At the Cannes amFAR gala, H&M announced that this year’s designer collaboration is with Giambattista Valli.
Vogue reports that at the gala, Valli dressed up Kendall Jenner, Chiara Ferragni, Bianca Brandolini, Chris Lee [Li Yuchun], H.E.R., and Ross Lynch to showcase the pre-collection. These designs will be available online and in selected stores this Saturday, May 25, serving as a teaser for the full collection coming this Nov. 7. And if that’s not enough, Valli has ventured into menswear for this foray, a first for the designer.
In the Philippines and around the world, you can preview the collection online which features dresses in Valli’s favorite fabrics: tulle, silk, and lace. On the other hand, the menswear pieces are focused on wool jackets, organza shirts, and suit shorts. You could wear these pieces to a big party, or whenever you want to be a little #extra.
The collection also features two tiaras, a waist belt, and a necklace all made with sparkly stones. For shoes, there’s a pair of pink sandals and pearl-studded loafers.
Italian-born, Paris-based Valli debuted his eponymous brand in 2005, which has been a favorite among celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Ariana Grande. In recent years, his designs, like Rihanna’s pink and poofy look for the 2015 Grammy Awards, have made fashion headlines. In July 2015, the designer released a lipstick collection with MAC Cosmetics.
Through his creations, Valli likes to tell love stories that are “ageless, timeless, and effortless” and is “shared with dreamers and lovers alike.”
Since 2004, H&M releases a designer collaboration, merging couture sensibilities with fast-fashion. Previous collections feature some of the biggest labels in fashion including Karl Lagerfeld, Viktor & Rolf, Balmain, and Maison Martin Margiela, along with newer names such as Alexander Wang and Stella McCartney.
Last year’s collaboration was with Moschino, featuring Jeremy Scott’s love for pop culture references and throwback iconography from the ’80s and ’90s. The campaign featured Scott’s real-life friends such as drag queen Aquaria, twins and influencers Aya and Ami, Sakura Bready, Scott’s assistant, and Pablo Olea, global PR and communications of Moschino.
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