The much anticipated Marni for H&M collection was released in selected high street stores today and I'm pleased to say one of them was in Manchester! I was there at 10.00am queuing up to enter the Marni part of the store which had been sectioned off with barriers, a guard and a queuing area! The first lot of shoppers were allowed in as they had come earlier to get their wristbands and were given 10 minutes browsing time and 5 minutes to try on garments, but were allowed to take in one of each item, which was then swapped by an assistant on the shop floor if it didn't fit. This controlled mania for clothing seemed so bizarre! I tried to imagine what it would be like to have the general public pining after an item by your label, and waiting from 7am to get their hands on it. I wasn't that dedicated, but still went pretty early in the hope of getting the black chunky flower necklace for myself and the mustard PVC and grey jersey t-shirt or mustard leather bag for my friend Willa who kindly reminded me and placed her order the night before... I managed to get both the necklace and top and know they were both money well spent!
The pieces all featured typical Marni motifs, print, cuts and accessories, a summary of the brand and why consumers adore it distilled into one collection. I love how the clothes are cut, in particular a dress with batwing-esque sleeves that became voluminous towards the back to add a quirk to a simple cotton dress. I want to try out more minimalist shapes but add certain detailing and cuts to make them stand out as my own designs.
