only costs $38 (£30). Another major selling point? No assembly required. (Phew!)
This IKEA shopping bag has emerged as an unlikely, quirky inspiration for fashion designers. In addition to the Balenciaga bag, a dressmaker used a grand total of 555 blue tote bags to construct the “IKEA Sack Gown” in 2012.
IKEA has yet to speak out about the FRAKA Cap, but they did provide a snarky response to the Balenciaga tote last month. The company took to (where else?) Twitter to post an image of its own tote with the caption: “Nothing beats the versatility of a big blue bag! Get the designer look for less with the #IKEA FRAKTA shopping bag.”
Although it’s considerably more affordable than Balenciaga’s tote, the FRAKA cap is the sort of accessory that may be a little difficult to pull off without looking slightly, uh, ridiculous. Based on the comments below Chinatown Market’s Instagram photo, people have very mixed feelings about the topper — they’re either clamouring to own one, or running really fast in the opposite direction.
We’ll keep an eye on IKEA’s Twitter feed for a reaction.