H&M - the Swedish powerhouse high street store - has launched in the UK a new modest collection in response to its global customer's desire to show less skin. This new H&M fashion range, which will be available in the form of dresses, tunics and trousers is for the shopper at home with covering up. This follows in the footsteps of brands like Nike, Uniqlo and American Eagle, who have all catered to this audience with specialist collections in the past.
‘Today H&M is present in 69 markets, and we want to be diverse and inclusive to all the markets where we operate,’ Pernilla Wohlfahrt, head of design at H&M told Glamour.com. ‘We want to be able to offer something for everyone. We have had modest options in the range in the past and decided for spring to bring together these items under one cohesive collection, for customers interested in modest fashion to easily find and shop these items.’
Dubbed the LTD Collection, it will drop online tomorrow on 3 May in the US, with the second drop expected on 24 May, with prices starting from £59.99. It will feature long-sleeved tunics to be worn over trousers, as well as floaty kaftans and dresses. Many pieces are floral, with embroidery details and added sparkle.
H&M has previous experience in this field. In 2015, they launched a campaign starring hijab-wearing model Mariah Idrissi, which attracted a mixed response online. Some commenters claimed Idrissi’s modelling was at odds to her Muslim religion, something she strongly refuted: ‘As long as I'm dressed correctly, according to Islam, then there's no problem. It's just promoting the hijab, in a way. If anything, it's good.’
While the collection is aimed at the emerging modest market, particularly those with ethno-religious reasons for wanting to cover more skin, it is by no means exclusive to these shoppers. Indeed, there are plenty of other women likely to choose the collection for its chic silhouettes and tailoring.
We have reached out to H&M to find out when the collection is launching in the UK.