Months after its stir-crazy collaboration with Alexander Wang,
H&M has raised it designer collaboration bar to the highest level
possible—Balmain. This past Sunday, Olivier Rousteing, the creative
director of the fashion powerhouse walked the Billboard Music Awards red carpet with models Jourdan Dunn and Kendall Jenner who both wore the upcoming H&M/Balmain looks.
Besides making an appearance at the Billboard Music Awards to visually announce the designers’ upcoming duo, Rousteing and H&M created the hashtag #HMBalmaination for consumers to share their excitement for the upcoming collaboration. Rousteing also noted the purpose of the hashtag is to make the brand’s target consumers — millennials — feel as though they are in a united fashion movement of “togetherness” where chic is for all.
Despite the pomp and circumstance H&M and Balmain created, fashion journalist Vanessa Friedman for The New York Times questions if the product will satisfy consumer demand. Friedman recounts the backlash Target received after its Lily Pulitzer collection sold out within minutes. A website malfunction caused a similar situation for H&M during the debut of its Alexander Wang collection.
Friedman believes for H&M and Balmain to stick true to their word, it would be smart for them to create enough for their consumers rather than keep their supply limited. In the past, alliances between designers have been used as a marketing tool, causing consumers to stress over trying to purchase the latest “it” item and unleashing unprecedented backlash when they can’t. The “togetherness” motto for this collaboration will hopefully bring clothing and consumers together rather than turn into another gimmick.
Besides making an appearance at the Billboard Music Awards to visually announce the designers’ upcoming duo, Rousteing and H&M created the hashtag #HMBalmaination for consumers to share their excitement for the upcoming collaboration. Rousteing also noted the purpose of the hashtag is to make the brand’s target consumers — millennials — feel as though they are in a united fashion movement of “togetherness” where chic is for all.
Despite the pomp and circumstance H&M and Balmain created, fashion journalist Vanessa Friedman for The New York Times questions if the product will satisfy consumer demand. Friedman recounts the backlash Target received after its Lily Pulitzer collection sold out within minutes. A website malfunction caused a similar situation for H&M during the debut of its Alexander Wang collection.
Friedman believes for H&M and Balmain to stick true to their word, it would be smart for them to create enough for their consumers rather than keep their supply limited. In the past, alliances between designers have been used as a marketing tool, causing consumers to stress over trying to purchase the latest “it” item and unleashing unprecedented backlash when they can’t. The “togetherness” motto for this collaboration will hopefully bring clothing and consumers together rather than turn into another gimmick.
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