Sandra‘s Closet

What an exciting Sunday morning! H&M has revealed their new designer collaboration. The Swedish fashion brand has partnered with no other than Alexander Wang who leaked the news via instagram this morning before the official press release has been sent out!

Left: Alexander Wang with me, right: Margareta van den Bosch, H&M’s Head of Design, with him

Alexander truly keeps himself busy, designing his eponymous line as well being at the helmet of Balenciaga. But all good things come in threes and I am sure Wang’s designs for H&M will fly off the shelves.

In the video Wang posted on instagram, a countdown clock appears, and when the timer runs out, “WANG X H&M” pops up alongside the numbers 11:06 (the release date).
The line will be available on November 6, 2014 in 250 stores worldwide.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of H&M and © Sandra Bauknecht

Here we go: Your exclusive preview of Maison Martin Margiela with H&M really up close! Today, I was able to browse through and try on the amazing collection at Mondrian Soho‘s penthouse suite. Personally speaking, I was truly impressed.

Before talking you through the collaboration, let me tell you a little more about the house of Margiela: The influential Belgian designer Martin Margiela founded his brand Maison Martin Margiela in 1988. He is the fashion scene’s ghost, compared to other eccentric designers, he has never granted an interview or even considered to being photographed. His employees are wearing lab coats and have also never been seen in pictures. I met some of them today. You will see their white uniform in the photos but I am not allowed to show you their faces. Margiela’s main focus is on the product and not on the individual behind it.

The label on his clothes is equally anonymous, a blank white rectangle and a circled number from 0 to 23 that corresponds to one of various lines in the Margiela range. Of course, the white stitches used to affix his label—often visible at the back of the garment—have become funilly enough an internationally recognized icon. Margiela has pushed fashion boundaries with clothes made of trash bags or vintage home furnishings  such as car seats or seat belts. In 2002, he sold a majority stake to Renzo Rosso, owner of Diesel.

The collaboration between Maison Martin Margiela and H&M presents a re-edition of iconic Margiela garnets and accessories for men and women. It consists of around 100 pieces. Each of them is specifically labelled with a unique tag indicating the season from which it originated, spanning 23 years. The most representative pieces of Margiela’s archive are reproduced in updated shapes and materials and offered to the broad public as an exclusive synopsis of their history. I think that is a very interesting approach of H&M. They are bringing fashion history to the masses which I adore.

The entire collection is divided into five groups:

Shape & Volume: Masculine shapes are adjusted to frame the female body.

Oversized: Pieces of the masculine and feminine wardrobe are presented in oversized versions of themselves.

Ambiguity: Conveyed through the use of trompe l’oeil.

Transformation: This occurs in different ways. Offering a new use and shape to otherwise typical objects and materials.

My favourites: The adjusted biker jacket and the amazing candy clutch in pink.

The adjusted biker jacket for women also looks great on men as René sports it in perfection. If you like his style, follow him on instagram @renewho.

Gray of Bootiesonmyfeet looks stunning in the belted Maison Martin Margiela with H&M leather jacket.

The candy clutches SS2010. A candy bar packaging is enlarged and transformed into an evening clutch bag.

Process of Tailoring: Traditional finishings and tailoring procedures are visible. Similarly, more specific sartorial concepts, particular to the world of couture are exposed.

Margareta van den Bosch, H&M’s Creative Advisor, with me

The accessories are absolutely divine. Now, I am getting ready for tonight’s party where we can also shop the new collection before it will officially hit the stores on November 15, 2012 worldwide.

Stay tuned for more.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Exciting news: Maison Martin Margiela is the next fashion house to collaborate with H&M.
The collection for both, men and women, will be available on November 15th, 2012 in 230 H&M shops worldwide as well as online.

“MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA is one of the most important and influential fashion houses of the past three decades. I am so excited by this collaboration which will give fashion lovers around the world the chance to wear special pieces by MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA. This collaboration will be a great and memorable fashion moment“, says Margareta van den Bosch, creative advisor at H&M.

“We are very happy to present MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA pieces with H&M, offering a new interpretation of our vision. The democracy of our fashion has always been at the centre of our creativity, and the collaboration with H&M allows us to push this instinct further. We will bring together the contrasting universes of the two houses in ways that will surprise all.” MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA

ABOUT MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA

MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA is a French fashion house which has always followed its own path, often outside the conventional fashion framework. The Maison believes in the absolute importance of the collaborative nature of its team rather than the individual, where its ideals are founded in the desire for concept and creativity. Constantly questioning the norms of fashion and presenting its pieces through the technique of deconstruction and transformation, the collections reinvent volumes, modify shapes, change the original use and movement of garments and derail classic notions of fashion.

