IKEA celebrates 80th anniversary with new collection re-launching its customer-favourite archival designs
The world’s largest retailer celebrates its 80th year in business with a two-part archival-inspired collection
IKEA celebrates its 80th anniversary today as the world’s largest furniture retailer with a new two-part collection called Nytillverkad.
The collection is re-launching some of its iconic customer-favourite designs from the archives. The first drop is available to shop now, while the second drop – a vibrant offering of ‘70s and ‘80s influenced designs – will launch in October.
For instance, two classic IKEA designs – a plant stand originally from 1957 and a coat stand from 1978 – are restyled in punchy contemporary shades. Meanwhile, IKEA’s popular LÖVET side table, originally launched in 1956, is reinvented in new colours like mint green, deep blue, and punchy orange.
“For the last 80 years, we have had the privilege of being part of many people’s homes and lives – a role we humbly want to continue to have over the coming 80 years and beyond,” Jon Abrahamsson Ring, CEO of Inter IKEA Group, says.
IKEA was registered as a company in 1943 by then 17-year-old Ingvar Kamprad, and by 1956 Kamprad and designer Gillis Lundgren solved the issue of damaged goods in transportation, creating the revolutionary concept of self-assembly flat pack furniture.
By 1958 the first IKEA store opened in Älmhult, Sweden, followed by an opening in Switzerland in 1973, Warrington in England in 1987, and by 2009, IKEA’s Dublin store in Ballymun had opened.
The brand is now represented in 62 countries with 700 million physical customer visits and 2.6 billion visits online. The retailer now has a team of over 231,000 employees worldwide.
This year, IKEA has unveiled plans for its first Customer Distribution Centre in west Dublin. The 450,000 square foot facility, set to open early next year, will create 120 jobs and enable IKEA to process online orders directly from Ireland, resulting in increased product availability and reduce delivery lead times by half.
This is alongside its latest collaboration with Tesco Ireland where it is launching three mobile pick-up points in Co Cork, Co Louth and Co Kildare with more to be rolled out in the coming weeks. These will allow customers to collect their IKEA order for free on orders over €200 or €15 for orders below €200.
IKEA’s Ballymun store is expected to welcome its 40th millionth visitor later this year.
The first drop of the Nytillverkad collection is available to shop now with the second drop launching in October 2023
