Fabulous Letters From Lisbon: Marni for H&M

Dear Letter Lovers,

The time has come for ever-so eclectic collection

Marni for H&M

The Collection:

"Eclectic, Quirky and Timeless"

This is to say the least. I think most of you are more than fully aware that this is not an easy collection.

It involves "a juxtaposition of shapes, patterns and materials."

And you have to have one hell of an imagination and a strong stomach to actually put an outfit together.

Marni:

Marni is not a brand you wear halfheartedly. You need to be brave.

Anna Wintour wearing Marni

You either go all out, and deal with the fact that there is a lot of pattern and loose lines or you might as well go home.

Inês Fontoura, H&M PR Rep here in Portugal, confides that Marni, in her opinion is an:

"Intellectual" brand.

"It's cultured, it's quirky, it's exclusive".

This certainly provides a high contrast with other luxury brands H&M has collaborated with in the past.

Roberto Cavalli for H&M

"It has nothing to do with last season's collaboration with Versace..."

That was a highly commercial collection.

Versace has much greater awareness, it's sexier, it appeals to a larger audience and therefore the investment was much greater"

Anna della Russo wearing Versace for H&M

So let's take inside the showroom actual look at the pieces:

"A sense of sophisticated eclecticism is mixed with a sporty allure"

Upon entering the showroom and taking in the patterns, prints and pieces one immediately thinks of Morocco, the setting of Sofia Coppola's campaign.

Browns, olives, navys, khakis, oranges and tones of black give an organic feeling to the collection.

It's very real, down to earth but with a twist.

E-T-H-N-I-C is the key word.

The particular pieces captured below are very loose and easy fitting.

And then comes a splurge of my favourite combination:

Colours & Bows

A word of warning:

All fashionistas who desperately need to have a piece from the collection will go for one or both of the following items:

Annabelle Dexter Jones at the LA Runway Show:

Safe but Stunning Pretty in Pink

I myself am no better.

I love the shorts and this number below:

There was also just a touch of metallic to glam things up:

Please note:

Marni combined a very barocco patterned romantic skirt with a modern edgy elastic.

(Thank you Matilde for pointing this out)

Sofia Coppola, known for her love of combing the old with the new adorned the look for the H&M runway show in L&A last week:

And what about the collection for Men?

Bellissimo

Showroom

We loved these yellow waistcoats:

Urban, sporty, bright and practical for cyclists!

And the cashmere jumpers are equally divine:

& Let's not forget the Accessories <3

Particular sets of earrings and bracelets, as seen below are reminiscent of Dominos.

It's all very Art Deco

Take a look:

These bracelets are incredibly playful, like toys for a glamorous modern day woman adorned with rhinestones.

Then of course there are the resin necklaces that can be matched with the resin rhinestone earrings.

"Eclectic playfulness":

And let's not forget the sequin collars everyone was fawning all over:

Shoes:

The perfect mix for the urban eco-friendly woman combining the elements of wood, leather, string and & metallics

Conclusions

...The real question that springs to mind upon leaving the showroom was the following...

Which party is going to benefit the most from this collaboration?

Marni or H&M

In theory, both the invited luxury designer and H&M play an important role and both parties should benefit circumstantially from this kind of synergy.

However, we cannot ignore the fact that the collection Consuelo Castiglioni has designed for this particular season of H&M's luxury partnership is a difficult one.

Especially upon analyzing the overall consumption tendencies of the Portuguese market.

"This collection is very me", confides Inês Fontoura.

"But it's a challenging one for Portuguese women. We're very used to waisted dresses and tighter cuts and you don't see many of these here in the showroom."

"There's a lot of pattern, cocoon jackets and skirts that fall below the knee"

In comparison to the Versace collaboration, Marni's variety is much less sexy, but by far much more chic.

"We didn't invest as much in this partnership as the previous one. Especially in terms of quantity. But don't worry, there will be more than enough to go around. "

What consumers need to keep in mind is that Marni is a brand for the elite.

Not the financially elite, but the intellectual elite who have the might and know-how to combine the intricate elements that make up this collection into a full outfit.

It's not an easy job. But the outcome is chic, quirky, somewhat unusual but highly original.

It's not about being sex-on-a-stick. It appeals to those with a great sense of self-esteem, but not discretion.

H&M certainly put Marni on the map for many of its consumers.

It may stand to lose a few of them who simply can't deal with the lack of sex appeal related to the brand.

But we cannot discard the fact the discretion and originality are in fashion.

Marni is a relatively hipsterish kind of brand.

And in case you didn't notice being a hipster is in fashion.

It's very "I work at an art gallery and can quote a number of artists you've never even heard of".

It's also very "I make documentary films".

And being cultured and intellectual is "hot".

(Don't forget Copolla directed the ad campaign).

So who really knows if H&M made a very safe and intelligent bet.

"The collection will be a success. It poses a risk for the average Portuguese woman, but those who care about being up to date won't miss this chance."