I adore Beyonce, so I was excited to learn today that she will star in H&M’s summer campaign, both in the TV commercial and the print campaign. The shoot took place on what appears to be some sort of paradise island in the Bahamas, the perfect backdrop to H&M’s summer collection which features lots of tiny clothes (perfect if you have a body to rival Mrs Carter’s!) including micro shorts, bikinis and summer dresses. Ann-Sofie Johansson, Head of Design at H&M, is excited about the collaboration, particularly about the bikinis. She said, “There’s the perfect bodycon dress, as well as a flowing sun dress that makes a real statement. And of course there are the bikinis, especially the fringed bikini. What makes these pieces even more special is that Beyoncé herself had input into the design, and they are full of her own personal style.”
Beyonce has a history of designing clothes for her family-run label, House of Dereon, and she is regularly photographed at red carpet events in designer gowns – she is a style icon for many women across the globe. It’s surprising that, given H&M’s history of designer and celebrity collaborations, such a collaboration hasn’t happened before now. This summer is all about Mrs Carter for H&M and I’m sure that the collection will be hugely popular with H&M fans. The question on my lips was why Beyonce (arguably the most famous woman on the planet) would choose H&M over any other modelling/design offers she might have received? Despite being an international mega star, she’s just like the rest of us in one respect: she’s a big fan of H&M’s ability to create fashion on a budget. She says, “I’ve always liked liked H&M’s focus on fun and affordable fashion. I really loved the concept we collaborated on to explore the different emotions of women represented by the four elements – fire, water, earth and wind. It was a beautiful shoot on a tropical island. It felt more like making a video than a commercial.”
Video, commercial – either way, it’s paradise. Fear not, Daydreamers; if you can’t get to the Bahamas this summer, you can pray for some sun and make like Beyonce in a pair of H&M shorts.
