H&M LAUNCH Spring 2019 COLLECTION In Sedona, Arizona. On March 11th, H&M will dispense with the traditional method of showing its biannual H&M Studio collection on the Paris Fashion Week catwalk, instead, launching its SS19 collection by combining fashion and immersive theater.
Key influencers and members of the global press will join H&M on a three-day trip to the awe-inspiring desert of Sedona, Arizona. As the fictional narrative unfolds, a series of immersive events will see the SS19 collection unveiled in exciting new contexts. Developed in collaboration with the esteemed creative agency Sunshine and the creative and production agency PRODJECT, the Sedona trip will recast guests as participants. An original narrative by Connie Harrison, the London-based creative consultant and director, who specializes in the creation of immersive experiences, will – quite literally – bring the SS19 collection to life.
Kattis Bahrke, H&M’s Head of Creative Marketing and Communication, says: “H&M has always been an innovation-led company and we are proud to launch the H&M Studio SS19 collection, with this new format. We hope that our guests will have a unique experience, partaking in the immersive theatre set-up and narrative we have devised, and that our customers will in turn be able to see the new collection, which combines practical utility pieces with glamorous after-dark options, in a context of wanderlust.”
Al MacCuish, Sunshine’s Creative Chairman, says: “H&M is extremely optimistic about doing things differently and were actively looking to innovate the catwalk show format. This is the first time a fashion brand has mounted an immersive theatre experience in order to launch a new collection. We looked at the mood boards of the H&M Studio design team and thought, what if we built a whole world around the idea of glamorous exploration? We believe that the guests are going to have a truly memorable experience. At its heart, it’s about inclusivity, emotion and feeling – which is what fashion does at its best.”
Keith Baptista, PRODJECT´s co-founder and Managing Director, says: “Many fashion brands are moving towards creating fashion shows that are more experiential, but this is the first time a brand has fully embraced theatre and invited guests to come along with them. We have devised a fictional narrative with multiple layers, so that participants can engage with the story on either a basic or much deeper level. Above all, we want to celebrate the spirituality, beauty and sense of exploration connected with Sedona, Arizona with an event that is truly unique.”
Connie Harrison, Creative Consultant and Immersive Creative Director, says: “We want people to feel like they’ve stepped into another world where they don’t know what’s real and what’s fiction. They meet people. They see things. They uncover secrets. And they leave changed somehow. What a wonderful way to show a collection.”
