​H&M’s ‘autumn’ collab is with Giambattista Valli, includes pre-collection this month, and menswear

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
May 24, 2019

The name of the designer label that will collaborate with H&M on its annual November special collection is always a headline-grabber and late on Thursday the retailer (which arguably kicked off the whole designer collaboration trend a decade-and-a-half ago) said its next collab will be with Giambattista Valli.

It includes a trio of firsts. It’s a collaboration first for Valli, and also his initial foray into menswear, as well as being the first time the company will launch an earlier pre-collection linked to the deal.

The Paris-based Italian was described by the company as a “master of beauty and sophistication.” In fact, he's known for his ultra-feminine, frequently frothy creations, that also happened to be very expensive and positioned squarely at the ultra-luxury end of the market.

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The collaboration with H&M will certainly act as a massive profile-boosting marketing push for Valli’s brand, which isn't as widely known among mass-market shoppers as some of H&M's previous collab partners.

H&M and Valli chose the highest-profile forum possible for announcing the link-up, the amfAR gala in Cannes. The designer and H&M’s Creative Advisor Ann-Sofie Johansson walked the red carpet, together with Kendall Jenner, Chris Lee (Li Yuchun), Chiara Ferragni, H.E.R., Bianca Brandolini d’Adda and Ross Lynch. 

The celebs were all dressed in pieces from a "unique limited-edition pre-drop collection from the Giambattista Valli x H&M collaboration,” with silhouettes including Valli's signature hi-lo hemlines.

As mentioned, this is a new departure for the retailer as the pieces worn on the red carpet will be available in just 12 selected stores and on hm.com this Saturday, May 25. The main Giambattista Valli x H&M collection launches worldwide on November 7.

“H&M gives me the opportunity to bring my vision of style and my celebration of beauty to a wider audience, Valli said. “The goal is to share my love for beauty and to be able to be part of everyone’s ‘happy moments’, to help create love stories all around the world.”

Johansson added: "He is the undisputed master of haute couture with a knack for the memorable silhouette. To be able to bring his signature styles to our customers is a dream come true.”

Born and raised in Rome, Valli launched his namesake line in Paris in 2005, which means he wasn’t even in business when H&M launched its very first collab collection, with the late Karl Lagerfeld, in 2004.