alexander wang x h&m

Let's talk about fashion collaborations. Whether it be Pharrell Williams for Adidas or Missoni for Target, they all give the fashion savvy public of today's day and age the opportunity to get their hands on an exclusive designer piece.. and we go crazy for it!

One of the biggest inhibitors and enforcers of these types of collaborations are retail giant H&M. Having worked with a number of designers in the past including Karl Lagerfeld, Roberto Cavalli and Versace they have experience in providing these unique opportunities to the public on an incredible scale and as a result have created an amazing and ground-breaking reputation for themselves.

When their 2014 collaboration with Alexander Wang was announced early last year, the world went into a frenzy and waited in anxious anticipation for the collection's release.

That long awaited day finally arrived on November 6th last year when the collection was glamorously unveiled. Held at the Armory Foundation in NYC, the event brought social icons including Dakota Fanning, Solange Knowles and Missy Elliot under the one roof to present an innovative and on trend collection that was unlike anything else and certainly did not disappoint.

From crop t-shirts to sports-bras, weatherproof jackets and even an exclusive run of shoes amongst many more accessories and clothing items, the collection oozes urbanity, modern fashion and all round downtown cool. Its a collection designed for and inspired by the fast-paced lifestyle of NYC, with Wang sticking to a classic monochromatic colour scheme and mixing the aesthetics of both sportswear and performance to offer a range of pieces that are appropriate for the gym and everyday wear.  

The collection is of broad spectrum not only providing pieces for both the menswear and womenswear departments, but a huge range of footwear and accessories including backpacks, boxing gloves and socks to allow buyers to achieve the all round signature Wang look from head to toe.

The collection's style can solely be described as Sport luxe,  a style which we've continuously seen evolve this past year and grow into one of the hottest and most practical trends both on the runway and on the street. Wang has used every element you would expect to see in a typical sport luxe wardrobe throughout the collection to portray a unique and fashion-forward scuba diver cross sport luxe theme. 

Neoprene, mesh, exposed zips, weatherproof materials, stripes and lace detailing take charge throughout the collection with a subtle pop of colour and giraffe print bringing a bit of style and edge to the otherwise neutral collection. He also brought back the puffer jacket and detatchable hoods to allow New Yorkers to stay warm and dry during the unbearable winter months, whilst still looking fashion-forward and cool. The theme perfectly suits this collaboration as it combines the practicality that H&M shoppers look for with the high end, expensive aesthetic that Wang's clients adore.

As expected, the exclusive collection was a huge hit around the world - not only did it make the H&M site crash 10minutes before release by it sold out in Australia within the first 24hrs of it being on the shelf. So incase you didn't grasp the gravity of that, that means that the exclusive, one-off run had sold out in Australia before it had even been released in Europe or the US.

With all that being said its safe to say that designer collaborations,  particuarly ones with lower end retailers,  are a huge success for all involved. Not only do they allow retailers to gain more exposure and broaden their market but it gives designers the chance to share their brand and lifestyle with a different group of people and provides shoppers with the opportunity to get their hands on a special and exclusive designer branded piece.