H&M to launch a capsule collection with Angel Chen

As we reported only a few days ago, H&M is living a pretty rough period, as the entire fast fashion world is. Today the Swedish giant has announced that for the first time ever it will be working with a Chinese designer on the creation of a capsule collection. For this important debut, the Swedish retailer has chosen Angel Chen.
Magnus Olsson, country manager of H&M Greater China, explained the decision with these words: 

The fashion industry is undergoing a transformation, and consumers are constantly changing. We always aspire to create fashion that offers our local customers something new, delivering a good balance between fashion basics, current fashion and the very latest trends. Therefore, we are experimenting with various ways in different markets around the world to bring outstanding design and products to local consumers.

And he added:

Angel Chen is a pioneer Chinese designer brand with its a colorful approach to fashion coupled with the brand’s core concept of fusion of Eastern and Western aesthetics. She is one of the brightest young talents in China and we are very excited for this collaboration. 

Graduated from Saint Martin's in London, the young creative launched her line back in 2015 and only a year later she was included by Forbes in the "30 Under 30" ranking in the Art&Design category, a selection that identifies emerging designers destined to explode in the upcoming months. Influenced by the work of Marchesa and Vera Wang, her style represents a unique mix-and-match of materials and textures, characterized by vitamin palettes and continuous references to the world of oriental mythology. Her fantasy looks full of sporty vibrations continue to evolve and achieve success, so much so that last year Dazed & Confused included Chen among the three best emerging Chinese designers who mix past, future, east, and west. The same elements at the base of the capsule for H&M as the designer tell us:

When I was designing the capsule, my priority was to reflect Chinese culture and my brand identity in a meaningful way, sell through became secondary. I chose some iconic looks from my archive, and gave it an update in colorway, material and details.

The result is a collection of 45 pieces inspired by Chinese martial arts, versatile garments that include Chen's greatest hits, hoodies, parkas, t-shirts with typically oriental elements and colours such as red, bubble-gum pink and bright yellow, dragons embroideries, cranes, pines. Another important factor in this project is sustainability and, for this reason, the H&M and Chen team used recycled nylon mesh fabric. 

Choosing to work with Angel Chen also reveals the Swedish giant's intention to break into the Chinese market, a hypothesis supported by the fact that in the autumn both H&M and & Other Stories will enter that market through Alibaba's B2C Tmall platform.