H&M is on a roll these days. In quick succession, there was the recent Becks “bum double” drama (read: mega publicity), the Paris fashion week show, and, for the hat trick, there’s the launch of & Other Stories, the Swedish high-street giant’s new London concept store. Last night, H&M celebrated the opening of the 10,000-square-foot Regent Street space, which is filled with meticulously edited beauty products, jewelry, and fashion. The best part about the whole thing is the knowledge that you won’t have to walk away simpering with desire—even the tightest budgets can afford this stuff. Apart from their in-house designers, who clearly favor architectural shoes and sculpted silhouettes (very Scandi-chic, if we do say), the brand also introduced their “Co-Labs”—temporary collaborations with finger-on-the-pulse talents like The Lake and Stars, Clare Vivier, and Alyson Fox. In other words, the two-story behemoth is the A-to-Z for cool hunters on a budget.
Naturally, the ultrahip store needs some ultrahip ambassadors. “We invited a small group of people—including stylists, DJs, and editors whose style we admire—to our atelier in Stockholm and asked them to put together pieces from our collection,” said Samuel Fernström, who’s head of & Other Stories. Flying the flag last night were Portia Freeman, Valentine Fillol-Cordier, Bat for Lashes (Natasha Khan, left), DJ Misty Rabbit (Mimi Xu), Julia Sarr-Jamois, and Mary Charteris, whose self-styled wares (like an ocean-print suit, a sheer top, a pleat-front skirt, and more) can be seen in the online shop, which launches today. “We chose people who wear things that feel right to them,” added Fernström. Judging by how & Other Stories’ ladies looked at yesterday’s fete, job done.
& Other Stories is located at 256-258 Regent Street in London.
—Afsun Qureshi
Photo: Courtesy of H&M
No comments:
Post a Comment