In 2018, Swedish furniture giant IKEA will make its India entry with its first store in Hyderabad. But back in 2014, they set the ball rolling for their first India-influenced collection, Svärtan, meaning blackness.

Textile designer Martin Bergström worked with the students at the National Institute of Fashion Technology Delhi to explore ideas for the contemporary collection over two months, beginning with a hands-on collaborative workshop in Hauz Khas Village.

The result: a modern and paired-down monochrome collection that the designer insists is “actually quite colourful... just through a black and white filter” and takes inspiration from the country in the least expected way. Svärtan released last month online and in stores worldwide. We had the opportunity to chat with Martin and Akanksha Sharma, then a student at NIFT, now a designer at IKEA about the collection and their experience working together.

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