It has been eight long years since the IKEA monkey changed fashion forever, so let us take a moment to pause, reflect, and contemplate the lifechanging effects that this little guy had on all of us.
IKEA monkey. Where does one even start with the impact that this little boy had on the world. The term gets thrown around a lot, but this truly was a cultural reset, and morphed how fashion would be talked about for eons to come.
Let’s take our minds back to December 9, 2012, and reintroduce ourselves to Darwin the macaque, on this the day of his eight years of fame.
Little Darwin, also known as IKEA monkey, first appeared to us in a shearling coat, a diaper, and a fuck-tonne of swag, in an Ontario IKEA.
He was an illegally-owned exotic animal, who escaped from the car of his then-owner, Yasmin Nadhuka, the person also responsible for dressing him up in his infamous drip.
After parading himself through the IKEA and its parking lot, and getting a LOT of pictures taking of him, he was eventually taken away to Story Book Farm Primate Sanctuary, and his illegal owner was fined US$177 (AU$240).
After a pretty long legal battle, Nadhuka failed to win back her exotic animal, and lil’ Darwin remains at the sanctuary, where he’s probably thriving, resting up away from the blinding lights of fame, while we meme him into oblivion.
So yeah, that’s IKEA monkey. We love him, we praise him, and we wish him a happy eight years in the world of memes.
Speaking of memes, let’s celebrate!
Fuck yeah, he did! ♥️ Fuzzy little stud! #ikeamonkey pic.twitter.com/jtHeyKIGtA
— 🦥 John (The Boss Gnome) 🦥 (@johnwwalton) December 9, 2020
Viral monkey, hardest drip. Darwin became a meme legend in 2012, and has been remembered ever since.
8 years since ikea monkey delivered the hardest drip pic.twitter.com/vJMLzZ0oRk
— Shaft Punk (@PunkShaft) December 9, 2020
Some of the best articles praised his fashion, despite him being entirely illegal.
Stylish, illegal, and timeless. #ikeamonkey pic.twitter.com/LGINRFXt5E
— Brian J. Ristau (@brian_ristau) December 9, 2020
KING.
IT’S THE IKEA MONKEYS ANNIVERSARY OMFG
so glad u wandered into ikea 8 years ago and brought into a better home I literally think about u every day lol pic.twitter.com/CG8GiREemF
— kelsey (@okkelsey) December 9, 2020
Here’s what the news looked like eight years ago, featuring some lovely footage of Darwin in his ‘Sunday best’.
The IKEA monkey was found 8 years ago today. pic.twitter.com/D4tGC38uwj
— Kamil Karamali (@KamilKaramali) December 9, 2020
Where were you eight years ago today. #ikeamonkey#ThisDayInHistory https://t.co/MLgCTBSte4 pic.twitter.com/ckILLbMNWh
— 🌈The Where True Love is Movement 🏳️⚧️ (@WhereTrueLoveIs) December 9, 2020
There’s even IKEA monkey fan art, because who doesn’t love to see a little monkey boi draped up in a coat? Whoever they are, I do not wish to speak to them.
chimpanzee that… its the 8 year anniversary of #IkeaMonkey pic.twitter.com/BTieTvVNQc
— tdtbaa (@tdtbaa) December 9, 2020
If you need me, I’m going to be thinking about how fast time flies, dressed head to toe in IKEA monkey swag.
