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Here’s What IKEA Thinks of Balenciaga’s $2K FRAKTA Knockoff

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Tara BellucciNews and Culture Director
Tara BellucciNews and Culture Director
Tara is Apartment Therapy's News & Culture Director. When not scrolling through Instagram double-tapping pet pics and astrology memes, you'll find her thrift shopping around Boston, kayaking on the Charles, and trying not to buy more plants.
published Apr 25, 2017
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Last week, the internet was shaken by Balenciaga’s $2,145 Arena Extra Large Shopper Tote, a bag that looks strikingly familiar to IKEA’s 99¢ FRAKTA. Well, the Swedish retailer has responded, and here’s what they had to say.

IKEA always has a great sense of humor, and the company’s agency partner Acne wasted no time in pulling together the tongue in cheek print ad below,which touts the under a dollar tote as the original, and points out how to make sure you’re not fooled.

The copy reads:

How to identify an original Ikea Frakta bag
1) Shake it. If it rustles, it’s the real deal.
2) Multifunctional. It can carry hockey gear, bricks, and even water.
3) Throw it in the dirt. A true Frakta is simply rinsed off with a garden hose when dirty.
4) Fold it. Are you able to fold it to the size of a small purse? If the answer is yes, congratulations.
5) Look inside. The original has an authentic Ikea tag.
6) Price tag. Only $0.99.
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Click image to enlarge (Image credit: IKEA via Adweek)

According to Adweek, Balenciaga has not yet confirmed the bag is a FRAKTA tribute, but the similarities are too great for it to be a coincidence. Acne creative director Johan Holmgren calls it “unexpected and brilliant. I liked the flirt. And I thought, why not flirt back? And we did.”

“We are deeply flattered that the Balenciaga tote bag resembles the Ikea iconic sustainable blue bag for 99 cents. Nothing beats the versatility of a great big blue bag!” Ikea told TODAY.

Last week, I asked you to rank the FRAKTA against its knock-off (and some other twists on the classic bag). Unsurprisingly, FRAKTA won—though it looks like the majority of you will be running out to grab the HAY-designed version when it hits IKEA stores later this year.

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