H&M and Stella McCartney are releasing a new collection – almost exactly 20 years after the Swedish fashion chain and the British designer first joined forces.
A first foretaste of the new collection was given on Monday evening at the Fashion Awards in London, H&M announced on Tuesday. The fashion awards featured a number of stars including models Emily Ratajkowski, Amelia Gray, Yasmin Wijnaldum and Alton Mason, as well as tech entrepreneur Kiara Nirghin and actress Bel Priestley, dressed in collaboration looks.
Set to launch in spring 2026, the collection will celebrate the design DNA with signature styles, iconic silhouettes and brand codes from different chapters of McCartney’s brand history. “Certified, responsible materials” – including recycled materials – should also be used in this collection, which goes hand in hand with the sustainability pioneer’s guiding principles.
“I’m delighted to be reuniting with H&M 20 years after our first collaboration,” said the designer. “Reworking pieces from my archive has brought back so much energy and joy. This second partnership feels like a chance to look at how far we’ve come in sustainability, cruelty-free practices and conscious designs – and stay honest about how far we still have to go together.”
New “Insights Board” initiative
A central part of the collaboration is the establishment of the “Insights Board” initiative. The aim is to bring together different voices and perspectives from across the fashion industry “to create a space for curiosity and listening,” according to the statement. The aim is to find new ways for brands and the entire industry and to raise awareness of issues such as animal protection.
McCartney’s “moral compass and tireless commitment to sustainable practices” has long inspired H&M, “so it’s an honor to work with her on such an ambitious project,” said Ann-Sofie Johansson, creative advisor at H&M.
“Real change only happens when we apply pressure from both outside and within, and I have always believed in infiltrating the industry from within to move it forward,” said McCartney, whose November 2005 H&M collaboration made her the second designer ever to work with the fast-fashion retailer.
Most recently, the Belgian designer Glenn Martens joined the list of H&M collaborators in October.