Too cheap? Parish? Scratch? Well, if they are attributes of the client and not of the clothes, “there is nothing to do.” In 2004, in an advertisement, Karl Lagerfeld He dispelled all perplexities. Yes, it would have been easy to say “no” to a collection for H&M, but the German designer’s response was surprising and forever changed the rules of the game in this sector, paving the way for a meeting between the most exclusive inspiration, the hallmark of luxury of the author and the large commercial chains. After all, it’s all about “good taste,” Lagerfeld insisted. And euros do not buy that predicate.

Since then, the Swedish clothing and accessories giant has established twenty years of collaborations with other big names in fashion. To mark the anniversary, the brand announced this week the relaunch of a series of used pieces spanning all these years. They will be available starting this Thursday, October 24 through a series of activations and launches in different stores around the world (Portugal is outside this chain but starting October 31 you can try your luck online, on the official website of the brand). ).

The store on Rue Lafayette, in Paris, will be the first to receive these items in pre-loved mode, collected, as H&M reveals, on the Sellpy market and in vintage stores around the world, which otherwise remain good points transit for precious seekers. After France, in the coming days it will be the turn of London (Regent Street), Milan (Duomo), New York (Soho), Barcelona (Paseo de Gracia), Stockholm (Götgatan and Drottninggatan) and Berlin (Mitte), the October 30. Along the way we remember the releases that marked the last twenty years.

Superstars, avant-garde and a rollercoaster of styles

Suddenly, for less than 20 euros it was possible to buy t-shirts with Karl’s face or a tuxedo that cost around a hundred. “We have been in this business for 60 years and we have never seen anything like this,” admitted the chain’s then marketing director, Jörgen Andersson. “We are as surprised as the customer.” A customer who, in the blink of an eye, sold out of what was available in European stores and on North American soil. Lagerfeld, however, would regret the shortage of stock and the impossibility of reaching everyone.

In 2020, WWD recalled the seismic effect of the process of democratization of consumption (and how the designer’s decisions are always well considered). Furthermore, the collaboration had a double effect. If, on the one hand, it generated expectation and annual enthusiasm around subsequent launches, on the other hand, it helped Lagerfeld himself relaunch his brand in 2012.

According to Lagerfeld’s communications manager, the German creator loved a good challenge and argued that a sketch for a Chanel haute couture dress, a Fendi fur coat, a Lagerfeld Gallery jacket or an H&M shirt involved same cost and effort. Karl, who had never walked into an H&M store in his life but had noticed members of his team wearing the brand, managed to make elegance a little more accessible, and his pieces will likely be among the most coveted in this renewed fervor for the beloved .

Going back to the early years of the millennium and the initial partnerships, Karl’s success would not be easy to achieve. In the fall of 2005, responsibility fell to Stella McCartneywho four years earlier had launched his eponymous brand, under the umbrella of the Gucci group, and now serves a batch of 40 pieces with his brand (in addition to the muse Kate Moss leading the advertising campaign). And for the third essay, what would follow? “Firstly, H&M introduced superstar Karl Lagerfeld, then Stella McCartney, who is the right person for their target group and now; the challenge. Victor and Rolf They are appreciated by the international fashion public, but still somewhat unknown outside of it. This will put an end to it,” commented Tim Blanks of Style.com. Lo and behold, in 2006 the design duo introduced their modern couture, which included tuxedos, cocktail dresses, jeans and sweatshirts.

The race for Stella McCartney’s collection in 2005 © Getty Images

The following year, the party mode was more than activated, as if the smell of gunpowder of the recession was not just around the corner: Roberto Cavalli displayed in its iconic animal print. Sequins and glitter reinforced the zebra and leopard menu, of course. In 2008, Rei Kawakubo ended her collaborations with H&M. It is not a dot, understand, but many dots, or balls, or polka dots, in the style Comme des Garçons.

Jimmy Choo

In 2009, the focus was on accessories. Jimmy Choo Maybe they weren’t the biggest name at the time when it came to stilletos, but they dared to make their entrance on the scene in H&M stores. That same year, in May, the English Matthew Williamson launched a vibrant summer collection for the Swedish chain (and debuted in the men’s segment). With one foot in 2009 and another in 2010, without the cries of other illustrious people, the French Sonia Rykiel (who would die a few years later) starred in two moments for H&M, one with a lingerie line and another focused on its irreverent knitwear.

In November 2016, the Observer highlighted some Kenzo picks.

The superstars would return in 2010, with the long-awaited Lanvin collection. If Alber Elbaz invested in the recognizable voluminous silhouettes, the lady who followed him, Donatella versace celebrated color and print galore, according to reports at the time when the brand’s website went down just minutes after the collection was released online, with many pieces reaching astronomical prices on the secondary market, including tote bags. purchases, which were disputed on eBay. The craze was such that H&M resumed its connection with the brand in 2012. And we have to admit, it’s hard to beat a launch party in New York with a Prince performance.

A Versace piece

Still in 2012, the woman marni It lived its moment of glory in the fast-moving consumer market, for a totally different style than before, and certainly with a much more niche impact, but no less desired. The avant-garde commotion was revived in the rehearsal permitted by Martin Margiela Housebetween coats and high sneakers. A decade later, as a warning, half the world was on Vinted searching this MMM file.

Margiela

As if the indie and it girl vibe weren’t enough, Isabel Marant He reinforced the register with a slight French touch. And if in 2014 it was athleisure’s turn Alejandro Wang dictate the rules at the station, on November 5, 2015, the collaborations had not only secured their place on the city’s autumn agenda, but the queue in the heart of Lisbon reached epic proportions. It was the year of one of the most anticipated collections, that of the French maison Balmainwhich opened in the only Portuguese store for which it had been announced, the one in Baixa-Chiado.

Balmain

The doors only opened at 10 in the morning but by then the extension was notable and there was no shortage of reports of early risers. In less than an hour and a half, the women’s collection and especially the men’s collection disappeared from the shelves. Bracelets and bells regulated the flow in the physical space, but online the movement went viral: just think that Olivier Rousteing made Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, the Victoria Secret Angels and even the Backstreet Boys fill Instagram with the hashtag #BalmainHMNation. Importantly, the dresses were attractively priced at a tenth of the usual price, making it easy to join the army of Beyoncé, Rihanna, Kardashian and other brand divas.

In November 2016 we made a selection of Kenzo purchases © Observador

yes the tiger Kenzo roared with all its color the following winter maintaining strong demand, in 2017 there was room for a Victorian pause. Erdem Moralioğlu opted for floral prints and special pieces, especially in the women’s line. Long dresses, heavy fabrics, wide skirts and sequins sealed a romantic but also expensive collection. The starting point was €19.99, the price of the stockings, and the most expensive piece, a black lace dress, cost €299. “Even so, nothing is bad, if we take into account that a dress from the British brand costs an average of €200,” this same newspaper wrote at the time.

Moschino

Jeremy Scott signed the collection. Moschino in 2018, and even Madonna went shopping for this occasion. In 2019, it was with tulle dresses, hoodies and pearls that Giambattista Valli It came to H&M. The designer debuted in men’s clothing, incorporating elements of women’s clothing. Simon Rocha took over in 2021, in the wake of the pandemic, and Casey Cadwallader put the aesthetics of Mugler in game mode in the year 2023, a year after the death of the French creator. Even before the end of this year, Julian Dossena, for the rabanneHe paid attention to metallic meshes and pieces printed with kaleidoscopic patterns. We’ll see who’s next.