Karl Lagerfeld, Erdem, Moschino, Versace and Iris Apfel are some of the names of the collaborations that H&M has done in recent years, in an attempt to democratize fashion. The collaboration for this year’s collection has already been announced: it is a partnership with Mugler. The pieces should arrive at selected stores in the spring, advances the company in a statement, this Wednesday.
The Swedish brand’s creative director, Ann-Sofie Johansson, teamed up with Casey Cadwallader, Mugler’s design manager, on a capsule collection that aims to showcase the best of both brands, combining luxury with fast fashion. For now, no images of the collection have been revealed, but it is expected that some of the iconic pieces of the brand founded by Thierry Mugler (1948-2022) will be reinvented, such as the inverted triangle silhouettes with exaggerated shoulders or the wasp waist.
Creator Casey Cadwallader has been at the creative leadership of the brand since 2017 and has been reinventing the legacy of Thierry Mugler, reflecting on what “powerful modern femininity” is, explained to vogue british. In recent years, the brand has returned to the spotlight thanks to celebrities such as Beyoncé, the Kardashian clan, Lady Gaga or Cardi B. In 2019, Kim Kardashian wore a latex dress signed by Mugler at the Met Gala.
Casey Cadwallader for Mugler and Ann-Sofie Johansson for H&M
DR
The collaboration with H&M is a way of bringing new audiences to the brand, as the success of these collections is known. In previous years, queues outside stores stretched hours before opening, and items sold out within minutes. In Portugal, these capsule collections are only available online.
In 2022, it was Iris Apfel who signed the special collection, bringing her iconic style, admired the world over, “to those who want to look a little different”. The success was such that out-of-print pieces continue to be sought after and sold on second-hand platforms, at prices often higher than the originals. In addition to clothes, the collections usually include accessories and even footwear.
For fashion fans, H&M collaborations are a low-cost way to have a piece with a designer touch. Those who buy are mainly people who, otherwise, would not have the resources to buy any other model of the brand in question. That’s what Moschino’s creative director, Jeremy Scott, celebrated in 2018: “My life mission has been to connect with people through fashion.”