Famous faces front this year's H&M Christmas campaign

16 Nov '10

4 min read

The spirit of togetherness is the theme of H&M's Christmas campaign. Personalities such as Liya Kebede, Lou Doillon and Mariacarla Boscono have all been photographed together with the people who mean the most to them. Stella Tennant shows off both party frocks and winter knits with her young daughters Jasmine and Cecily. Lou Doillon shows different party wear themes of tuxedos and party dresses with her friend Sebastien Andrieu, while model brothers Louis and Claude Simonon wear timeless winter cardigans with style.

Must-have items this season are tuxedos for men and tailcoats for women. “Tailcoats can be worn with a long skirt and a lingerie-inspired top,” says Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M's Head of Design. “Or maybe over a feminine dress, or even with jeans and a T-shirt glammed up with bright red high heels.” Ann-Sofie says the details are key.

“Hair accessories add a special twist this winter. I love the sequin and feather ones, and there's lots of beautiful jewellery too.” For men, it's all about the tuxedo. “Wear it the classic way with matching trousers, a crisp white bib shirt, bow tie and patent shoes; dare a colour and pattern mix with a checked shirt and tartan bow-tie, or you can even wear it with jeans, a printed T-shirt and high-tops.”

To raise money for UNICEF's All for Children campaign, Lanvin's artistic director Alber Elbaz has designed a special organic cotton bag. The bag debuts the same day as the Lanvin for H&M collection on 23rd November. While the clothes collection will be sold in around 200 stores worldwide, the UNICEF bag will be available in every H&M womenswear store. Lanvin's is the fifth bag to have been specially designed for UNICEF, and 30% of the price of the bag will go to All for Children. The project began in 2009 to improve the lives of children in the cotton producing areas in Tamil Nadu, India. The project aims to improve children's health and education, and give them the opportunity to go to school instead of work. It will focus on 1.2 million children and run for five years.

Christmas is about so much more than giving presents to the people you love. This year H&M customers will be given the opportunity to donate money to UNICEF's water and sanitation work.

For each donation made, customers will receive a special Christmas sticker that they can attach to Christmas presents or cards, for example. According to UNICEF, almost half of the developing world's population lack adequate sanitation facilities, and almost a billion people have no access to safe drinking water. “We are working towards using water more efficiently in our supply chain through initiatives in both agriculture and with our suppliers. Our collaboration with UNICEF is another way in which we can reduce vulnerability in the communities where we work,” says CSR manager Mikael Blommé.

There's lots of fresh new fashion this winter at Hennes & Mauritz AB (H & M), says Head of Design, Ann-Sofie Johansson. “There are so many grown-up and elegant pieces. It's fun to dress up a little more this season,” she says. “A skirt feels new after so many seasons focused on dresses. An 80s-inspired faux leather skirt is perfect for work, perhaps worn with a feminine cable knit or a Victorian-style blouse. Mad Men-inspired pencil skirts set the tone. They look super stylish worn with a silky soft coral red blouse or maybe a man's cashmere V-neck.”

Ann-Sofie has her eye on some menswear too. “The checked shirt and Mickey Mouse T-shirt, for example. For men jeans or cords worn with a camel coat create the perfect combination. I usually borrow my boyfriend's tops and wear them with or without a belt as a tunic and team with leggings, jeans or a pencil skirt.”

Hennes & Mauritz AB (H & M)

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