COLLABORATION ANTICIPATION: It's MARNI In March For H&M!

Hot off the pandemonium over this month's Versace collaboration, H&M has announced that it will launch an exclusive collection designed by Consuelo Castiglioni for MARNI this March. This should go a ways to console H&M fans about the fact that the Spring version of the Versace line will reportedly not be available in U.S. H&M stores. The Marni line will launch on March 8th, 2012 in over 250 stores worldwide and online, and will feature clothing and accessories for both women and men at fast fashion prices in much the same way as the Swedish chain's other collaboration collections have.

“I wanted to create a true Marni wardrobe by revisiting all our favorite pieces in signature fabrics and prints. As always, I love juxtaposing prints and colors, mixing modern tribal with Bauhaus graphic and adding sporty utilitarian elements,” says Castiglioni in today's press release, so not unlike the recent Versace line, shoppers should be able to find new versions of Marni's greatest hits at H&M come this spring. The chain has provided a few preview images pictured here featuring Castiglioni and H&M Creative Advisor Margareta van den Bosch, so you can get an idea of what will be in store for customers come this Spring. After the jump, see a behind-the-scenes video (along with the full press release) that should get you excited for what promises to be one of the chain's most sophisticated team-ups since it joined forces with Comme des Garçons a couple of years ago.

March 8th is a Thursday.
Start lining up now (as if we need to tell you).

Press Release - November 29th, 2011

MARNI TO DESIGN A SPRING COLLECTION FULL OF SIGNATURE PRINT AND PATTERN FOR H&M
H&M is proud to announce a spring designer collaboration with the Italian brand Marni. Famed for its original prints and inventive spirit, Marni is one of fashion’s most-loved labels, and its founder and creative director, Consuelo Castiglioni, has created a spring collection for H&M for both women and men that captures the essence of Marni. Available from March 8, 2012 in over 250 stores worldwide and online, the collection features both clothing and accessories, all at H&M’s prices,  allowing everyone  the chance to enter Marni’s world.

“I wanted to create a true Marni wardrobe by revisiting all our favorite pieces in signature fabrics and prints. As always, I love juxtaposing prints and colors, mixing modern tribal with Bauhaus graphic and adding sporty utilitarian elements,” says Consuelo Castiglioni. Founder and Creative Director.

“We all love the collection here at H&M and we believe that our customers will  feel the same way. Marni has such a modern touch with everything they do, mixing prints and accessories in a playful but chic way. It’s fantastic to see how Consuelo Castiglioni coordinates her designs, matching new combinations of prints and colors, with such incredible craftsmanship behind every piece. The collection will arrive in stores at just the perfect time. as the collection will truly prove to be a lovely statement for spring,” comments Margareta van den Bosch, Creative Advisor for H&M.

Marni is a label that follows its own path and sets its own trends for prints, cuts and silhouettes, which are always playful and elegant. Marni has remained a family- owned business even as it has grown to become an international luxury brand with stores around the world.

Marni’s collection for H&M has all the freedom and experimentation for which the label is renowned, with all-over prints in strong colors intended to be worn together in layers that both match and clash. For women, the colors are vivid, and the prints are bold, be they African-inspired or simpler color blocks. The silhouettes are all Marni staples, with full pleated skirts, dresses, cropped pants and jacquard knits; fabrics range from silk to crisp cotton poplin. To complete the look, the collection also includes jewelry, shoes, bags and scarves.

For men, the colors and fabrics are softened for a relaxed take on menswear staples that  are truly Marni. The use of prints is subtle; they often appear as a lining or as a contrast detail for shirts; the silhouette is a modern, relaxed take on masculine classics. The Marni collection is the latest designer collaboration for H&M, which has previously collaborated with brands such as Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, Comme des Garçons, Jimmy Choo, Lanvin, and most recently Versace.