… as told by high-street giant H&M. Its Fall/Winter 2016 Studio collection – with floral and lynx prints, and ultra-luxe embroidery – has us spellbound. IAN LEE reports from Paris.
… as told by high-street giant H&M. Its Fall/Winter 2016 Studio collection – with floral and lynx prints, and ultra-luxe embroidery – has us spellbound. IAN LEE reports from Paris.
Lined up in the front row at the former Paris commodities exchange building was an It girl brigade consisting of Kate Mara, Emma Roberts, Suki Waterhouse and Ciara. As if that wasn’t impressive enough, H&M also assembled the ultimate roll call of supermodels – Freja Beha Erichsen, Anja Rubik, Amber Valletta, Natasha Poly, Jourdan Dunn, Soo Joo Park and even mother-and-daughter duo Pat Cleveland (who’s 65!) and Anna Cleveland – to show off H&M Studio’s fourth collection. Wait, what’s the difference between H&M and H&M Studio, you ask? Four years ago, fashion insiders everywhere got talking when the high-street brand introduced its runway line, H&M Studio, boldly pitting itself against Paris Fashion Week greats like Chanel and Louis Vuitton. Since then, one H&M Studio collection has been launched annually in The City of Light during Paris Fashion Week. Back to the most recent show, which we saw in March: We’ve got to agree with H&M’s creative advisor Ann-Sofie Johansson, who said that the fairy tale-inspired collection is H&M’s strongest to date. Yes, the pinstriped wool suits, rich embroidery and chain embellishments (forming all-over patterns inspired by the Swedish lynx!) look utterly designer labelworthy. We caught up with Ann- Sofie after the buzz of the H&M Studio Fall/Winter 2016 show, to chat about the collection and her fave things in Paris…
What’s new about H&M Studio this season?
Because we’re a Swedish company, we decided to look at Swedish heritage and handicrafts. We started with fairy tales and the moodiness of Sweden’s climate, and also got inspired by (late Swedish actress) Ingrid Bergman, who was such a strong and beautiful role model. So you’ll find pieces with folkloric silhouettes, embroidery and prints – like a long sheer dress printed with motifs of the Swedish lynx.
Your fave look from the collection is…
The off -white coat dress, worn with boots and a hat . It’s so beautiful and simple in light colours. The maximalist embroidered hoodie-and-pants look is my other favourite.
What do you think will be the first things to fly off the shelves when the collection launches this month?
The hoodie is one – it’s cool and effortless, but has a dramatic look. I think we all love an obvious statement piece. The lace dress is another item – slips can look so fresh when paired with a grungy T-shirt.
H&M Studio turns four this year. What has the line come to mean for the brand?
I think we have the same feeling about it as when we started: It’s a high-fashion collection that’s effortless and cool. We want to have top-notch quality and finishing – and I think this particular collection really is the best one we’ve done so far. H&M Studio is for anyone who loves fashion – and I feel we really show that diversity in this collection too.
You’re here in Paris every year for the show. What are some of your must-visit places in this city?
I love to go to the Musee des Arts Decoratifs (Museum of Decorative Arts) to view the exhibitions for inspiration. And if I have time for shopping, I head for (department store) Le Bon Marche, and (multi-label stores) Colette and The Broken Arm.
