Ikea fans can get personal touch as pop-up shop pays 'playful' blue bag tribute

The Swedish flat-pack furniture retailer has opened a pop-up shop on London's Oxford Street dedicated to its famous blue Frakta carrier bag as it looks to attract shoppers prior to the opening of its new store in the capital

Ikea has launched a pop-up shop on London's Oxford Street, celebrating its blue carrier bag.

The Swedish furniture giant is enticing shoppers with the opportunity to customise their own Ikea bags with personalised lettering, alongside an array of best-selling products.

Dubbed Hus of Frakta, this "playful tribute" sits in the heart of a shopping mecca, cheekily nodding to nearby high-end bag retailers. While eager customers await the grand opening of Ikea's new city centre store, slated for spring 2025, they can enjoy an immersive experience centred around the durable Frakta bag.

Delays have plagued the opening of the large Oxford Street store due to extensive renovations needed on the century-old building, including waterproofing its basement. The site, formerly occupied by Topshop's flagship store, began transformations in 2022, with the launch date being postponed twice.

The pop-up, which opened its doors on Thursday right beside the future permanent location, will welcome visitors daily until March. Here, fans of the brand can add a personal touch to the Frakta bag, celebrated for its robust material and versatility.

Additionally, the concept store will showcase a curated selection of products inspired by the carrier bag in a gallery-like setting, while also offering popular items such as vases, lamps, and stools for purchase.

Visitors to the new Ikea pop-up will be treated to an immersive experience as they exit, complete with ASMR sounds, mirrored walls, and a complimentary stick of blue candy floss. Matt Gould, Ikea’s London city store manager, expressed his enthusiasm: "We‘re incredibly excited to bring Ikea to Oxford Street and know there‘s plenty of anticipation for the store opening next year."

He added, "In a playful tribute to this iconic location, we took inspiration from the world of fashion and blended it with our own principles of democratic design so the Frakta can be discovered like never before."

An Ikea survey last year revealed that around 45% of UK households have one of the retailer's blue carrier bags, with nearly a third treasuring theirs for over five years.