H&M, Balmain announce 2015 collaboration

H&M announced its team up with French fashion house Balmain, with the collection going online and in stores starting November this year. This is not the first time the company collaborated with high-end designers, including Karl Lagerfeld back in 2004, Lavin in 2010 and Versace in 2011. Balmain is known for ornate designs such as gold details and embroidery, which were widely seen during the Fall 2015 runway shows from YSL, Moschino and Alexander McQueen.

According to a marketing consultant, the partnership would help Balmain reach a more mainstream and younger audience while H&M can showcase a wider range of products. The Swedish retailer is planning to open 400 stores this year despite slower sales growth of 9 percent last March. It is second to fellow fast fashion brand Inditex worldwide. The website would start selling clothes in most parts of Eastern Europe this year.

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