EXCLUSIVE: H&M Embraces ‘Jet Set Boho Feeling’ and ‘Colors of Thailand’ in New ‘The White Lotus’-themed Collection and Campaign Spot
H&M and HBO’s “The White Lotus” partnered for a new resort-style collaboration inspired by the Emmy Award-winning HBO series’ third season. The collection, which drops Feb. 20, features a fresh campaign with jet-setting style inspiration. WWD can exclusively reveal the new video spot ahead of the collection drop.
The campaign spot has “The White Lotus” series’ signature luxury approach to fashion mixed with the show’s third season setting — Thailand. Models recline at their gate before boarding their flights to their respective destinations, styled in long-printed dresses, kaftans and more. The designs were created in a collaborative partnership between H&M and “The White Lotus” Emmy-nominated costume designer Alex Bovaird.
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“This collaboration truly captures the magic of the show,” Bovaird, who grew up in Norway, shared with WWD via email. “We distilled the essence of the characters from my mood boards, a collage of influences from the lush jungle and the colors of Thailand to a sense of luxury and style that harkens back to a time when everyone dressed up for their travels,” Bovaird said.
Bovaird describes the collection as an answer to the quiet luxury trend — “It’s noisy, eclectic and emotional,” she explained.
Among the pieces featured throughout the collaborative collection, Bovaird highlights “sexy swimwear for power dressing at the pool and floaty, ethereal dresses for the jet set boho feeling. We also have little black frilly dresses that can be dusted with our fab accessories that were inspired vintage finds at the Thai bazaar.”
The collaboration between the popular series and fashion brand was a seamless fit, Bovaird shared. “It was exciting to me that H&M truly valued the contribution of a costume designer, and the authenticity and unique perspective we bring to a collaboration based on the look of a show,” Bovaird said.
Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M’s creative advisor, echoed Bovaird’s sentiments on the perfect match between the brand and costume designer’s vision. “Working with Alex was insightful — she has such a strong vision. She had the most fantastic mood boards that mapped out the setting, interiors and overall inspiration — we got to see how she used the wardrobe to build the different characters. Each has a particular style, which meant designing the collection was so much fun,” Johansson told WWD via email.
Johansson described the collection as “colorful and glamorous — it captures that holiday feeling when people might be slightly more daring. So, I love the long-printed dresses and caftans with volumes of fabric that move when you do. If you wear something like that, you are noticed, but at the same time, it’s comfortable and effortless.”
Above all, the opportunity to collaborate on a collection inspired by “The White Lotus” Season Three struck Johansson as capitalizing on “a cultural moment. Also, it meant we could create a glamorous and dreamy resort collection — I think we are good at that at H&M,” Johansson said.
Season Three of “The White Lotus” takes place at the titular luxury resort and follows a group of strangers in Thailand whose lives intersect leading to a mysterious murder. The Emmy Award-winning series’ third season debuts on HBO on Sunday.
H&M X ‘The White Lotus’ Collaboration: Jet-Setting Luxury Style Inspired by the HBO Series
Launch Gallery: H&M X ‘The White Lotus’ Collaboration: Jet-Setting Luxury Style Inspired by the HBO Series
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