H&M to launch menswear collection with actor John Boyega

Fast-fashion retailer H&M is teaming up with Star Wars actor John Boyega on a menswear collection that “pushes style and sustainability”.

The H&M Edition by John Boyega will launch online at hm.com and in selected stores on October 28. It will feature key autumn looks constructed from recycled, organic and innovative materials, such as Vegea, a vegan alternative to leather, partly made from waste from the winemaking industry.

Described as a contemporary and “uncompromising” sustainable collection for men, Edition by John Boyega fuses workwear pieces with floral prints and tie-dye patterns, while celebrating “the changemakers that tries to do good for the world,” explains H&M in a press release.

The menswear line is made using sustainable materials and includes cotton that is organic or recycled from textile-production waste or post-consumer waste, nylons and polyesters that are recycled, and viscose fibres from sustainable sources.

Commenting on his debut fashion collection, John Boyega, said in a statement: “I’m excited to collaborate with H&M on a collection that aligns my passions with purpose. Sustainability to me, means thinking about longevity for the benefit of those coming after us.

“This collaboration has already birthed opportunities for fresh dynamic creatives.Two birds with one stone.”

Star Wars actor John Boyega unveils debut fashion collection with H&M

At the heart of the Edition by John Boyega menswear collection is the retailer showcasing that the season’s key pieces can be made in a more sustainable way, adds H&M. Such as a chore jacket, which will be a Europe online exclusive, which features a patchwork denim design constructed from collected denim garments, remade into a contemporary style.

While a checked coat has been partly made from premium Italian recycled wool and a zip-off puffer jacket, an online exclusive worldwide, has been crafted from the innovative material Vegea, and can be quickly transformed from jacket to vest.

Other highlights include an organic cotton striped shirt with a roomy cut, a knitted green cardigan, 100 percent recycled cotton jeans with a loose, contemporary cut, a yellow rollneck, and a pink tie-dye sweatshirt and T-shirts emblazoned with the hopeful reminder “A better present leads to a better future”, alongside a graphic of planet Earth in action. The collection is completed by a tote bag with these graphics, plus a floral cap and pink tie-dye canvas trainers.

British-Nigerian actor and producer, Boyega may have risen to fame as Finn in the Star Wars franchise, but H&M states that they wanted to work with the Golden Globe-winning actor as he is one of the world’s “most inspiring actors and changemakers” following his heartfelt speech at a Black Lives Matter protest in London in June 2020.

Ross Lydon, head of menswear design at H&M, added: “John Boyega is a brave leader of a generation that’s speaking up for change, believing there’s a better way to treat each other and the planet. H&M is proud to team up with John for Edition by John Boyega, a contemporary, more sustainable collection for men.”

The H&M Edition by John Boyega collection will launch on October 28 at hm.com and in selected stores.