IKEA Collaborates With African Artists To Create The New ÖVERALLT Collection

Design Indaba is an online design publication that hosts annual design festivals of the same name in Cape Town, South Africa since 1995. The hosts say that the festival “inspires and empowers people to create a better future through design and creativity”.

Back in 2017, IKEA announced that they will be collaborating with ten African designers, architects and artists to create the ÖVERALLT collection. “The journey of ÖVERALLT started with IKEA wanting to learn more about the contemporary African design scene and the creative explosion that can be seen in several cities around Africa,” writes Design Indaba.

After two years of intense work, the collection was finally unveiled during the festival on the 27th of February. During the two year period, the African designers, together with IKEA’s own explored various topics, such as socialising around food, living, both indoor and outdoor, identity and sustainability.

The result is a collection of colorful furniture, tableware, textiles, and a sustainable tote bags, incorporating both modern design elements and traditional African art.

“From there, the design and development process has resulted in a collection of products that is all about building bridges and discovering the “urban living room” together with others,” write Design Indaba.

“With ÖVERALLT, we want to encourage and trigger people to come together and eat, share stories, be creative and spend time with one another,” says James Futcher, Creative Leader at IKEA.

“And, thanks to the merging of creatives and all the good discussions we’ve had along the way, each design has a way of supporting that. ÖVERALLT is like a palette of socializing tools.”

The new collection will be available globally starting May 2019.