I vow myself not to write anything about Lanvin's collaboration with H&M. I dunno why because it's kinda disappointing to hear the news last two months ago when the fast fashion giant suddenly announced that they gonna collaborate with the French fashion house to come up with an array of clothes stamped with the label - Lanvin (hearts) H&M - for Fall 2010. I was like oh, crap! after reading a streak of newsflash speading around the blogosphere since then.
Yet, at the same time it's great to hear that Alber Elbaz is willing to design some iconic pieces from Lanvin so that the masses with a bank account is not as big as the ATM machine themselves can also afford to own some. Why it's good to hear? Coz it's somehow thrown Alber into the blogger infested territory when it comes to relating it with H&M. Rumor has it, during last year's CFDA dinner in New York someone overheard that the designer saying...
Isn't it proven that the designer is about to taste his own medicine? H&M is one of the fav shop of bloggers - by which including me as well (you've seen all my fitting room pix at H&M, right?). To design a collection for H&M, meaning to design a collection for a huge arrays of bloggers... and by which also means you're bound to harsh critiques from all walks of life. Even from all over the world. The good, the bad and the ugly - it's all gonna be laid there in the bare. And I think Alber is ready to face that!
Anyway, about the collection. What's my verdict after seeing all the pix from H&M, both in the web as well as from its iPhone app? Simple answer: mixed bags. For the womenswear, I can give two thumbs up for that coz they really epitomize what Lanvin is all about, the one that you can even see on the catwalk in the previous seasons (one of the one-shoulder, asymmteric dress looks like a spitting image of what Abbey Lee wore in previous Lanvin FW08). Awesome collection. I know that the ladies are gonna queue from the early hours again to snap those frocks once it goes on sale later this month.
Yet, when it comes to the menswear my answer is simple: hmmmmmmmmm.... (I can even write that mmm longer!). I think this is a serious case of "oh, I think I just wanna do the menswear so that it JUST to compliment the womenswear. It doesn't have to be great". And so it goes.. it's not great at all! A major letdown. A huge disappointment. A very blah collection. Wearable? Of course, they are. But inspiring? Exciting? A bigfat NO!
Apart from Matthew Williamson for H&M which I think a major disaster for menswear in the H&M-designer collabo, this by Lanvin appears to be so underwhelming. The suit looks so out of proportion. The jacket is too baggy. The trousers appears very badly design. The materials for the accessories like the bow ties kinda from cheap fabrics. And the shoes? Oh, man... I dunno what to say. I know most of the pieces are supposed to be for the partywear - since Christmas and New Year is gonna be celebrated by year end - but, come on; they're all look very uninspiring from a top notch brand! I dunno what kind of fashionomoron gonna wear this tauted to be designer-highstreet collab (yikes!).
[pix from H&M iPhone app]
Anyway, the only thing that I like about the collection is not the clothes. It's the packaging which I think worth to be collected. At least they look quite fun! (You buy the clothes, then burn them - but keep the shopping bags, okay!).
As far as the clothes for mens is concerned... all I can say: pass me the bucket, I think I wanna throw up!! Thank God I'm not in London anymore to queue for this bland collection....
[pix from f***king young]
