Ikea and H&M open Atelier100 space 

A new joint venture from H&M and Ingka Group, Ikea’s largest franchisee, has opened its doors to showcase London-based designers and creatives in the capital. 

The first Atelier100 store, which is located at Livat Hammersmith, officially opens to the public today (1 June), and is the result of a “first-of-its-kind” collaboration between the Swedish retail groups. 

According to both groups, Atelier100 represents a “sustainable and hyper-local” approach to retail. The project first launched in April with an open call for creatives, makers and manufacturers living within 100km of central London to share their product ideas. 

The first creatives have been chosen and are in the process of bringing their products to life through the Atelier100 funding and mentorship programme, and are set to sell their products from autumn 2022. 

Until then, the new shop will showcase a range of products designed and manufactured by London-based creatives. The new space has also been designed to be multi-functional, and will host workshops, talks and events. 

Marcus Engman, chief creative officer at Ingka Group, said: “It is a proud moment to see the first Atelier100 open its doors. Every part of the space has a story, from the locally-sourced products on the shelves to the recycled material used to make the space itself. It will be ever-evolving and I am excited to see how the creatives on the programme make Atelier100 their own come autumn.”

Camilla Henriksson, global brand manager at H&M added: “I am thrilled to be here and to meet in person the creatives that we will be working closely with in the coming months. This is just the beginning of the journey for Atelier100, we look forward to seeing the impact this pilot has on the London design community.”