The Paris-based label, whose elusive Belgian founder left the company in 2009, is loved by fashion insiders around the world for its avant-garde aesthetics. It might not reach the same level of anticipation as the collaboration with Versace did, but it will definitely be a successful and different combination!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of H&M

Last week when I was in Paris for the Dior shoot, another amazing event took place in my favourite city Los Angeles. Drew Barrymore, Winona Ryder and Milla Jovovich were among the guests who attended a party to celebrate the launch of Marni at H&M.

Held in a beautiful Hollywood residence, the evening was hosted by Marni’s Founder and Creative Director, Consuelo Castiglioni, the Director of the Marni at H&M campaign, Sofia Coppola and Margareta van den Bosch, H&M´s Creative Advisor.

The setting, the 1926 Sowden House in Los Feliz, designed by Lloyd Wright, couldn’t have been more magical. The Mayan architecture, tropical palm trees, kilim rugs and cushions were the perfect backdrop for Marni’s signature, playful and tribal aesthetic. The guests were eager to see the collection, which was beautifully displayed in the house’s walk-in closet.

Sofia Coppola, who shot a campaign film for the collection in Marrakech, Morocco, was also at the event, wearing a gold brocade top from Marni at H&M. Many guests at the party were dressed in Marni at H&M included Jessica Chastain and Drew Barrymore. It is a great way to see the collection on real people. For the detailed post on the looks, please click here.

Drew Barrymore

Jessica Chastain

Freida Pinto

Felicity Jones

Consuelo Castiglioni, R Jones and Sofia Coppola

Mel Gibson and Consuelo Castiglioni

“It has been an inspiring night, surrounded by a perfect setting and a great crowd. LA encapsulated the dream! It is not long before Marni at H&M is in the stores, and I am happy to share these magic moments with everybody.”

– Consuelo Castiglioni

Another highlight of the night: Bryan Ferry‘s performance. Remember his show in January at the IWC Top Gun gala event?!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of H&M

Just recovered from the Versace for H&M mania, no time to relax, there is more to come.
To get started, here is a sneak preview of the next designer collaboration with the Swedish fashion house: MARNI FOR H&M.

Famed for its original prints and inventive spirit, Marni is one of fashion’s most-loved labels, and its Founder and Creative Director Consuelo Castiglioni has created for H&M a spring collection for both women and men which capture its essence perfectly.

Available from March 8, 2012 in around 260 stores worldwide and online, the collection features both clothing and accessories all at H&M’s prices, meaning everyone will have the chance to enter Marni’s world.

Consuelo Castiglioni, Founder and Creative Director Marni and Margareta van den Bosch, Creative Advisor H&M

“I wanted to create a true Marni wardrobe by revisiting all our favorite pieces in signature fabrics and prints. As always, I love juxtaposing prints and colours, mixing modern tribal with Bauhaus graphic adding sporty utilitarian elements”.

– Consuelo Castiglioni, Founder and Creative Director

“We all love the collection here at H&M and we believe that our customers will do the same. Marni has such a modern touch with everything they do, mixing prints and accessories in a playful but chic way. It’s fantastic to see how Consuelo Castiglioni coordinates her designs, matching new combinations of print and colour, with such incredible craftsmanship behind every piece. The collection will arrive in stores at just the perfect time, as a lovely statement for spring“.

– Margareta van den Bosch, Creative Advisor H&M

Marni is a label that sticks to its own path, setting its own trends for print, cut and silhouette that are always playful and elegant. Marni has remained a family owned-business as it has grown to become an international luxury brand with stores around the world.

Marni’s collection for H&M has all the freedom and experimentation for which the label is renowned, with all-over prints in strong colours all intended to be worn together in layers that both match and clash.
For women, the colours are vivid and the prints are bold, be they African inspired or simpler colour blocks. The silhouettes are all Marni staples, with full pleated skirts, dresses, cropped trousers and jacquard knit, and fabrics range from silk to crisp cotton poplin. To finish the complete look the collection also includes jewellery, shoes, bags and scarves.

For men, the colours and fabrics are softened for a relaxed take on menswear staples that is truly Marni. The use of print is subtle, often as a lining or as a contrast detail for shirts, the silhouette a modern and relaxed take on masculine classics.

Photos: Courtesy of H&M, © Magnus Magnusson

Bored of queuing? Here is your fashionable surprise!

There will be also a Versace for H&M S/S 2012 collection, exclusively available in countries with H&M online sales from January 19, 2012. The colourful capsule line will feature fruit prints and lots of Versace glamour. Unfortunately, bad news for Switzerland and the United States. Where are our European friends when we need them?!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Via Mirror UK

Tomorrow, the Versace for H&M collection will officially hit 300 stores worldwide (in the US on November 19th), so ladies and gentlemen be prepared to line up in the morning.

