H&M collaborates with Chinese designer Angel Chen

H&M has teamed with Angel Chen in a capsule collection – the fast-fashion label’s first partnership with a Chinese designer.

The Angel Chen x H&M collection will be available in selected stores and online in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and Canada this September, as well as online in Macau and the Philippines. It will also be sold on H&M’s Tmall flagship store.

“With lines for both women and men, this collaboration perfectly encapsulates the essence of Angel’s signature styles,” says Pernilla Wohlfahrt, H&M assortment manager for collaborations and special collections.

Heavily influenced by Angel’s design ethos of East meets West, this capsule collection features an urban wardrobe of versatile pieces with strong Chinese elements in colours like Oriental red, bubble-gum pink and bright yellow.

Embroidered details, from dragons to cranes and pine trees, are used across the entire collection. Traditional dragon and floral embroidery are also weaved into Angel Chen’s logo that is featured on sweatshirts, hoodie dress and jackets.

Chinese characters such as “Yuan Qi” (energy) and “Kung Fu” written in brush calligraphy is also featured on a denim boiler suit and satin shirt.

Statement pieces include a knitted mesh suit in a vivid all-over dragon and crane print, a sequin maxi dress with crane motif and a bubble-gum pink faux-fur coat. Other items include accessories such as the phone case sling, faux fur bag, and unisex boots.

“With the development of global market, more Chinese designers are stepping on the international stage,” says Angel Chen. “And I hope that through this collaboration, more people will pay attention to Chinese designers, and also the Chinese culture and spirit behind their designs.”

Chen moved from her native Shenzhen to study in London aged 17 and graduated from Central Saint Martins. Chen launched her own label in 2015.