Shoppers Spend Hours In Line At Brooklyn IKEA To Buy Items From Famous Designer Virgil Abloh
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – IKEA's collaboration with one of the hottest names in fashion had shoppers eager Friday morning at their Red Hook store with people waiting on line patiently.
Long lines wrapped around the IKEA store with eager shoppers waiting outside since 7 a.m. to get their hands on a limited collection before it's gone.
"I waited two hours, three hours, pretty cold but it's well worth it," shopper Noah El-Rowmeim said.
Super fans of famous streetwear designer Virgil Abloh were snagging coveted pieces from the long-anticipated Markerad collaboration.
They were in stores Friday, featuring homeware items with his signature and playful style.
"It's art… different forms of art," one shopper said.
"We were expecting long queues but probably not as long as we saw today," Lorna Montalvo, loyalty manager at IKEA said. "We expect it to be sold out by the end of the day."
Abloh founded his own brand, called Off-White, several years ago and was named the first black menswear director for Louis Vuitton just last year.
New York Magazine's Sarah Spellings says he's breaking barriers, creating a cult-like following – particularly among Millennials.
"There aren't that many black designers who are working for houses that are that big so it's a really watershed moment and I think he's kind of an icon for that reason," Spellings said.
"He's here for like the culture. He's doing big things for Louis Vuitton and small things for IKEA," one shopper told CBS2's Reena Roy.
With this collaboration, his high-end aesthetic is now more accessible to the average consumer.
"Imagine you can bring affordability to all age groups all boroughs all hoods this is what we need," shopper Nadia Nizam said.
"This is a chance for people who may not be able to afford his high end stuff to have a little bit of that off white sensibility in their homes," Spellings added.
While these items may disappear in the blink of an eye, everyday couture is a trend Spellings says we will keep seeing as brands continue striving to become more inclusive.
