H&M and Mugler Know How to Put on a Show
The brands celebrated their upcoming collaboration with a huge party in New York City.
If there's one thing we know to expect from Casey Cadwallader's Mugler, it's a show. And on Wednesday night, that's exactly what the brand did, putting on quite the spectacle to celebrate its upcoming collaboration with H&M (dropping May 11!).
The Swedish retailer hasn't done a runway blowout in New York for a designer collection since the Moschino show in 2018, but these parties are somewhat legendary — a combination of fashion show, musical performance, open bar and shopping. (While guests typically get early access to the collaboration at the event via a pop-up, trust that it's still highly competitive. Fashion people can shop.) H&M and Mugler took over one of fashion's favorite uptown venues, the Park Avenue Armory, and invited hundreds and hundreds of people (according to a press release, there were "over 800 guests") to see the partnership come to life.
From the early teasers we got about the collaboration, we knew to expect a music-heavy event: Our first look at H&M x Mugler came via a music video starring Amaarae, Shygirl, Eartheater and Arca, covering "Music Sounds Better With You." Evidently, the dimly-lit Armory was set up more like a GA concert space than a traditional catwalk on Wednesday: standing-room only, the main area fenced in by three stages forming a semi-circle, with massive screens to make sure no one missed out on the action.
A group of dancers in embellished catsuits kicked things off, teeing up the models — including Paloma Elsesser, Irina Shayk and Eva Herzivoga — who then appeared in looks from the collection. A performance by Shygirl (in a silver sequined mini dress and long-sleeved bolero) followed; more models came out, then Amaarae took the stage, then Eartheater. The last group of models emerged (Precious Lee!!!), and all the artists came together for the finale, to the tune of "Music Sounds Better With You". Then, came the party — and the shopping. (I left before my group's allotted time slot, but I heard Brooke got some good stuff.)
If the chatter online and the energy at the show tells us anything, it's that you'll want to have a plan going into May 11, if you really want a piece from this collaboration. See every single look from H&M x Mugler, below.
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