IKEA Partners with Design Indaba For First African Collection

IKEA and Design Indaba, the leading voice on African design, announced their partnership to create the Swedish powerhouse brand’s first foray into designing for the African consumer. The collection will revolve around modern urban rituals and how these customs impact everyday life. Comprised of Ikea and Design Indaba designers, the new collection will incorporate IKEA’s “a better everyday life for everyone” design ethos into furniture geared towards an urban African consumer.

“At IKEA, we are curious, always eager to learn and trying to find new ways to do things better,” said Marcus Engman, design manager at IKEA, in a statement. “Connecting with Design Indaba comes naturally since there are several similarities and shared views – the commitment to contribute to a better world through creativity, the belief in sharing knowledge and seeing design as a way to improve quality of life.”

“It’s affirming for the world’s biggest furniture and homeware store to partner with Design Indaba to curate their first African collection, and we have learned so much from the collaboration,” said Ravi Naidoo, founder of Design Indaba. “They look towards democratizing design, and are happy to be infiltrated by external ideas! And we love their credo: a better everyday life for everyone. Now, it will be also inspired by urban Africa, and our intrepid pan-continental group of reformers, thinkers, makers, and activists.”

The collection will debut in 2019.