Sandra‘s Closet

Stella McCartney x H&M: Because Once Wasn’t Enough
Over twenty years ago, Stella McCartney and H&M made history. The collection sold out in days, the fashion world applauded, and the idea of a luxury designer democratising her vision for the high street felt genuinely exciting. Novel, even. So here we are again.

The S/S 2026 collection drops May 7th, and it is, by all accounts, a thorough tour of McCartney’s greatest hits. The Falabella chain appears on approximately everything, loafers, necklaces, bag straps, necklines. There are oversized trenches, sharp tailoring, cherry-print mesh dresses, a white gown with a cape sleeve, and a studded tee reading Rock Royalty. Six bag styles, including a chocolate-brown shoulder bag that will be gone within the hour. A keyring shaped like a cherry, for those who missed out on everything else.

The sustainability credentials are real, and here McCartney deserves genuine credit – recycled metals, organic cotton, RWS-certified wool, coated fabrics derived partly from industrial corn and recycled vegetable oil. She has been saying all of this since long before it became a brand strategy, which sets her apart from most. There is also an Insights Board, a joint initiative designed to push industry-wide change. One hopes it produces more than a very elegant PDF.
The uncomfortable question, of course, is one the collaboration doesn’t entirely answer: does producing a mass-market capsule collection – however consciously – move fashion forward, or simply make us feel better about buying more of it?

McCartney’s ethics have always been sincere. H&M’s record is, charitably, more complicated.
Designer collaborations remain fashion’s most reliable sleight of hand. They create desire, generate headlines, and sell out before most people have had their morning coffee. The formula is twenty years old now. It works. It will work again on May 7th.

Which, depending on your perspective, is either reassuring or precisely the problem.
Stella McCartney x H&M – available globally in stores and online from May 7, 2026.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © H&M
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Your knitwear is about to get a revamp for a great budget with H&M‘s newest collaboration with Pringle of Scotland. The collection makes clever use of recycled polyester and organic cotton along with cosy alpaca wool and smooth viscose fibres — and is showcased by stylist and fashion editor Julia Sarr-Jamois.

When the design team at H&M was first presented with the idea of a knitwear collaboration, their minds fell immediately on Pringle of Scotland. With the brand’s signature argyle patterns and sporty knitwear pairings on the golf course, Pringle – founded in 1815 – is renowned as one of the oldest luxury knitwear brands in the world.

«We fell completely in love with the brand’s history, from their intimate and modest origins from Hawick, Scotland, to their technical innovation in knitwear», says Holli Parkinson, knitwear designer at H&M.

When the H&M team met with Pringle in their design office in London’s Vincent Square, presenting their initial trend idea to them, they went through the archives and one pattern stood out from the rest: the iconic argyle that has been part of the Pringle of Scotland’s DNA since the 1920s.

«Together with our in-house print team, we reworked different scales and colourways of the argyle. Inspired by streetwear styling and sport influences, we developed new designs around the classic pattern, and introduced an acid yellow colour as a highlight accent which brought the whole collection together», says Holli Parkinson.

The key pieces of the collection include a sweater which boasts a patchwork of tone and texture, splicing a retro-inspired diamond pattern with heavy ribbed wool, and a cropped, funnel-necked jumper with balloon sleeves. Traditional yarns are infused with attitudinal appeal in a series of generously oversized, raw-edged sweaters. Sweater dresses with ring-pull zip closures, cosy hoodies, second-skin leggings and slouchy hats and scarves are all printed with athletic logos for an athleisure take.

The in-house design team at H&M had constant contact with Pringle of Scotland throughout the process, and were able to share thoughts and ideas from sketches to samples.

«Pringle of Scotland has a long history of collaboration, and this latest partnership with H&M has been hugely inspiring. We are always looking for new ways to express the DNA of our heritage knitwear and we hope this latest playful, sporty take on our famous argyle and Fair Isle knitwear will delight our existing customers, as well as reach a worldwide audience via H&M», says Katy Wallace, Brand Director at Pringle of Scotland.

TO SHOP THE PRINGLE OF SCOTLAND x H&M COLLECTION ONLINE, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of H&M