About a year ago, H&M announced its collaboration with Glenn Martens. Now the Swedish fashion giant and the Belgian designer give a first glimpse into the collection that will be released soon.
“I am convinced that this is one of the most creative collaborations we have ever done,” said Ann-Sofie Johansson, Creative Advisor at H&M. “Glenn is a true talent and a radical thinker. These extraordinary designs play with archetypes and the essence of what it means to dress every day.”
From the archive for individualism
Martens, who intensively delved into the heritage of the Belgian brand before his debut as creative director of Maison Margiela mid-year, also uses the H&M archive as a starting point for the capsule collection. H&M reported this on Friday. The archive is being reworked in the style of Martens, with women’s and men’s clothing and accessories.
The collection is a tribute to individuality and personal style, giving everyday items a touch of avant-garde. A DIY nature and personalization options allow wearers to customize the silhouettes to create their own look. Hooks and eyes on dresses and jeans, which of course cannot be missing from the head designer of denim brand Diesel, make this possible.
“I see this collection as a big family of garments, each with different uses and personalities. Just like people, they grow and change every day,” says Martens. “I have always been interested in clothes that we actually wear in everyday life. The idea of archetypes and basics was the starting point for this very special and joyful project with H&M.”
Trompe-l’œil effects are a common thread throughout the collection. For example, a long sleeve top features a knitted top and a fitted dress features a checked evening dress. The depicted pieces, printed on the dress and top, come from the Martens archive. For the accessories, the effect is applied to a silk scarf with a print of vintage necklaces. The designer also uses H&M’s best-selling velvet skirt and adorns it with a kilt.
Martens’ Highlands
In addition to the skirt, Martens’ interest in British humor and street style that falls outside the norm is also reflected in many other pieces, the press release states. In addition to checks and tartan, a print of a Scottish castle is also part of the collection, which can be seen on hoodies, among other things.
Of course, his play with silhouettes is also reflected in this collection. Cargo pants and over-the-knee boots, known from the Parisian brand Y/Project with which Martens made his name, get extra volume. Material innovations and techniques, such as a foil lining in bomber jackets, blazers and a trench coat, offer additional options to adjust the shape. An oversized quilted jacket uses a thread to give the model new dimensions. All these elements also come together in different bags, making the shape also individually customizable.
In addition to the must-have accessories – boots and bags – the range also includes a belt without holes, intended for draping around the body, sunglasses that look like two frames, and a checked scarf with a hood. For men, there are classic H&M basics such as five-packs of underwear and socks with ‘Glenn Martens’ branding. In addition, there are work boots with steel toes and an adjustable leather upper that can be removed with snaps.
The boxer shorts that he wore during the press presentation already have a permanent place in his own wardrobe. He showed this briefly by pulling the elastic band with his own name from under his pants. The boxer shorts make it easier for him to distinguish his underwear from that of his partner, the designer joked.
H&M x Glenn Martens
It is the first time that the designer creates under his own name and not as creative director for Margiela, Diesel or Y/Project. The latter brand in particular plays a special role in the collaboration with H&M, Martens says during the press conference prior to the launch.
Initially, when Johansson and Martens started the collaboration about two years ago, the intention was for it to be about him, not about the brand. The designer was still in charge of creative management at Y/Project at the time. After the end of the label, however, the designer was open to bringing his Y/Project design language back into the collaboration. This was to celebrate it and make it more accessible than the designer brand’s more expensive pieces, without sacrificing value, Martens said.
His time at Y/Project was also when he first appeared on the H&M team’s radar, long before Diesel and Margiela, according to Johansson. However, Martens’ own story goes back much further.
When he grew up as a teenager in Bruges, Belgium, in the 1990s, there was not much to do in the fashion field until H&M opened its first store, he said in the press interview. He was fond of the clothing from the fashion chain, which at the time was still ‘poorly secured’. That’s why he occasionally took products with him to give to friends. Today the circle has come full circle: he now simply chooses what he wants – this time from his own collection and in consultation with H&M – to surprise his loved ones at Christmas.
Consumers can purchase the collaboration online and in H&M stores worldwide from October 30.
This article has been translated into Dutch using an AI tool.
FashionUnited uses AI language tools to speed up the translation of (news) articles and proofread the translations to improve the end result. This saves our human journalists time that they can spend on research and writing their own articles. Articles translated using AI are checked and edited by a human desk editor before going online. If you have any questions or comments about this process, please email info@fashionunited.com.
