This dress is made from Garbage
MANILA, Philippines - We thought not only about the look of the pieces, but also how they feel and sound,” says Pernilla Wohlfahrt, H&M’s head of design and creative director as she introduces this year’s Conscious Exclusive collection. “It’s a collection to please all our senses, and also our desire to be sustainable in everything we do.”
H&M first introduced the concept of a dedicated Conscious collection focused on high fashion items crafted from sustainable materials in spring 2011 on top of the brand incorporating organic and recycled fabrics and newly-developed materials into its entire assortment throughout the entire year, a hang tag labeled green to add to the product’s sustainability value.
Across H&M’s entire product offerings, 20 percent of all pieces are now made from sustainable materials, with the goal to increase that share each year. H&M has set specific targets in every product range, such as making its cotton 100-percent sustainable by 2020, according to a press release from the brand. A more sustainable future is at the heart of all H&M’s efforts, which would in turn make fashion more affordable. Conscious Exclusive is key to these efforts.
“H&M’s Conscious Exclusive collection shows how the best style can be mindful of the planet to help protect it for the future. It’s such a desirable collection, with pieces made in sustainable materials that you want to wear for seasons to come,” says Natalia Vodianova, supermodel and the face of the campaign, whose philanthropic efforts strive to create a safe environment for every child living in urban Russia.
This year’s collection exudes the freshness of spring as well as the sensuality of eveningwear through richly textured pieces that move with the wearer. Sustainability is still at the core, but you wouldn’t know by this collection’s look and feel.
The star of Conscious Exclusive is an ethereal gown made of flowing pleats, created from a newly developed material, polyester made entirely from plastics recycled from shoreline waste called Bionic. Peonies and mimosa have been screen-printed and distorted to create dream-like prints on ruffled frocks, while the hand-drawn image of a dreaming woman is quilted into a soft jacket. For eveningwear, shimmer and touch of sequins on a short, recycled polyester cocktail dress, topped off with a bow made of recycled polyester fabric. The tuxedo is reimagined as a lounge jacket of organic silk and Tencel twill, with pants that playfully flounce at the leg. The same organic silk is interpreted into asymmetric cropped top, ruffled skirts, or manipulated into ribbed knits with ruffled sleeves, all flowy and light, creating dramatic movement with every gesture. Mules, too, are given the conscious treatment with 97 percent polyester while lined with conventional velvet.
The collection has also expanded to statement accessories that jingle-jangle, giving you that extra spring in your step. A polyester fishnet bag makes for an interesting conversation piece because it is in fact entirely made from recycled shoreline waste and earrings crafted from recycled glass and plastic. In addition to a capsule of men’s pieces, for the first time, the Conscious Exclusive collection also includes a selection for kids with pieces like little tulle dresses and soft structured blazers and pants with a charming street style feel.
Rounding out the Conscious Exclusive collection is a set of unisex ecological oils that pique your sense of smell and your imagination; they can be worn separately but are also versatile enough to be mixed together, allowing you to create something of your own.
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The H&M Conscious Exclusive 2017 Collection will be available April 20.
Photos by regine david
Styled by DAVID MILAN
Makeup by Sylvina Lopez
Hair by Rudolf Davalos
