Somedays, when it’s slow at work, I’ll take a walk around downtown and inevitably find myself at one of the many department stores around Union Square.

As much as I explore, I always make it a point to stop by H&M, because I like their men’s collection and they always have nicely pared-down versions of some the latest trends. When it comes to things I’d like to see in my wardrobe, I can usually count on H&M to have anticipated my desires, and ones that I can actually afford.

It’s actually pretty rare to see things I want or imagine at any given moment already in stores. It used to be that it took a couple years for companies to go ahead and manufacture the things I wanted on shelves a few seasons back.

With social media spreading our likes and influences quickly and efficiently, mass-industry is uncannily synchronous and effective in generating the wants and desires broadcasted by the hive mind. Every subculture seems to be represented with products of every variety immediately available on Etsy.com, or any number of small and medium sized internet companies. It seems even the largest companies are able to pick up on these trends enough to satisfy even some of the more picky or avant-garde fashionistas. I don’t know if I could call myself a fashionista, nor would I want to, but I will say that H&M reaches a nice middle-ground when I want to be fashion-forward (even a little bold) while still keeping an understated look.

A new line that H&M has been rolling out over that past few seasons has been their Conscious line, which features clothing that make “fashion sustainable and sustainability fashionable.” Colors in the Conscious Men’s line feature rich greens and dark navy blues, but with odd touches like a splash of floral or coat fringes, no doubt a moder. lists a line of organic and recycled fabrics. Their organic blends include linen, jute, and cotton, the latter of which H&M consumes more than any other clothing store worldwide. Their recycled threads include polyester, polymide, and of course, water-bottle plastic. They also sport Tencel, a silk-like proprietary fabric made from cellulose (generically known as Lyocell).

If you like the clothes that H&M provides, and you’re environmentally conscious, you might wonder how sustainable H&M really is. Their view on sustainability is surprisingly sophisticated, covering all their bases in their “seven ambitious commitments.”

Here, H&M has actually given us a framework to understand what they mean by “Conscious,” and more importantly, their understanding of sustainability. They’re not entirely exempt from the notion of greenwashing, being a very large company, but at the same time they don’t just stamp an “organic” imprint on a tag and call it a day. They incorporate an all-important factor in any discussion about sustainability, the people factor. Social equity, which is addressed in their seventh ambition of strengthening communities, is the glue that keeps sustainability relevant to a human discussion.

Yet in reality, H&M’s Conscious line of clothes is but a small portion of the store floor, and nothing more than a marketing gamble.Sure, conserving natural resources, using renewable or recycled materials, and keeping a small carbon footprint is important, but it doesn’t help much from a human-centric view unless you keep people at the center of the discussion. When you buy clothes, you might wonder about whether people are being displaced to make way for big industry to source raw material. Are these inhabitants benefitting from the company? These are all important considerations, ones that are difficult for any company honor completely let alone navigate responsibly. H&M says they are committed to these Seven Ambitions, but at the end of the day we are speaking of only one collection which is already on their sale rack. The rest of H&M no doubt operates like any world-wide corporation, where profitability is what keeps them competitive in a worldwide marketplace.

photo: 1, 2

H&M’s creative director Ann-Sofie Johansson has taken the scraps from that Lanvin x H&M collection that so many people went apeshit for, and – dare I say – the results are much more fantastic than that Alber Elbaz creations. Like, easily so. Hopefully the fast fashion chain will do more of this and less of THIS in its efforts to authentically join the sustainability bandwagon (it’s solar powered, BTW).

Due to the nature of the collection it will be available in very limited quantities at a just smattering of stores in Europe and the US (NYC only) starting in early February. See more of the sloppy seconds – otherwise known as the “Waste” collection – at Ecouterre.com

photos: handbag.com, coolspotters.com, ecouterre.com

Check out my Polyvore sets for some ways to wear the above pieces – E.J. style!

reduce, reuse, upcycle 2 by eighty jane featuring a suede tote

YIGAL AZROUEL Y14203WR JET EXTRA FINE WOOL FRINGE DRAPE SKIRT
289 GBP – farfetch.com
Draped skirt »

Easy in Studded Black Suede
$1,895 – ysl.com
Suede tote »

Earrings – Monroe
33 EUR – modekungen.se
Earrings »

Dolce Vita "Ivan" Demi-Wedge Sandals

$156 – bloomingdales.com

H&M ‘Waste” Collection Made from Lanvin Fabric Scraps | The Fashion…
thefashioncult.com

reduce, reuse, upcyle by eighty jane featuring a leopard bikini

Last Wednesday shots of an H&M spring 2010 Garden collection hit the netwaves. The line is being billed as the store’s Organic and Sustainable line, and in a case of unbelievably bad timing, a story caught fire the same day that a Manhattan H&M store has been mutiliating unworn, unsold merchandise and dumping them in the garbage. Hmm…

What a perfect illustration of how companies are using the “green” trend as just another marketing ploy. Certainly, any company whose values are authentically in line with sustainability would never allow this to happen. I do understand why they did (do) it: can’t have every Tom, Dick, and Harry Homeless sporting the same gear you want some enthusiastic fashionista to pay 100 bucks for come next season. They have to protect their Brand Integrity. However, the NYT story that began the firestorm also reported that Wal-Mart in Manhattan was doing the same thing. That bit was less suprising to hear, but more ridiculous. What integrity was Wal-Mart have to protect ?!?

Via Ecouterre
Photos: the Pipeline

Sonia Rykiel *SPARKLES* Fall/Winter 2009/2010

I’m several days late with my woohoo! for the Gaultier goodness on it’s way to Target later this year. And now there’s news of yet another designer-discount chain collab by way of Chez Rykiel + H&M.

PARIS — Picking up the pace of its designer collaborations, fast-fashion giant H&M said Monday French designer Sonia Rykiel would create a lingerie collection for holiday retailing.

The collection is to be launched Dec. 5 in 1,500 H&M stores worldwide, and also at Rykiel boutiques — the first time a guest designer for H&M will do so. The French firm counts 44 boutiques worldwide, along with 52 shop-in-shops.

In another first, the collaboration with Rykiel will continue into the spring season, with a knitwear line for women and girls, accompanied by accessories. This second collection will be launched in around 250 H&M stores on Feb. 20.

“We wanted something different,” H&M creative adviser Margareta van den Bosch told WWD. “Sonia Rykiel is very Parisian, feminine and playful, so it was an ideal choice.”

Looks like H&M is really trying to give Target a run for it’s diffusion money. But if the Rykiel lingerie collection looks anything like Fall 2009 (see above), I’ll be steering clear. Sequins in the nether regions just sounds like a bad idea.

via WWD.com

Katy Perry vs. Nicky Hilton in Matthew Williamson for H&M peacock dress.

It’s not really a fair fight, considering Katy Perry’s status as a Cult icon. She’s the clear winner, with accessories that compliment the dress, rather than doggedly match it, as do Hilton’s blue shoes and peacock clutch.

Nicky Hilton does, however, win in the hair and makeup department by a thin margin. The softer face and braided hair are a good foil to the razzle dazzle of the dress.

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