This Is Why You're Hearing Balenciaga and IKEA in the Same Sentence

last updated 13 August 2019

The internet was a funny place this week. Balenciaga's creative director Demna Gvasalia, caused a stir with the release of the brand's Arena Extra-Large Shopper Tote ($2853), a bag which strongly resembles IKEA's iconic blue shopper. As in, the one you can pick up in store for a few dollars.

People were confused, questioning whether fashion has officially gone 'too far'. I even overheard a few fashion people talking about the latest "Balenciaga and IKEA collaboration". It's not a collaboration. But it is genius, and exactly what we've come to expect from Gvasalia (who's also the creative director of Vetements).

Gvasalia is notorious for taking the mainstream and unexpected, and turning into something elevated and covetable. Example? The Vetements DHL T-shirt, which basically recreated the DHL staff uniform and sold it for a couple of hundred dollars. Everyone wanted it (I still do!).

It was only a matter of time until IKEA was next on the designer's hit-list, and as GQ reported, the Balenciaga IKEA bag, is actually awesome. He challenges the usual form of creative thinking, and is redefining luxury.

IKEA told Today, "We are deeply flattered that the Balenciaga tote bag resembles the IKEA iconic sustainable blue bag for 99 cents. Nothing beats the versatility of a great big blue bag.”

And of course, I am now desperate to get my hands on it... well done Balenciaga.

Keep scrolling to shop the now-famous bag.