Kanye West for IKEA? The Furniture Giant Politely Passes

How about a YEEZY bed to go with these? Don’t hold your breath. | Photo: thedesignslice.com via Pinterest

Admit it: Somewhere in your home, there’s a POANG armchair.

Would you like a YEEZY bed to go with it?

Well, if that idea floats your boat, you’re going to have to wait a while longer.

Rapper/producer/disser of Taylor Swift Kanye West recently told BBC Radio 1 that he would love to go into a collaboration to design furniture for the Swedish home furnishings juggernaut.

West suggested that students in particular would go for Kanye-designed furniture that would let them create “a minimalist apartment inside a college dorm”: “Yo Ikea, allow Kanye to create, allow him to make this thing because you know what, I want a bed that he makes, I want a chair that he makes.”

(If you’d like to hear the whole interview, which includes material on his appearance at a British music festival and his presidential musings, you can hear it on BBC Radio 1’s Annie Mac Show website.)

West, who has already made a foray into fashion design, said he’d like to produce furniture that’s more affordable than his clothing has been so far, which dovetails with IKEA’s high-design-for-the-masses philosophy. He even paid a visit to IKEA headquarters in Almhult, Sweden earlier this year to meet with designers there.

IKEA’s Australian arm was all ready to welcome West to the company’s stable of designers, posting this on its Facebook page:

But, according to CNBC, he’s going to have to try out his ideas with another firm.  An IKEA spokesperson told the cable business channel, “At IKEA we are constantly curious about different people, companies, artists and events around the world. To have these connections and inspiring meetings is an important way for us to find new ways to create a better everyday life for the many people.

“Although we are really flattered by Kanye West’s high interest in IKEA and the speculation around a joint venture, we have no plans to collaborate at this point in time.”

CB2, Crate & Barrel’s affordable-furniture subsidiary, already has Lenny Kravitz playing this role. Hey, West Elm: a golden opportunity to reach a market you had no idea existed is knocking at your door. Why not give West’s agent a call?

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