Tuesday night, Paris’ Grand Palais was transformed into a glitter and confetti-encrusted parade route to launch H&M’s highly-anticipated lingerie line by Sonia Rykiel. In true Alice in Wonderland meets Mardi Gras fashion, the show began with British model Lily Cole Grand Marshalling behind the reins of a giant horse head float and ended with a Tour de Fashion of models dressed in the Sonia Rykiel for H&M knitwear due out next year.
The show employed the use of floats (manned by Karl Lagerfeld look-alikes) on which the models danced and posed rather than the traditional catwalk. Though, anticipating this show to be traditional was well out of the question. When the show’s plans were emerging late last week, New York Magazine’s The Cut went so far as to say the show was “shaping up to be the Victoria’s Secret fashion show of Europe.”
In place of Victoria’s Secret’s wings and three million dollar bras, the collection was presented as you can find it in stores. Sweet dusty rose and champagne bodysuits and separates mix nicely with sultry black silk kimonos and red bra and panty sets. It appears, at first glance, as the typical lingerie fare, almost justifying the Victoria’s Secret comparison. Looking closer, however reveals gathered rose details and nostalgic 1950s silhouettes.
Despite the uniqueness of the launch show itself, it is not the only thing about the Sonia Rykiel for H&M collection that is unique. For the first time in H&M’s history of designer collaborations, this is the first collection that will also be available in the designer’s stores.
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Comments
Great job! Very nicely written and informative. Could almost see the show.
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