H&M’S LATEST INNOVATION STORIES COLLECTION MAKES ITS DEBUT WITH IRINA SHAYK, SHAY MITCHELL AND MANU RÍOS AT THE 2022 FASHION AWARDS

Such multi-faceted, forward-thinking talents from the worlds of fashion, film, music and art perfectly sum up the inclusive and innovative appeal of H&M’s latest sustainability-focused collection. Inspired by the blurring boundaries between our online and offline lives, the Innovation Metaverse Design Story blends the craftsmanship of high fashion with the fantasy of virtual wardrobes. Coming under the Innovation Stories platform umbrella – an initiative that comprises a series of themed collections dedicated to promoting more sustainable materials, technologies and production processes – the collection aims to empower customers to express themselves glamorously both IRL and online.

The table of stars was hosted at the awards evening by H&M’s creative advisor Ann-Sofie Johansson and by H&M’s assortment designer Ella Soccorsi, both of whom oversee the Innovation Stories platform. Each guest had chosen a look from the collection that they felt best expressed their personality following a series of fittings in London. 

“I love dressing up for the red carpet and I’m enjoying exploring a more flamboyant sense of style at the moment. It feels really exciting to be able to wear a beautifully constructed H&M evening dress embellished with sequins, and I love that it’s made from recycled plastic bottle waste!” 

says model Irina Shayk.

“This dress is super fun. It blends the surreal nature of the metaverse with the functionality of the real world,”

says actor Shay Mitchell.  

“It’s so exciting to be able to spotlight H&M’s most innovative collection at the fashion industry’s biggest awards event of the year. Exploring the virtual dimension of fashion with this future-facing collection has been so rewarding, and it’s wonderful to see it being brought to life by so many extraordinary personalities,”

says Ann-Sofie Johansson, Creative Advisor at H&M.

“This collection is both visually explosive and future-facing, inspired by the endless opportunities for self-expression that the metaverse and virtual reality can afford all of us. It’s wonderful to be able to showcase these progressive ideas on a global stage among the brightest minds in the fashion industry,”

says Ella Soccorsi, Assortment Designer at H&M.

The awards offered a first-look at the eye-catching silhouettes, festooned with intricate embroidery and rendered in an internet-breaking colour palette, that will be available to purchase when the Innovation Metaverse Design Story goes on sale in selected stores and online at hm.com from 8 December.

These looks included: 

Irina Shayk wearing a shimmering chestnut-brown dress with sequins made from 100% recycled plastic bottle waste (and without a metallic coating, which makes them easier to recycle). Shoes and accessories not included in the Innovation Metaverse Design Story collection. 

Kim Petras wearing a black cut-out dress featuring layers of 100% recycled polyester ribbons: an unusual design and a provocative statement with a Y2K edge. Shoes and accessories not included in the Innovation Metaverse Design Story collection. 

Lucien Laviscount wearing a top in a mono-fibre fabric made of recycled polyester derived from textiles that might otherwise have ended up as waste. The top is paired with a pair of cut-out-style trousers with layers of 100% recycled polyester ribbons. Shoes and accessories not included in the Innovation Metaverse Design Story collection. 

Shay Mitchell wearing a neon-yellow maxi dress with a corset waist featuring intricate boning flaring out into a tulle-pumped ruffle skirt, with a mesh bra made of 87% recycled polyester and 13% elastane underneath. The dress comes in a mono-fibre fabric made of recycled polyester derived from textiles that might otherwise have ended up as waste. Shoes and accessories not included in the Innovation Metaverse Design Story collection. 

Manu Ríos wearing an emerald-green blazer in a mono-fibre fabric made of recycled polyester from textile waste, paired with a black H&M Essentials shirt and a pair of trousers from a previous H&M Conscious Exclusive collection. Shoes and accessories not included in the Innovation Metaverse Design Story collection. 

Pom Klementieff wearing a tulle mini dress in two-tone shades of mint and apple-green, made from recycled polyester derived from textiles that might otherwise have ended up as waste. Shoes and accessories not included in the Innovation Metaverse Design Story collection.  

Eli Brown wearing an oversized bomber jacket, with recycled acrylic beads, designed exclusively for the Fashion Awards paired with a black turtleneck and a pair of trousers from the H&M Essentials collection. Shoes and accessories not included in the Innovation Metaverse Design Story collection. 

Joy Crookes wearing a brown bodysuit in 87% recycled polyester and 13% elastane mesh paired with a co-ordinating blazer and trouser set, made from a blend of 33% organic silk and 67% Naia™ Renew cellulosic yarn, produced from sustainably-sourced wood pulp, waste plastics, carpet fibres and other hard-to-recycle materials. The look is paired with chocolate-brown, sock-style platform heeled boots, made from a recycled polyester-Spandex mix, with a brown transparent polycarbonate heel.  

Leomie Anderson wearing a purple mini dress: inspired by a flower in bloom, the abundant ruffles of this dress hold their shape thanks to edgings in crinoline tape. The shell fabric used is made of 100% recycled polyester from garment and textile waste, collected in partnership with H&M’s garment collection programme. The look is paired with metallic heeled sandals with 100% recycled polyester straps embellished with recycled acrylic beads.

Alva Claire wearing a floor-length evening dress with a bubble hem bolstered by tulle and a daring low-cut back. This dramatic dress comes in a mono-fibre fabric made of recycled polyester. Shoes and accessories not included in the Innovation Metaverse Design Story collection.

H&M Creative Advisor Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M Assortment Designer Ella Soccorsi and H&M Head of Global PR Kattis Bahrke were all dressed in looks from H&M.