H&M’s Latest Designer Collaboration Is Coming – And It’s A Summery Dream

Liya Kebede - supermodel, philanthropist and designer - knows exactly what you should be wearing this summer. Her resortwear brand Lemlem – founded more than a decade ago to showcase the craftsmanship of her native country, Ethiopia, and bring jobs back to its artisans, is the latest collaborator to join forces with H&M. And the resulting collection of mindfully-made clothes and jewellery feels very summer 2021.

Launching on April 22, the collection includes everything you would need for that summer beach break (whether it's in Mykonos or Margate), with striped kaftans, swimwear, slip dresses, and an array of easy breezy separates that can be mixed and matched together as you saunter between the sea and a shady spot on the sand, and that mirror the traditional woven pieces that have become a signature at Lemlem. And because ethical production and sustainability are so important to Kebede, the entire collection is made from organic cotton, recycled polyester and Tencel Lyocell.

'I love that H&M has always been at the forefront of doing really cool collaborations. So for Lemlem, it's really exciting to be part of that group of brands. It's also the first time we have a whole Lemlem look, with the jewellery really adding to the feeling and the woman that I want it to look like. My creative direction included the campaign, too, which was so much fun and special because I got to shoot with my daughter,' said Kebede.

Lemlem, which rather appropriately means ‘bloom and flourish’ in the Ethiopian language of Amharic, is committed to manufacturing in Africa, and its clothes are made by local collectives and craftswomen in Kenya, Rwanda and Madagascar. Through her work as part of the Lemlem Foundation, the brand's charitable arm, Kebede has also been supporting the work of Amref Health Africa, a non-profit that supports midwife training and health outreach services in the communities where Lemlem's clothes are produced.