Ikea Tells You How To Spot A Knockoff In Response To Balenciaga's $2K Look-A-Like Bag

It looks like Ikea is influencing more than modern home décor — recently, Balenciaga released a new leather bag, and it looks incredibly similar to the furniture company's signature blue tote bag. The only difference is that the French fashion designer's version will set you back $2,145 and Ikea's is 99 cents.


In response to the striking resemblance between the two bags, Ikea's agency partner Acne created a cheeky print and digital ad that lets consumers know the difference between the two, Adweek reported.

The ad 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."

"I wanted to act fast, so I called Morten Kjaer from Ikea Creative Hub. He loved the idea," Johan Holmgren, creative director at Acne, told Adweek. "The day after the Balenciaga bag was launched, I said, 'We'll have the creative work ready within two hours.' We then went to one of our fashion photographers, Anders Kylberg, and shot the bag in his studio, with that same feeling and lighting as the Balenciaga bag. That same day, we sent the finished work to all markets."

Balenciaga has yet to respond to the ad, but an Ikea representative told Today that the company is "deeply flattered" by the resemblance.