Dive Brief:
- H&M and designer Heron Preston launched their H2 Exchange circular fashion initiative last week, per a news release.
- The program held an online open call for “young, New York-based designers” and per the release, three people will be chosen from the applicant pool to work with Preston on an upcycled collection made out of “donated clothes from personal closets around New York.” The subsequent designs “will be featured in upcoming seasonal collections.”
- The public is being asked to donate clothing toward the effort between March 8 and March10 at 25 Howard Street in New York in exchange for “personal tokens,” priority access to events, opportunities to buy pieces from the resulting collection and “discounts on other H2 collections.”
Dive Insight:
H&M announced the H2 collaboration with Preston, co-founder of men’s streetwear brand Been Trill and an eponymous label, in September 2023. At the time, a release about the partnership said the program would allow creatives who were self-taught or in the early stages of their careers to “co-create” under Preston’s mentorship and with H&M’s resources.
The exchange’s long-term goal is to “equip a new generation of designers with circular mindsets and skillsets,” per last week’s release, which added that “the ultimate goal is to engage more people, both creators and customers” in the circular process, and to extend the amount of time clothes can stay in the circular fashion loop.
“We are exploring new ways of keeping clothes in circulation for as long as possible,” Preston said in a statement. “Building an ecosystem based on the marriage of brains, not brands, a platform that is bigger than the product itself, that empowers young talent and innovates in the sphere of circular fashion through the use of new processes.”
The program launches at the same time as the H2 Collection, the first in a series of seasonal clothing and accessories lines, which debuts in stores and via H&M’s e-commerce site on March 14, per a separate release. This initial line will feature outerwear and unisex basics as well as a selection of womenswear including a corset, bodysuit and bikini, plus “a curated range of accessories to compliment the looks.”
“Fostering creative talents and circular innovation are at the heart of H&M's culture and commitment, and part of the like-minded vision H&M and Heron share,” Daniel Hermann, business director of H&M Men, said in a statement. “H2 Exchange combines Heron's unique passion and creativity with H&M's extensive knowledge and resources, and we are excited for the program to build a community of future-makers.”
H&M has battled challenges to its sustainability claims in the past, but has worked to clean up its image. The company was a top shareholder in textile recycling firm Renewcell, which declared bankruptcy in February after failing to secure sufficient long-term funding. However, the company still faces negative image problems, and its clothing was among the lines named in fashion reseller Vestiaire’s ban on brands it considers to be fast fashion and harmful to the environment.
H&M Group saw an executive leadership change at the end of January 2024 when CEO Helena Helmersson, a 26-year veteran of the company, decided to step down after four years at the helm.
