IKEA sponsors mistakes on purpose workshop at beckmans skola in stockholm. the result is a best-selling line of bedding.

from IKEA MAGAZINE:

IKEA goes to college: A collaboration with Beckmans College of Design. From sketches in Stockholm to fabrics for the home

A collaboration with Beckmans College of Design. From sketches in Stockholm to fabrics for the home: In April 2010, IKEA textile product developer Emma Jones joined students of Beckmans College of Design in Stockholm for a workshop that encouraged the art of surprise and creation. Led by illustrator and graphic designer Laurie Rosenwald, the students made hundreds of sketches that IKEA turned into metre fabrics and other textiles (with the students’ consent, of course.)

Founded in 1939 by Anders Beckman, a renowned Swedish advertising illustrator and exhibition designer, Beckmans College of Design is known for its innovative education pushing students to be communicative and creative. These students are sketching future fabric patterns for IKEA that will be sold in 38 countries. They just don’t know it yet.

Tom Hedqvist, principal of Beckmans College of Design in Stockholm, helps students prepare for the day’s activities.

“Collaboration and communication is crucial at Beckmans College of Design,” Tom says. “For students from different disciplines, for teachers and visiting guests, the constant exchange of ideas and opinions creates an informal atmosphere that is simply wonderful.”

The collaboration began during the workshop weekend, when New York-based illustrator and graphic designer Laurie Rosenwald held a special version of her ‘How to Make Mistakes on Purpose’ workshop. Following her encouragement of the random, the 22 students created hundreds of black and white pages using paints, pens, markers, pencils, ink, cut paper and the like. Wearing black plastic trash bags to shield their clothes from creativity, the students were busy and dedicated. The free-flowing, raw atmosphere is seen in one final metre fabric, JULITA, where an elephant, eyeglasses and a cake show themselves harmoniously side-by-side.

Some of the final fabrics like MADDE, LILLIVI and DURITA came from the workshop’s second day, as the patterns were more complete. 

Textiles from the collaboration with Beckmans College of Design are just the start—the rest is up to you. Grab some scissors, friends and continue the creative process. Who knows what you might create!