Paris, October 2018. While most of us were still eagerly awaiting the launch of the Moschino x H&M collection, the small team from H&M’s Stockholm atelier were already — and with great discretion — planning for the next one. In contrast to the playful, wild and print-heavy Moschino x H&M collection, the 2019 collaboration was going in another direction: striving to make haute couture accessible to the masses.
BEHIND-THE-ATELIER
For the first meeting, Giambattista Valli came prepared, showing detailed sketches, loads of fabric samples and sharing a crystal clear idea of who he envisioned wearing the collection. A Valli girl — of course — but with a little more edge. She shouldn’t only want to turn heads at dinner parties and soirées, she would wear it to the club too. And, for the first time, Valli boys were invited too.
With Giambattista Valli’s vision fresh in mind, the team packed his sketches, fabrics and materials together with suitcases full of archival pieces before heading back to their atelier. As always, the valuable goods were stored in a locked and secluded workroom.
H&M’s designer collaborations have pushed the envelope in fast-fashion for fifteen years. After collaborations with Karl Lagerfeld, Versace, Balmain and Moschino (to name just a few!), it’s now time to take on a new challenge: creating a haute couture-inspired collection on a big scale.
THE COLLECTION
The highly anticipated runway show took place on the 24th October at Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, Rome, with supermodel Kendall Jenner walking down the aisle in the collection’s most iconic red tulle dress. She was followed by models in all the coveted pieces that H&M have been teasing since August. See below for the runway highlights.
This collection is available worldwide from the 7th November.
Best, Aki