Furniture store Ikea has signed up a drag queen for the launch of its new store on London’s famous Oxford Street.
The new shop will open at 214 Oxford Street, after a three-year renovation of the former site of Topshop’s flagship store, at 10am on (Thursday) 1 May. Taking up retail space of 5,800 sq m, over three floors, it will feature a “re-shop” and “re-use” section. It will be open daily from 10am until 8pm daily after that.
One of the launch curators is Carrot, a non-binary drag artist based in east London, known for their vegetable-themed persona.
A dedicated space curated by Carrot features their photo on the wall alongside the caption: “A place fit for a queen.” The display includes a dressing table with shelves for wigs, hanging hands for bags, and space for dresses and all-important heels.
‘A place fit for a queen’
The floor below houses the home-planning hub and a 130-seat Swedish deli, where Ikea’s much-loved meatballs, served with mashed potatoes, lingonberry jam and cream sauce, can be enjoyed.
The lowest floor accommodates the market hall, where thousands of affordable home-furnishing accessories and smaller furniture items await discovery.
Peter Jelkeby, the chief executive and chief sustainability officer of Ikea UK, said: “Tomorrow, we will celebrate our new home on Oxford Street, a milestone in our journey to becoming more accessible.
“It will be an Ikea many know and love, with some new features exclusive to this iconic city-centre store. Created in collaboration with real voices, and with Londoners in mind, opening our doors is a landmark moment following a meticulous renovation.”
London mayor Sadiq Khan welcomed the arrival of the new store. “It’s fantastic news that Ikea is opening a new flagship store on Oxford Street,” he said. “It’s a huge vote of confidence in London, in our economy and in our plans to rejuvenate Oxford Street and unlock its true potential.
“Oxford Street is one of the most famous shopping destinations in the world and we want to give it a new lease of life. This involves attracting brilliant companies like Ikea, which will help to create new jobs and increase footfall.”
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