Last week in NYC, I got the pleasure to meet Donatella Versace and H&M’s creative advisor Margareta van den Bosch who sat down for a chat with Tim Blanks, Style.com’s editor-at-large, at the top floor of the Dream Downtown hotel.

Find out a little bit more about the collection and which one is Donatella’s favourite look. Believe it or not…Donatella even revealed that she likes shopping at H&M.

Margareta van den Bosch, Donatella Versace and Tim Blanks

What does this collaboration mean to you?

D.V.: It was very emotional for me to go through the archives to explore all the looks that Gianni created. It is an amazing way to reach the younger crowd. I am working closely with Lady Gaga or Nicki Menaj. It is great to collaborate with such dedicated artists who have so many followers. Gianni would be so proud to see his clothes worn by younger kids. This is an homage to Gianni.
I was scared to take over the reins from him when he died. I had to gain the credibility from the rest of the world.

Looking at your own shows, you are reenergized creatively. You are working with the Fringe London, Lady Gaga? Calling this a Versace moment, why do you think this was all coming together now?

D.V.: For me it is a fantasic moment. I talk and follow young designers. I am very interested in them and they are very interested in me. A house like Versace has a lot of history they can profit from but I am learning a lot, too. I am open to different opinions. Fashion is every day an exam. After all those years of minimalism, Versace and its luxury are back!

Margareta, did you feel a Versace moment as well?

M.v.d.B.: Yes, definitely. This is a different collaboration from what we did before with all those colours and prints, leather and studs. The essence of the house Versace was truly there.

Donatella, were you surprised when you went through your archives even that you know them well?

D.V.: I was amazed to see how Gianni did everything – I am sorry to say – before everybody else. I see a lot of homage to Versace today as for example young designer Riccardo Tisci did for the Givenchy F/W 2011 collection (looking at me as I was wearing a dress from this collection). But this is enough now. It is my turn, this is my homage to Versace!

Didn’t you have to make a concession?

D.V.: This was the best thing to work with H&M, there was no concession. There are fantastic people in this company. They said yes to everything, I never got a no. It has been a fantastic liberating moment. Just the amount of sketches surprised the team. 
31 looks were asked and I created 43 looks for the runway, from the chokers and the bracelets with the Medusa, flowers from Miami, printed jeans and skirts, leather, the high heels, nothing is missing.

Margareta, what are the criteria for a collaboration? Isn’t H&M and Versace at two comletely different ends? And how do you get started?

M.v.d.B.: It is very much a feeling that we discuss in-house. If we agree, we go for it. We had the first meeting and talked about the collection. We decided something little. When the second meeting took place with the teams around the products, like buyers, people for the packaging and many others, I expected some sketches but Donatella had everything ready. It was fantastic as we always have a lack of time.

Margareta, you said the time was right for Versace, what do you mean with that?

M.v.d.B.: Fashion should be something that makes you happy. This collaboration is about a dream, to give people the spirit of luxury. We try to make it as close to the brand as possible. Maximalism, colours, prints, everything is back. It is an optimistic upbeat collection even that you see all the bad news in Europe.

And how about you, Donatella? What do you think?

D.V.: It is a dream of luxury, for example when you touch the studded leather coat from the Versace for H&M collaboration or the original from the archives, you don’t know which one is the real one.

Donatella Versace with me

What is this collaboration about? Which impact will the collection have on H&M or Versace? Will it change your own work?

D.V.: I had that clear idea what to do, of the look that young people want. Fashion is freedom today. Technology plays a fantastic role and H&M uses it in an amazing way. It is interesting to see how young people put things together and that everything goes.

M.v.d.B.: Fashion is about expressing your individuality. This collaboration is about giving the customers something new and showing that you don’t need a huge budget to look good. We are very professional and have all the knowledge. We included for the first time homewear because it is part of the Versace look, as well as jewelry. I mean there is no Versace collection without jewelry. We have two different cushions, a blanket and many different jewelry pieces.

Which one is your favourite piece in the collection?

D.V.: I have 43 favourite babies.

M.v.d.B.: The studded leather dress and the rings.

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If I were you, I would definitely get a piece with the tropical print as this is a huge trend among the upcoming Cruise 2012 collections from the likes of Stella McCartney, Marc by Marc Jacobs and Givenchy.

And don’t forget to enter the contest to win the amazing purple one-of-a-kind Versace for H&M dress! Deadline is tonight! Good luck!

And rumours are out that the next collaboration might be with Tom Ford, OMG!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht