Highsnobiety
H&M

Irish fashion designer Simone Rocha is launching her collaboration with H&M today. The collection welcomes the designer's first-ever menswear collection, replete with pearls, shirting, and the sexy menswear item du jour, the Aran sweater.

Beyond that, the collaboration introduces Rocha's coded elements of subversive femininity and application of contrast to an accessible line of H&M pieces. There's shirting, hoodies, T-shirts, and outerwear arriving in black/red/pink/tartan, and prints featuring photography from Jacob Lillis. We may have called time out on pearl necklaces in our latest trend obituary, but perhaps we'll rescind it in the face of the pearl-trimmed Derbys and trench coats. Take a look at the collection via the gallery above.

Your Highsnobiety privacy settings have blocked this Instagram post.

Rocha is no stranger to collaboration, as she was a part of Moncler's Genius project last year, which saw her introduce her floral prints to romantic organza-layered sculptural pieces that added a feminine texture to Moncler's precise technicality.

H&M has been remixing its casual wear with luxury designer collaborations since 2004 when the Swedish behemoth launched a 30-piece collection designed by late creative director of Chanel Karl Lagerfeld.  The partnership was, by all accounts, a roaring success. At the time, WWD reported that shoppers were literally ripping clothes off mannequins to score a Lagerfeld-designed dress for the affordable price of €99. However, Lagerfeld would later describe the collaboration as a failure citing "snobbery created by anti-snobbery" to Vogue for the way stocks were kept deliberately low and therefore leaving customers disappointed.

The high-street-meets-high-fashion concept was further described as exemplifying "masstige" or "massclusivity" because of how it introduced desirable products to the wider market – with the caveat that it's for a limited time only. The H&M x "Designer" model was duly repeated with Versace, COMME des GARÇONS, Lanvin, Balmain, Maison Martin Margiela, in addition to collaborations with Beyoncé and David Beckham, too. Although the concept of branded collaborations is just another facet of fashion industry these days, H&M was arguably the blueprint for getting high-end name tags in the wardrobes of the general shopper.

Rocha's decision to partner with H&M is an interesting one that is seemingly in contrast with an ethos she outlined during a discussion on sustainability with Vogue last year. “A lot of people are talking about slowing down [after the pandemic] and creating a smaller amount of product, which I agree with," she said. "Mainly I think what will slow down is the craving for things that are disposable—disposable fashion and ideas. I hope people will want an intimacy with collections and a personal connection with clothes that last a long time.”

One would hope the above comments regarding the disposable nature of fashion has been considered when partnering with a fast-fashion giant who is often called out for promoting just that. Perhaps Lagerfeld's point hit home and stocks will be kept low?

You can shop the collection on the EU site now, and on the USA site later today.

We Recommend
  • Where Was All the Slime at Prada?!
    • Style
  • Temperature Check: 4 Emerging Designers on the State of London
    • Culture
  • These Sneakers Are a Perfect Match for Valentine's Day
    • Sneakers
  • Collision Couture: Jean Paul Gaultier In Conversation with Simone Rocha
    • Style
  • 15 Balaclavas To Tackle Cold Weather Face First
    • Style
What To Read Next
  • adidas Originals Is Looking Back For the Future
    • Sneakers
  • Nobu & Caviar with Chef Nobu
    • Culture
  • Why Are Famous People Obsessed With Cowboycore?
    • Style
  • LOEWE's JW Anderson Made 'Challengers' 2024's Best-Dressed Movie
    • Style
  • imma and Youngji Break the Mold for Level 3
    • Style
    • sponsored
  • Oakley's Techy Outdoors Label Is Expanding
    • Style
*If you submitted your e-mail address and placed an order, we may use your e-mail address to inform you regularly about similar products without prior explicit consent. You can object to the use of your e-mail address for this purpose at any time without incurring any costs other than the transmission costs according to the basic tariffs. Each newsletter contains an unsubscribe link. Alternatively, you can object to receiving the newsletter at any time by sending an e-mail to info@highsnobiety.com

Web Accessibility Statement

Titel Media GmbH (Highsnobiety), is committed to facilitating and improving the accessibility and usability of its Website, www.highsnobiety.com. Titel Media GmbH strives to ensure that its Website services and content are accessible to persons with disabilities including users of screen reader technology. To accomplish this, Titel Media GmbH tests, remediates and maintains the Website in-line with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which also bring the Website into conformance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Disclaimer

Please be aware that our efforts to maintain accessibility and usability are ongoing. While we strive to make the Website as accessible as possible some issues can be encountered by different assistive technology as the range of assistive technology is wide and varied.

Contact Us

If, at any time, you have specific questions or concerns about the accessibility of any particular webpage on this Website, please contact us at accessibility@highsnobiety.com, +49 (0)30 235 908 500. If you do encounter an accessibility issue, please be sure to specify the web page and nature of the issue in your email and/or phone call, and we will make all reasonable efforts to make that page or the information contained therein accessible for you.