H&M celebrates Sandra Mansour collaboration with donation to Lebanese Red Cross

H&M has announced a collaboration with Sandra Mansour, a Beirut-basedbrand earlier this month. The collaboration is inspired by strong female artists and thebeauty of nature. The collection features intricate designs in a mutedcolor palette, where handcrafted details like edgy ruffles and layers offabric create youthful looks. The Sandra Mansour x H&M collection will beavailable at hm.com and in-stores beginning August 27. Due to the recentnational tragedy in Beirut, H&M will donate 100,000 dollars to support thework of the Lebanese Red Cross.

Sandra Mansour established her fashion house in 2010 and her attention todetail and craftsmanship, mixed with inspiration from art and hersurroundings in Beirut has been the essence of her brand DNA. For theSandra Mansour x H&M collection, Mansour drew inspiration from elements ofnature and female artists including Toyen, Dorothea Tanning, Lena Leclercq,and Bibi Zogbe. The result is a feminine and strong range of dresses,blouses and skirts, a tailored blazer, a printed T-shirt, and a hoodie. Thecolor palette includes greys, ivory and black. Mansour names each of hercollections, and the Sandra Mansour x H&M collection is titled "Fleur duSoleil" after becoming fascinated with the way a sunflower follows the sunfrom day into night. Dot, floral and sunflower motifs are featuredthroughout the collection.

"The inspiration for the H&M collaboration was nature and naturalelements," Monsour said in a statement. "Especially the sunflower, whichrepresents the cycle of life, and its dependency on sun and light. Poetryand painters inspired the selection of fabric – the dark laces, jacquards,and embroidered organza. With the Fleur du Soleil collection, I want totalk to women around the world by sending a message of hope, something wereally need right now."

"The first things you notice about Sandra Mansour's designs are theirdreamy qualities and sheer beauty, but then you get further drawn into thecraftsmanship, the storytelling and the modern youthfulness," MariaOstblom, head of womenswear design at H&M, said in a statement. "There'salso something empowering about the femininity. We're proud to becollaborating with such a trailblazer and look forward to launching thecollection worldwide!"

Collaborations continue to be a sweet spot for fashion brands. At a timewhen less people are shopping, consumers still want to get their hands onlimited-edition products that bridge the gap between two customer pools'fan bases. Like the majority of retailers, H&M's business did take a hitdue to coronavirus, so now they are working on rebounding.

photo: courtesy of H&M