Last month H&M dropped exciting news, a Rabanne H&M collection, which includes womenswear, menswear and accessories as well as home décor will be dropping this month. Rabanne’s renowned use of unconventional materials such as metal and plastic and the incorporation of futuristic elements in designs, cemented their space in the fashion scene since. And now all of that is coming to an H&M near you.
How did this collaborative Rabanne H&M collection come about?
Ann-SofieJohansson:When it comes to designer collaborations at H&M, we have a wish list of designers and brands we’d love to work with, and Rabanne has been on it for a long time. Paco Rabanne was truly the master of metal, and the brand has always been iconic: people immediately associate it with fabulous metallic dresses. In the 10 years that Julien has been the creative director at Rabanne, we could really feel he was on a brilliant trajectory, reenergizing the extraordinary heritage of the brand while at the same time making it modern and relevant again. We began the conversation about a year ago, and it’s been a mutually instructive and exhilarating experience for both teams.
Julien Dossena:I was very excited to work with H&M on a collection that would help to democratize the Rabanne brand. We create luxury fashion that champions radical expression and exceptional craftsmanship. We know that our product is high- end and sometimes difficult to find. So, to be able to introduce iconic pieces with an incredible design integrity, at a price that is accessible for a larger number of people, felt inspiring to me. I’ve followed lots of the H&M designer collaborations in the past, and my favorites were always the collections where you had access to pieces that were key to the design identity of the brand. From the perspective of a young man, a fashion student, it was so exciting to be able to get your hands on one of those house icons. These are the kinds of pieces you cherish and wear again and again – so I was excited to be able to create memorable Rabanne pieces that felt more accessible. Once we began the conversation, we were also excited to work with H&M on the materiality and to take advantage of their extensive sustainability knowledge. We learnt so much in the process, and I’m really proud of the collection we’ve created together.
Tell us about the Rabanne H&M collection; the pieces, the details, the inspirations.
JD: I wanted the Rabanne H&M collection to create a luxurious mood of enjoyment. I envisioned a utopic gathering of strong people, with a light-hearted but electric atmosphere. It was important to draw out the inclusive and empowering side of the brand, with the archive-inspired chainmail and paillette pieces we are so known for offset with effortless 1970s tailoring and elevated leisurewear. I wanted the collection to feel confidence-boosting, but easy to wear too – it’s a balance I always try to strike with my designs.
At the same time, we wanted to look towards more sustainable materials in order to make the collection as thoughtful as possible. I’m really thrilled that H&M has been able to develop a version of our metallic mesh containing a blend of recycled and conventional metal, which took months to develop, as well as sequins that contain recycled PET.
ASJ: Julien presented his idea for a pool party collection with lots of incredible eveningwear offset with swimwear and leisurewear, and we loved it straight away. The idea was very strong and clear from the beginning, so the design process between the two teams in Paris and Stockholm was quite straight-forward. The most challenging element was delivering that vision in as sustainable a way as possible. Our product development and sustainability teams have done a brilliant job in collaborating with different suppliers and pushing them to develop new innovations. The metallic mesh pieces in a blend of recycled and conventional metal are a particularly proud achievement.
What are some of the key pieces in the collection, and which are your personal favorites?
JD: As a designer, I’ve always been interested in exploring glamour and the way that it can empower and uplift you, while recontextualizing it for a modern audience. The pieces I’m most excited about are the icons, which are adapted from designs in the archive, and to me feel very glamorous but also very effortless. The ready-to-wear and accessories that feature the famous paillette disc sequins capture the sensuality of Rabanne, along with the recycled metallic mesh pieces. I also love the 1930s-style flowing dresses, some embellished with rhinestones – they’re very flattering and expressive. With the menswear I was focussed on making things feel fluid, and I personally love the silver suit.
ASJ: It’s a very sparkly collection, which is great, because it’s coming out in November just in time for party season. In addition to the icons which Julien mentioned, I particularly love the accessories, which are so joyful – my favorite is the little mesh bag with the fringing. But there are also so many wearable pieces that are so versatile and can be worn in so many combinations, like the beautifully slender black coat, which has such an elegant silhouette. We also liked the idea of mixing up the partywear pieces with the classic wardrobe styles – the metallic top with tracksuit pants and sparkly pool slides, for example, for when you’re feeling relaxed at the end of the pool party.
Craftsmanship is so important to Rabanne. How did you bring that attention to detail to this collection?
JD: Rabanne is a brand built on radical materiality – Paco Rabanne was unique in the fashion landscape for his use of chainmail. The metallic mesh is such an interesting material to work on, and it’s extraordinary to wear – more sensual than silk, but also protective, like armour. With this collection for H&M I was very insistent that we maintained the same focus on materiality as we would for any of our mainline Rabanne collections. As I mentioned, we really encouraged H&M to develop a version of our metallic mesh containing a blend of 70% recycled metal and 30% conventional metal, which took months to develop. Some of the pieces feature hand-woven metallic crochet that holds together different sizes of metallic mesh panels – these are technically-advanced pieces. The qualities of wool, organic cotton and leather in particular are very high. Working with H&M in this sense was a joy, because they are so efficient and detail-oriented. They really listened to what we were asking for in terms of the fabrications and the qualities, and they pushed it really far. I felt that the team really put their heart into it, which was the most important thing for me.
Julien, tell us more about the process of designing homeware for this collection – a first for you, as well as the most comprehensive interiors offering yet for an H&M designer collaboration?
JD: The home décor was definitely a fun part of the project for me, because I’ve never designed homeware before. Our founder Paco Rabanne was obsessed with covering everything in metal, and he did some furniture in the 1970s which was of course metallic, so it felt like an authentic extension for the house. I liked the idea of embellishing the lifestyle element of the collection’s ready-to-wear to incorporate items that might be used at a pool party – metal goblets that are a little reminiscent of the cups you get at American house parties, amazing silver side tables that shimmer like the dresses, or even a beautiful metal vase set on an angle to give a very modernist feeling to a mantelpiece.
ASJ: One of the things that really sets Julien and Rabanne apart from other brands is the fact that the house has such a clear, decisive point of view that’s light-hearted and fun. It felt like a natural decision to extend the feel-good factor of the ready-to-wear with exclusive homeware pieces that captured the optimistic spirit of the house and gave a nod to the amazing heritage of Rabanne.
What’s the secret to a successful collaboration?
JD: The alliance is like a marriage. It needs to make sense from the beginning and to be properly thought-out and executed. For us, the goal was to democratize our work, and to learn from H&M’s expertise in terms of sustainability; for H&M it was about going back to the principle of collaboration to deliver really special pieces that they feel will resonate with their customers. If we achieve those goals, it’s already a good collaboration. But I think the thing that really elevates a collaboration, and makes it feel extra special, is when the teams have fun together and go the extra mile – and that was the case here. In the end, it creates a kind of magic that is very special.
ASJ: We’re coming up to 20 years of designer collaborations at H&M, and I think the founding principle still holds: it’s as simple as offering a designer piece at an affordable price. We really try to make sure that everyone is able to buy something from the collection, while keeping our ambition level for the design and the execution really high. It’s important that both parties can share knowledge and skills, whether in terms of sustainability or production or reach. Our teams put so much effort into the collaborations, and it’s clear the excitement level is still there both for those inside the company and for our customers.
The Rabanne H&M collection for womenswear, menswear, and H&M HOME will be available on November 9 at H&M The Forum and on kw.hm.com.
