H&M Launches Metaverse-inspired Collection
- H&M has launched a new collection inspired by the metaverse.
- The new collection debuted at the retailer’s new Williamsburg store and will launch on its website on Dec. 22.
- It’s the latest collection in its Innovation Stories initiative, which is focused on sustainability.
H&M in December debuted a new collection of clothing inspired by the metaverse that combines “the craftsmanship of high fashion and the fantasy of virtual wardrobes.”
The collection, announced in Dec. 15 release, debuted at H&M’s new experiential, tech-focused store in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, on Dec. 16. The collection will be available on H&M’s website and at its store in Times Square in New York City on Dec. 22.
The ready-to-wear collection includes products like a corset-waisted, neon-yellow dress with a tulle skirt for women and an oversized black beaded bomber jacket for men. Additionally, accessories, such as a pair of metallic sandals that spiral up the leg to the thigh and “futuristic” jewelry for both men and women inspired by liquid metal, are included in the line, the fast-fashion retailer said in the release.
Consumers can also interact with the collection virtually. It will include five augmented reality (AR) filters — a collaboration with the Institute of Fashion — that are accessible in the H&M app. The AR filters are powered by Snapchat and will allow customers to try on virtually the clothing in the collection.
Additionally, an immersive metaverse experience on H&M’s website in the U.S. and Canada merchandises the digital garments in the collection and gives a “glimpse into the future, where digital art expands the expressive possibilities of fashion.” The retailer is partnering with artificial intelligence (AI) influencer Kuki, who is promoting the collection on Instagram.
"The increasingly virtual dimension of fashion creates exciting future opportunities for H&M, allowing us to create vibrant, bold and daring virtual counterparts to our physical collections,” said Ann-Sofie Johansson, creative advisor at H&M, in the release. “In addition to the endless creative possibilities, it also allows us to propose a more sustainable and inclusive fashion vision that can be accessed by anyone, anywhere in the world.”
The new collection is part of the retailer’s Innovation Stories initiative, which launched last year and encompasses a series of collections that focus on the promotion of more sustainable materials, technology and production, according to the retailer. In this new collection “circularity is a key focus,” according to H&M, which said several pieces were created using recycled polyester from textile waste collected from the retailer’s in-store recycling program. Another item in the collection was created using a zero-waste pattern process and other items are created using recycled plastic bottles, according to the release.