Daily Front Row

2006 May 11

H&M's New Haute-Shots:

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(NEW YORK) Their initial talks with Miuccia Prada to design a capsule collection may not have become a retail reality, but H&M today announced a design collaboration with an even higher concept fashion house: Viktor & Rolf.

Dutchmen Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren mark the fifth such designer collaboration the Swedish retailer has had in recent years. In the past, Karl Lagerfeld, Solange jewelry, Elio Fiorucci, and, most recently, Stella McCartney, have all left their fashionable imprints on the mass retailer—and in most instances, with explosive results.

The Viktor & Rolf for H&M collection will offer a selection of men’s and women’s clothing, along with a range of accessories. A specific number of pieces in the capsule collection was unspecified, as the line is still in the development stages, according to a spokeswoman for the company. A dedicated advertising campaign is expected to debut in books sometime in the fall, although a specific month could not be named. It also remains to be decided as to whether or not a television campaign will be repeated this time, as H&M did for the McCartney collection, tapping model Mariacarla Boscono. A launch event is also in the works.

Produced by H&M, the one-time collection will debut in November 2006, in time for holiday. Prices are expected to be similar to previous collaborative efforts, which ranged from $19.90 for a blouse to $149 for a dress or coat. The collection will be available at select H&M stores in all H&M markets across Europe, North America, and the Middle East. All 24 countries that have H&M stores will stock the collection, with a focus on major metropolitan centers.

“If haute couture is the most sublime form of fashion, then H&M is fashion at its most democratic,” the designers said in a statement. “Our roots are based in couture. It’s the heart and soul of our work. But we also love to play with opposites: transformation is a key element of our signature style. For us, fashion is an antidote to reality. It’s a great opportunity to communicate our vision with such a large audience of H&M devotees.”

According to Margareta van den Bosch, H&M’s head of design, “We really admire both Viktor and Rolf and are fascinated by their unique way of working with design, combining their artistic talent with great craftsmanship. We look forward to offering our customers a collection by these extraordinary designers.”

The notoriously intellectual label Viktor & Rolf is known for deconstructing classically tailored clothes, often with a wry sense of humor. The duo began their career in 1993 when they won the Hyères Fashion Festival. Through exhibitions, installations, haute couture shows, and since 2000, women’s ready-to-wear, their brand now includes a men’s line, scarves, underwear, glasses, and shoes, as well as fragrance. Their collections are sold in over 20 countries worldwide. Their first signature store, which opened in Milan last year and is entirely upside down, won several awards from the design community.
JIM SHI