London’s Oxford Street has a new kid on the block. Occupying five floors over 100,000 square feet is the long-awaited Ikea flagship, which took over Topshop’s store space in 2021. Since then, the Swedish furniture company has been working hard to unveil its innovative city store, which is expected to open in spring 2025.
But, while we wait for the main store to open its doors, the company has allowed a little indulgence to the thousands of daily shoppers of the region: a pop-up store called Hus of Frakta.
From humble beginnings to cultural icon
The shop is an ode to Ikea’s unmistakable blue shopping bags, called Fraktas – meaning “to carry” in Swedish – which were launched in the 1960s. Made of sturdy plastic and sold at £0.75 a pop, Fraktas are dirt-cheap and completely commoditised, yet utterly significant thanks to their utility – they’re equally useful for shopping, moving house, doing the laundry or going to the beach.
Fast-forward a few decades and hundreds of millions of Fraktas have been sold around the world – the bag even spawned a high-end copycat.
In 2017, a Frakta lookalike became coveted by fashionistas when the couture brand Balenciaga launched an homage to the Ikea staple. Apparently, Demna Gvasalia, the fashion house’s creative director, had a thing for riffing on the tropes of everyday life – even if his version would set you back $2,145 (£1,697) at the time.
A blue, branded-product experience
Naturally, the next step for the famous blue bag was getting its own store.
Step inside Hus of Frakta and you are greeted by the colour blue. Floor, walls, shelves, lighting and, yes, piles and piles of Frakta bags – all in the same azure shade. The pop-up captures the essence of the iconic shopping bag in a unique way, creating a branded experience around functionality, form and fashion.
Ikea even teamed up with students at Central Saint Martins to design limited-edition patches (called “artist drops”), which consumers can use to customise their Frakta bags.
The space also boasts an atelier for personalisation and a curated collection of products (all blue, by the way) sold ahead of the much-anticipated flagship store opening.
Iconic is not about instant success – it’s about endurance
It’s fascinating how something that began as an ordinary object can become a symbol that transcends its original intention. It raises the question: in our branded world of fleeting fads, what makes something truly iconic?
A strong identity is a good place to start. Whether it’s visual or verbal, a cohesive expression helps set your brand apart. Think of the unmistakable contour and design of a Coca-Cola bottle, seen everywhere and instantly recognisable.
Secondly, strong brands must be consistent. Without consistency your brand won’t go too far. The most iconic brands maintain their core identity while embracing different touchpoints and new formats. They are able to adapt to ever-changing audience needs and reinvent themselves while staying true to what made them legendary in the first place.
Lastly, iconic brands do more than just sell products – they tap into emotions that mirror people’s most intimate desires. Nike doesn’t just create trainers; it champions perseverance and empowerment, and has done since 1972. Disney and Ferrari are examples of other brands that have built strong connections with their customers. Brands that forge deep emotional connections with people often become part of their lives, traditions and aspirations, thus elevating the brand’s status and cultural relevance.
This takes us back to Oxford Circus: in a world saturated with choices, only a few brands will achieve immortality. These brands and their products aren’t just consumed; they are remembered, admired and passed down in a way that can turn everyday objects into timeless icons. These brands help us connect with each other, too. So the next time you see someone on the street with one of those big blue Frakta bags, you’ll know you have something in common.
Patrick Kampff is senior strategy director at Siegel+Gale, a consulting and design agency.
London’s Oxford Street has a new kid on the block. Occupying five floors over 100,000 square feet is the long-awaited Ikea flagship, which took over Topshop’s store space in 2021. Since then, the Swedish furniture company has been working hard to unveil its innovative city store, which is expected to open in spring 2025.
But, while we wait for the main store to open its doors, the company has allowed a little indulgence to the thousands of daily shoppers of the region: a pop-up store called Hus of Frakta.
