H&M collaborates with Liya Kebede's lemlem

H&M has collaborated with model Liya Kebede’s lemlem for a women’s collection focused on sustainable materials. With mid-spring bringing warmer weather and summer approaching, the collection is heavy on caftans and beachwear pieces.

For this collaboration, traditional handwoven materials often found in lemlem’s pieces are translated into cover-ups, sundresses, tops, shorts, trousers, swimwear, jewelry and accessories. Crafted from more sustainable materials including organic linen, recycled polyester and Tencel Lyocell, each features lemlem’s signature stripes and color-blocking, alongside the key elements of fluidity and soft textures. The color palette includes shades of blue, white, bright orange, soft pink, neons, and a hint of pale yellow.

“I love that H&M has always been at the forefront of doing really cool collaborations,” Kebede said in a statement. “So for lemlem, it’s really exciting to be part of that group of collaborating brands. It’s also a first for us to add jewelry as part of this collection and create a whole lemlem look. My creative direction included the campaign, too, which was so much fun and special because I got to shoot with my daughter.”

“With lemlem, you can’t help but notice its ease and elegance, which Liya Kebede obviously and beautifully embodies, too,” said Maria Östblom, head of design at H&M, in a statement. “It was wonderful to have Liya’s creative input at every step in this collaboration. We were also really happy to include more sustainable materials throughout the collection and just can’t wait to launch it around the world.”

Sustainability is becoming key to H&M’s business model. The company recently launched a new concept, Innovation Stories, which is debuting multiple drops throughout the year. After a tough 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the company is working on rebounding and cutting costs. They recently laid of 1000 employees in Spain as part of cost cutting measures.

Image: H&M