This Fall, designer Isabel Marant gives H&M a great combination of colors and silhouette. From warm shades to pretty patterns, Isabel surely knows how to play with fabrics! We talked to the designer in an exclusive interview to know about her inspiration.
Tell us about your experience with H&M. How did you affect the brand and what effect did H&M had on you?
The collection is totally Isabel Marant: I followed my usual approach, not a new or different one. Collaborating with H&M gives me the opportunity to reach a wider audience, which, as a designer, is a fantastic opportunity. It was a great experience, because there was no need or pressure to compromise on anything, otherwise I would not have accepted this collaboration. H&M delivered something that is high in quality and finishing.
What are the must have items that should be in every woman’s closet this season from your collection with H&M?
I really can’t pick up one, the whole collection is my favorite, because it is an edit of the best pieces I have created. I also like the fact that you can pick up everything, even from the teen, man or boy collections, and mix them up.
What is the main inspiration of this collection?
The collection is very personal. I have a bunch of clothes in my own wardrobe which I love and wear all the time. They come from different collections and are all mixed. I bring them with me when I travel, always thinking: if they lose my luggage, I am lost, all my favorite pieces will be gone. So, when I started working on the Isabel Marant pour H&M collection, I assembled it thinking of that selection. I picked up the best from my career and put together what is actually a small wardrobe. Of course nothing is the same the second time ‘round, so I have reinterpreted all pieces in a way that suits the moment.
What are the key colors of this collection and do you select the colors according to global trend reports or according to what you get inspired by?
I focus more on instinct. I have a feeling for a silhouette, proportion, details and color, and go for it. Texture is very important, too, I like to experiment with the way different fabrics can work together. I am like a cook in a way, I know my ingredients, and I mix them. The starting point of a new collection, however, is a feeling of rejection for what I have done before. From there on, I pick up and go.
Describe your collection for H&M in 3 words:
It is quite informal, mixable and urban.
You have a shop in Beirut, have you thought about extending through out the Middle East?
This is the store I have now, but you never know what the future will hold.
Do you know what women want?
I do not have a formula, but I do own instinct. It’s really strange, but what I feel I do really like is what in the end sells best. Being a woman designing for women certainly helps.