First Look at Kenzo x H&M Collection

Photos courtesy of H&M

It’s quirky, infused with glam rock vibes and perfect for those who are looking for new forms of self-expression. The Kenzo x H&M capsule collection won’t hit the stores until November, but we can already have a first look at it.About to officially drop in selected H&M stores on November 3rd, the Swedish giant decided to grow anticipation by revealing the first shots of the Kenzo x H&M capsule collection’s lookbook, tracing the line-up’s main theme. Whether this style will or won’t appeal to the customers, what appears clear from the collaboration is that both H&M and Kenzo valued and put creativity in the first place, probably knowing that such risqué and eccentric outcomes are not for everybody.

Wild indeed, as far as we can see the collection is all about tiger, cheetah and zebra prints, the pattern of which got further enhanced by bold and contrasting colors that put the glam rock scene from the Eighties to shame.

If sporting a head-to-to animal-print look is not your thing, the Kenzo x H&M collection has something ‘softer’ for you as well. Besides anima-printed bodysuits, pencil pants, print tops and high-waisted leggings, the line-up features staples with little touches of such patterns, which are perfect if matched with casual outfits. Boots, bags, caps, socks and even flip flops will give the right amount of wild animal print-inspired touch a person needs to revamp her style.

As for the line-up’s ultimate must-have, we must award the leather jacket with pink faux shearling details as the most whimsical and covetable staple of the entire collection.

Modeled by It-girls of the moment Juliana Huxtable, Isamaya Ffrench, Amy Sall and Oko Ebombo, the collection’s campaign reveals more about what’s behind the Kenzo x H&M’s philosophy and creative process. All of the models share a common career path, which involves activism and/or art. Juliana Huxtable is an artist and poet, Oko Ebombo is a musician and a performance artist, Isamaya Ffrench is a makeup artist and a member of the Theo Adams Company collective, and Amy Shall is the founder of SUNU: Journal of African Affairs, Critical Thought + Aesthetics.

By combining party-ready aesthetics with activism, art and overall passionate-about-life models, Kenzo’s creative directors Carol Lim and Humberto Leon remind that fashion is not just about clothes and something that makes you look trendy, but rather about something that empowers you and makes you feel special. Fashion is not futileness, it is instead deeply interconnected with not only the world, but also all the other forms of art, and more and more designers are now determined to prove it.

“This is just the beginning,” declared Humberto Leon regarding the models and the campaign. “We really put our heart and soul into how it will look. We just love what they do.”

Now that Kenzo has officially joined the list of high/low collaborations with H&M, following in the footsteps of fashion houses such as Margiela, Balmain, Comme the Garcons and Alexander Wang, we are more than curious to see what will come next.