A discussion with IKEA and H&M about their "ideas factory" Atelier100 is among the events featured in this video of yesterday's IKEA Festival highlights, which Dezeen is publishing as part of our partnership with IKEA during Milan design week.

Hosted by Swedish journalist Amie Bramme Sey, the video showcases the events, talks and performances included as part of the festival.

Sey met chief creative officer of Ingka Group Marcus Engman, global brand innovation manager at H&M Camilla Henriksson, founder of Palazzo Monti Edoardo Monti and one of the first creatives at the Atelier100 programme Zoe Horgan to discuss IKEA and H&M's "ideas factory" which aims to enhance the careers of small-scale manufacturers and designers.

"We are working in two curious companies," said Henriksson. "We really want to explore how to find new creative talents for both companies and how we can tap into the different communities."

"It's so exciting that I can take something that's already existing and make it commercially viable," Horgan commented. "And to have mentors that can mentor and push me in the right direction. Having that guidance is integral."

Sey also met creative leader at IKEA James Futcher and designer at IKEA Friso Wiersma who spoke about the new Swedish House Mafia furniture collection, named Obegränsad.

"We've got three products that we're revealing," said Futcher. "This amazing record player, a really nice comfy chair for listening to music and we've also got this great desk to help music producers make great music."

"What's nice about Swedish House Mafia is that everything they do is a super strong statement and it's also minimal, and that's the same for IKEA – we want to be basic and simple yet super effective and they're the same in that," explained Wiersma.

IKEA also handed the stage over to IKEA Foundation and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to host a range of talks and documentaries.

In one talk named Cities of Growth and Solidarity, mayor of Milan Giuseppe Sala and mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone Aki-Sawyerr discussed a collaborative project to develop connections between creatives in the fashion industry.

Also featured was a documentary called Unfreedom of Movement by Sierra Leonean-British artist Julian Knxx and a short film called Concepts of Home by poet and activist Emtithal Mahmoud, which highlighted the "challenges and triumphs that forcibly displaced and stateless people experience every day in their quest to rebuild their lives".

Included in the video is a snapshot of IKEA's five-week festival called H22, taking place in Helsingborg, Sweden, which is "packed with food, exhibitions and shops" and a performance by musicians, Viagra Boys.

Running from 6 to 12 June, IKEA Festival includes exhibitions, installations and talks alongside the Swedish furniture brand's latest product and collaboration news.

Dezeen is a partner for IKEA Festival and has published video highlights from the festival throughout the week.

Find out about the full programme here.

IKEA Festival takes place from 6 to 12 June 2022 at BASE, Via Bergognone 34, 20144 Milan, as part of Milan design week 2022, which takes place from 6 to 12 June 2022. See our Milan design week 2022 guide on Dezeen Events Guide for information about the many other exhibitions, installations and talks taking place throughout the week.

Dezeen x IKEA Festival

This article was written by Dezeen for IKEA as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.