Lemlem, the womenswear label founded by Ethiopian supermodel, actress and maternal health advocate Liya Kebede, has teamed with H&M to produce a fashion-forward range of kaftans and beachwear pieces made from sustainable materials.
Described as “comfortable in the city, yet ready for that summer getaway,” the Lemlem x H&M collaboration features relaxed bold stripes and dip-dyed colour-blocking along with swimwear, jewellery, and accessories.
“I love that H&M has always been at the forefront of doing really cool collaborations,” says Kebede, explaining the collaborative range. “So for Lemlem, it’s really exciting to be part of that group of brands that they’ve collaborated with. It’s also the first time we have a whole lemlem look, with the jewellery really adding to the feeling and the woman that I want it to look like.
“My creative direction included the campaign, too, which was so much fun and special because I got to shoot with my daughter,” she says.
Traditional handwoven materials often found in Lemlem’s pieces are translated into cover-ups, sundresses, tops, shorts, trousers, swimwear, jewellery and accessories in the Lemlem x H&M edit. Materials used include organic linen, recycled polyester and Tencel Lyocell and the colour palette includes shades of blue, white, bright orange, soft pink, neons and a hint of pale yellow.
“With Lemlem, you can’t help but notice its ease and elegance, which Liya Kebede obviously and beautifully embodies, too,” says Maria Östblom, head of design at H&M. “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.”
The range went on sale in selected H&M stores in Asia on April 22 and is available online at hm.com.
