H&M and Ikea launch ‘ideas factory’ for London-based designers and creatives

H&M has partnered with furniture brand IKEA to create an "ideas factory" on the high street that aims to search, mentor and promote London-based designers and small-scale manufacturers.

The first joint retail venture between the Swedish retailers, Atelier 100, will open in Hammersmith, West London on 19 May 2022.

Located in Ikea’s first UK shopping centre, Livat, which opened in February, the store will serve as a meeting place and workplace for designers and makers to sell their creations while fostering new alliances and ideas.

Successful applicants will receive up to £10,000 to help scale up their ideas into commercially viable products, alongside training and mentoring from H&M, Ikea as well as other insider experts.

The venture is launching an open call from 7 April to 24 April for creatives and producers based within 100km of central London to help stock its shelves from October. Atelier100 added that the first 20 applicants will be able to begin selling their existing products in Hammersmith from next month.

All kinds of projects, including beauty, fashion, jewellery, art and music will be considered by the venture, with the only limitation being that any end product must be small enough for shoppers to carry away from the store.

Marcus Engman, Chief Creative Officer of Ikea's parent company, Ingka Group said: "The Hammersmith outlet was a year-long pilot project. If it works, further venues will be developed in other cities around the world in future.

"You can either see it as a challenging time for retail or that there has never been more opportunity for developing the future ways of retailing than right now. We try to have a positive outlook and see things will get better."