Topically, the latest H&M collaboration, in conjunction with Marni doesn’t appear to have created the same volume of conversation, or crowds as some previous partnerships have done.

Founded in 1994 by Consuelo Castiglioni, Marni now trades worldwide in 16 separate locations. Style, exclusivity, Italian design, you could imagine that people would be flocking to get their hands on a reasonably priced version of a desirable, often out of reach piece. On my visit to the H&M store in Manchester’s Trafford Centre, after carefully selecting my desired outfit, I proceeded to the till, where I suggested to the helpful staff member

“You don’t seem as busy as I would have thought…” which was confirmed by the response “No, we’ve had to send some security staff home, we actually had more security than customers at 9am…”

From a style perspective, it’s hard to imagine why the Versace collection for example drew in mass hysteria and daunting queues, where Marni paled into insignificance by comparison. In actuality, the unmistakable, yet understated and inoffensive designs that make up the latter collection would fit seamlessly into most fashion followers wardrobe, probably more favourably than the somewhat glaring Versace lines.

It must therefore be a case of brand notoriety that determines the draw of a crowd. This isn’t something alien, in truth it is actually commonplace that people crave what they know. Moreover, when a sizeable name like Versace is replaced by a less known one like Marni, people are likely to consider “it’s still just H&M, but dearer…”

Personally, I like Marni and after looking forward to seeing what this launch had to offer, I felt a little deflated and underwhelmed by the womenswear lines. The multiple use of three key prints was an immediate brick wall to me, as I prefer to style myself a little more individually and didn’t feel that the lines lent themselves to being toned down or accessorised well. Aside from that, the quality seemed to do justice to Marni, and the price point was pleasing.

Marni menswear has only existed within its standalone collection since 2007, and has progressed admirably, and this is exemplified in the H&M range. Less print, more style and again a good price point, sets this above the women’s collection in my mind. Style fit chino trousers, a sharp range of jackets and overcoats and some well tailored shorts make this a collection that any style conscious man should own at least one piece from the collection.

Overall, this is a step in the right direction, as far as I’m concerned for both H&M in breaking from the norm, and a good PR move from Marni to reach out wider. Only time will tell if this alignment will be beneficial for both or either business.

Image source – Google images