High street retailer H&M is set to unveil its fifth Conscious Exclusive
collection tomorrow and FashionUnited was invited to an exclusive
behind-the-scenes preview of the collection at the Swedish retailer’s
office in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. During the preview, H&M also
highlighted its ongoing focus on sustainability through its initiatives
such as its global recycling campaign to close the loop in fashion.
“This is a very special collection, a collection which is at the forefront
when it comes to sustainability at H&M,” said Ann-Sofie Johansson, Creative
Advisor at H&M. “We tried to challenge ourselves with this collection to
make things in a more sustainable way.”
Inspired by the archives of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, located in the
Palais du Louvre in Paris, the collection features stand-out pieces based
on paintings, old horse riding jackets as well as the smock blouses worn by
artists in the 17th century. “This jacket, it is a jacquard and it is made
out of recycled polyester and designed to look like an old textile from the
18th century. It is made from one piece, which is very special in textile.”
This year’s edition of the collection features clothing and accessories
made from more sustainable materials than before, as H&M incorporates new
technologies into their designs. “Thanks to technology and new innovations,
the list of the fabrics we can use for each collection is getting longer.
When we made the first collection, it was almost only made from organic
cotton and recycled polyester. Now we have so many more materials,” added
Johansson. For example, the collection contains dresses, skirts and tops
decorated with rhinestones made from recycled glass, a first for the
fast-fashion retailer. “It may not sound like much, but it was impossible
to make this before,” noted the Creative Advisor. H&M also incorporated a
new material, named Denimite, which is made from recycled-post consumer
denim mix with bio-based resin. “The effect is beautiful, it almost looks
like marble when its actually old denim.”
The collection also contains a pair of flats, inspired by the kimono bow
made from eucalyptus bark and cat-eye sunglasses made from plastic bags.
Completely new to the collection this year are three wedding dresses,
another first for the fast-fashion retailer. “This is the first time we
have made wedding dresses, which were a request from our customers,” said
Johansson. Each of the three dresses has its own distinct fit and look in
order to appeal to as many brides as possible and appeal to a wider
audience.
In the end, however H&M had one main goal in mind when it came to crafting
the collection: “We wanted them to be beautiful pieces that you love and
save in your wardrobe to have for years to come,” said Johansson. The full
H&M Conscious Exclusive collection is set to launch worldwide in 165 select
stores and online at hm.com on Thursday, April 7, coinciding with the
opening of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs’ exhibition, “Fashion Forward-300
Years of Fashion.”