Want to dress yourself happy? H&M Studio’s message for spring is clear: mood-enhancing fashion is back. Titled “Press Play”, and inspired by musical Gen-Z muses with internet-breaking style and stadium-filling personalities, the SS22 collection is the perfect antidote to a FOMO-filled period when normal life for so many has been on pause. Saturated in potent doses of color, with fearless and fabulous prints and details that draw on the outré fashion of the 1980s and 1990s, as well as high-octane accessories, the collection is a dressing up box fuelled by a daring mix-and-match mentality.

“I think we all feel pent-up desire to wear fun, daring clothes again, and this fearless attitude reminds me of the expressive energy of the 1980s up to the early 2000s. For the SS22 collection, we really wanted to bring powerful, big-personality fashion back into the spotlight. It’s all about expressing yourself with versatile pieces that forge your own look,” says Ann-Sofie Johansson, Creative Advisor at H&M.
A “see-and-be-seen” attitude permeates the collection’s key pieces. From avant-garde takes on laced-up denim and one-size-up suiting, to ultra-zingy, lime-green satin co-ords and a leopard-print swimsuit designed to be worn from the beach to the dancefloor, these are looks that

command attention. Equally eye-catching is a studded denim mini skirt and a series of bright ’90s-style mesh tops, the most radical of which is trimmed with cancan ruffles. A little black dress comes with rhinestone trims and black slouchy trousers come with snap-fastenings that unfurl from the ankle to the waist.

“The prints for SS22 constitute a fashion feast. The leopard collage print in particular is like a candy bag, with various prints cut up and pasted back together to represent a bold, sharp attitude.” says Moa Bartling, Print Designer for H&M Studio.

“For SS22 we were drawn to modern musical muses, the women who are outspoken and unapologetic in terms of their values and their wardrobes, both on- and off-stage. We wanted to create a range of adaptable pieces that could be styled in numerous rule-breaking ways to symbolise joy and optimism,” says Linda Wikell, Concept Designer for H&M Studio.

Screen-green snake earrings and chain-link necklaces will elevate every outfit, while studded platform clogs vie for the spotlight alongside tomato-red western boots. Wrap-around sunglasses and leopard-neon bikinis add a touch of retro futurism to proceedings, while a lace-trimmed bodysuit offers a flexible styling layer to be dressed up or down.

In line with H&M´s sustainability commitments, every item in the collection is made from more sustainably sourced materials. Recycled polyester and recycled polyamide both feature, alongside recycled wool. In accessories, recycled steel and brass have been used for statement pieces, as well as VEGEA, a smart vegan leather alternative partly made from the by-products of the winemaking process.

We spoke to Anne-Sofie Johansson, creative advisor at H&M, Linda Wikell, concept designer for H&M Studio and Moa Bartling, print designer for H&M Studio to learn more about the collection.

The ’80s are a clear inspiration, why do you think it’s a decade that inspires?

Anne-Sofie: The ’80s is an era I remember very clearly, it’s when I started my career in fashion and began working at H&M. It was a special time because it was creative and expressive: there was an ‘anything goes’ feeling of flamboyance, with full-on colour, statement shapes and prints. It felt really inspiring. In the aftermath of a very challenging period for the world, the H&M Studio design team felt it was the right time to explore that era and capture that spirit for a new generation with the SS22 collection.

What does this collection symbolize to you?

Linda Wikell: When we began discussing ideas for the SS22 collection, we talked a lot as a team about those iconic decades that made us fall in love with fashion, particularly the ’80s, ’90s and early ’00s. We loved the bold, expressive energy of those decades and wanted to create an SS22 collection that symbolised that same spirit of excitement.    

Where do you find inspiration for your prints?

Moa Bartling: Inspiration comes from everywhere – it could be an artwork, a holiday, or a walk around the park. When I am working on prints for a new collection, I start differently every time.

How do you make sure that your collections are always fresh and new every season, especially when they pay homage to another time or style?

Anne-Sofie: We’re always thinking about our customer, about how they live their lives, and about versatility. We want to design pieces that will be worn again and again in different combinations for years to come, and that can be styled in expressive and creative ways. Every season, we take references from a range of sources but the key is to make the designs versatile – that makes them feel modern.

The collection is bold, what is the loudest message you want it to send?

Linda Wikell: It’s a collection about joy and optimism, with colours and prints that symbolise happiness. We used the brightest green and orange we could find!

 When a collection is based on an era or time period, how do you honour the print while still keeping it fresh and updated?

Moa Bartling: The prints I design for the H&M Studio collections are always original. We never want things to look too retro, or too costume. The leopard print in this collection, for instance, is a real candy bag – we cut up different leopard prints and pasted them together to make it feel new. I think the key to making things feel fresh lies in collaboration with the design team, discussing the fabric and cut of the specific garment in order to correctly interpret the mood of the collection.

How would you style an outfit from the collection? What is your personal favourite item from this collection and why?

Anne-Sofie: I’m a huge fan of tailoring, so of course, the suit is my favourite piece. I love the pale grey colour which you can dress up or down, and the cropped length of the trousers contrasting with the oversized fit of the jacket. I would wear it with the bright green satin shirt to give an injection of colour. I am putting more effort into getting dressed properly again – life is too short to dress boring!

The collection is designed to be rule-breaking, do you have a fashion rule that you never break?

Linda Wikell: Truly, I think the days of fashion rules are over – that’s what is so inspiring about the way that younger generations in particular dress today. They would never think, ‘red and pink can’t be worn together’. There is a new mood of experimentation which we find really energising, it’s about staying true to your personality and your values.

What do you want the prints in this collection to embody and say?

Moa Bartling: The prints are bold, fearless, hedonistic, with an ’80s energy. We hope they make people smile.  

What is your personal favourite item from this collection and why?

Linda Wikell: I love the drama of the leopard jersey-mesh top with the dramatic ruffle detail – it’s very comfortable and easy to wear, but at the same time it’s quite a statement. It’s very modern in that sense.

The H&M Studio SS22 collection will be available online at kw.hm.com and on the H&M app from February 24.