IKEA is breaking boundaries at Paris Fashion Week and Milan Design Week. At this summer's MAD//Fest, IKEA's Global Communication & Positioning Manager, Belén Frau, showed how the brand turns inclusivity and self-expression into cultural moments. The result is trust, community, and a fresh relevance.

At this summer’s MAD//Fest, Belén Frau, Global Communication & Positioning Manager for IKEA Retail, shared her story of how IKEA is redefining cultural relevance by stepping far beyond flat packs and meatballs, (BTW, MAD//Insight is mad for their meatballs). Her talk spotlighted how IKEA is showing up at Paris Fashion Week and Milan Design Week, not as a fashion house or design boutique, but as a cultural convener, a challenger brand that is daring to rethink what ‘home’ means today.

Paris Fashion Week may not seem like the obvious stage for IKEA. Yet, as Frau explained, the brand has always been about self-expression, inclusivity, and identity. These are values that resonate deeply in fashion. Instead of sending bookcases down the catwalk, IKEA created IKEA+, a four-day cultural takeover in the heart of Paris. 

The event welcomed young designers and communities often excluded from the closed world of high fashion. Talks, music, and creative workshops brought fresh energy, and the centerpiece was a photography exhibition curated by Annie Leibovitz. Her own work sat alongside images from emerging photographers she mentored, voices from across the globe finally seen, not just their work, but their human stories.

The vibe of IKEA’s Paris ‘activation’ was clearly a celebration of being bold, less boring, and deeply connected to culture.

This strategy isn’t confined to Paris. At Milan Design Week, IKEA again defied the norm and what you’d expect of this global giant. Rather than flexing design muscles with flashy showrooms, the brand brings its democratic design principles: form, function, quality, sustainability, and price as conversation starters. 

Milan isn’t just about furniture for IKEA, it’s was about listening. Hundreds of home visits and the brand’s annual ‘Life at Home’ study inform how IKEA shows up with experiences that reflect real lives. Small spaces, tighter budgets, and a mix of chaos and calm. This year, IKEA’s venue drew 70,000 visitors and made the brand one of the top three voices in Milan.

For Frau, cultural presence isn’t a stunt, it’s a statement. Paris and Milan are proof that when brands show up with curiosity, inclusivity, and joy, they don’t just sell products. They create trust, build community, and once again become relevant. 

All sessions from July's festival are now on our YouTube channel. Think of them as inspiration for going 'back to school'. Great to watch whilst you’re on the train, or at work!  And over the course of the next few months, we'll be summarising and highlighting several of the standout keynotes, so you can have a weekly dose of marketing insight!