admin The first thing my eye fell upon when walking into the studio space where the H&M Studio collection was presented was a short black dress with square shoulders and white collar and cuffs. The look, a mashup of Wednesday Addams and Frankenstein, was unexpectedly sophisticated. Indeed this iteration of the Studio line is one of the most grown-up and dressy the team has shown to date with a good balance between minimal tailoring, especially in the form of a long coat, and sparkly party attire.
Studio always has “glamorous, more exuberant pieces; we always have tailoring, and we always have big chunky jewelry accessories,” noted company creative advisor Ann-Sofie Johansson. Still, the vibe was elevated and there was a sense of change in the air. It turns out this collection is indeed a harbinger of evolution: “We are trying to build Studio as a brand within (a brand),” Johansson noted. Though it will continue to be a capsule-like venture, the focus going forward will tend more toward the timeless than trendy.
There were options for work and play here, and many of the garments, like an of-the-moment black midi skirt, could go either way. An emo tear-print and diamante-studded denim looked extroverted, in contrast to the lace-trimmed lady blouse, which could be worn with or without irony. But that these disparate pieces can coexist within this small collection is a testament to the clear vision behind it.
