It’s always the subject of feverish speculation and a highlight on the fashion calendar, now this year’s H&M designer collaboration has been revealed as Balmain. And really, who else could it possibly have been? With Olivier Rousteing at the helm, Balmain has become the ultimate going-out, dress-up go-to for the most glamorous girls in the world; they call themselves #BalmainArmy.
Proof of Rousteing’s red carpet prowess came with the genius unveiling of the H&M collaboration, which hits 250 shops around the world on 5th November. At last night’s Billboard Music Awards, Kendall Jenner and Jourdan Dunn both debuted pieces which will soon be available for us all to get our hands on.
We’re happy to report that the early signs are that H&M x Balmain is set to be just as uniquely fierce as the Balmain mainline which is beloved of celebrities from Rosie Huntington-Whitely and Blake Lively to Kim Kardashian. Jenner wore a glitz-covered, power-shouldered jacket while Dunn showed off an uber-mini skirt and chunky gold belt, all of which have the Balmain signature nailed.
Rousteing is excited to expand the idea of his #BalmainArmy to become “a global #HMBalmaination: a movement of togetherness, fuelled on a hashtag”. He added, “I want to talk to my generation − this is my main aim as a designer. H&M allows me the unique possibility of bringing everyone into the world of Balmain.” There will also be a men’s collection.
Ann-Sofie Johansson, Creative Advisor at H&M said, “We are excited to have Balmain as our guest designer at H&M and to create a truly involving experience for everybody. With its mix of couture spirit and streetwear attitude, Balmain owns a unique style; opulent and direct, sensual and energetic.”
It’s clear that H&M are continuing to push the concept of their now legendary designer collaboration, harnessing the power of social media and celebrity to bring designer luxury to the masses. With last year’s Alexander Wang collaboration, Instagram was the driving force to unveil the news and exclusive snippets of the sports-inspired collection. This year, it’s clear we can expect our Christmas party season to look as fabulous as celeb-packed party or awards red carpet with a new wardrobe of Balmain wonders in our opulence arsenal.