H&M unveils its latest Innovation Stories offering
Early this year, both the international and local fashion scenes are exploring the world of the Metaverse. With our virtual world becoming more vast, it is deemed to be the next frontier for fashion. That sense continues today with a collection that plays both IRL and URL.
This month, Swedish fashion brand H&M continues its Innovation Stories initiative with a collection that’s inspired by the Metaverse. The ready-to-wear line for men and women explores sustainability, inclusivity, and circularity—some of the core themes of its Innovation Stories, which was launched in 2021.
“The increasingly virtual dimension of fashion creates exciting future opportunities for H&M, allowing us to create vibrant, bold, and daring virtual counterparts to our physical collections,” Ann-Sofie Johansson, creative advisor at H&M, says. “In addition to the endless creative possibilities, it also allows us to propose a more sustainable and inclusive fashion vision that can be accessed by anyone, anywhere in the world.”
With those themes in mind, the collection’s pieces are made from recycled materials, some of which will be available for rental in select stores. The collection also utilizes innovative materials such as Repreve Our Ocean recycled polyester made from ocean-bound plastic bottles.
Some of the champion pieces of the collection are the corset-waisted yellow dress with a dramatic tulle skirt, a fuchsia puff-ball mini dress, a trompe-l'oeil-printed party dress embellished with 100 percent recycled sequins made from plastic bottle waste. For the gents, highlights include a forest-green faux fur coat and an oversized bomber jacket adorned with intricate beading.
Circularity is also echoed in the line's accessories creations. Its futuristic jewelry pieces take their cue from liquid metal that looks as though it’s been plumped by pixels. Winding round necks and wrists in the form of chokers, bracelet cuffs, and ear cuffs.
Five augmented reality filters are also accessible via the H&M app to complete the Innovation Metaverse Design Story experience. Designed in partnership with the Institute of Digital Fashion (IoDF), the AR fashion lenses powered by Snapchat enable virtual try-on, seamlessly bringing the physical and digital worlds together and empowering customers to express themselves both IRL and online.
“We at the Institute of Digital Fashion are excited to partner with H&M on a digital collection that pushes the boundaries of fashion as we know it, breaking free of physical restraints to embrace pure creativity,” say Leanne Elliott Young and Cattytay, co-founders of IoDF. “These digital garments are for every body, extending beyond seasons, gender, and realities, and helping us consider the planet.”
H&M Innovation Metaverse Design Story collection will be available online at hm.com on Dec. 8.
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