Stella McCartney H&M. Image source: H&M
H&M has unveiled every look from its forthcoming Stella McCartney x H&M collection, set to launch on May 7. The release marks two decades since H&M first collaborated with the celebrated designer and sustainability advocate. Originally debuting in November 2005, the inaugural Stella McCartney x H&M collection was the retailer’s second-ever designer partnership and a defining moment in its collaboration history.
The legacy of Stella McCartney H&M collection
The latest Stella McCartney H&M collection builds on that legacy. It reflects on the highlights of the house’s 25-year history, bottling McCartney’s pioneering and rule-breaking vision into a range of apparel and accessories.
The collection unites past and present. Playful, iconic hits from McCartney’s early archive are combined with current signatures, such as oversized shirting, sweeping trenches, sharp tailoring, and bejeweled prints and slogan tops.
Stella McCartney expressed, “I see this collection as a journey through my fashion history. It is a true mix of current classics and some of my old favourites that showcase my first forays into fashion and the development of my signatures. It’s playful, strong, sparkling, joyful, refined.”
A Fashion Throwback
Other key items in the collection include rib-knitted dresses and tops with McCartney’s signature Falabella chain at the neck, and a long white gown with a cape-like sleeve that loops into the hem, giving the look of a sweeping circle of fabric. Sparkling partywear, separates, and denims, as well as mesh dresses and tops in a bold archival cherry-print, are also featured. A white mini tee embellished with studs reading ‘Rock Royalty’, offers an extra dose of nostalgia.
The accessories range is rich in bags. Six styles will launch, including small, branded shoulder bags, giant totes, and a timeless chocolate-toned bag with a chain-detail strap. This is one of several pieces in the collection that incorporate the Falabella chain, including necklaces and earrings, crafted in recycled metal in mixed tones, and loafers with chain detailing on the front.
The collection is defined by an approach to materials that prioritise recycled content, organic cottons, wool certified to the RWS Standard and the innovative usage of feedstocks for coated materials, such as industrial corn and recycled vegetable oil.
&Stella: A spirit that feels playful and effortless
The Stella McCartney x H&M campaign, captured by Sam Rock in London, features Renée Rapp, Angelina Kendall, and Adwoa Aboah, channeling a spirit that feels playful and effortless, with a sense of nostalgia that still looks ahead.
Throughout the campaign, &Stella becomes the collaboration’s tagline. Reinterpreted in myriad forms such as &Here &Now &Me &You, it becomes a message about connection, care, and a way of being that speaks to this moment and the past, present, and future.
Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M’s Creative Advisor, said, “Stella has always had a bold vision for fashion, and this collection tracks her journey from a young, rule-breaking voice to a master of timeless design. Every single piece in the collection is desirable and tells a unique and bold story.”
