Opiate for the Masses

It was ugly. There was pushing, shoving, animal prints were flying. And then, after a ten minute display of quite how undignified human nature can be, it was over.

That's how the launch of H&M's Roberto Cavalli collection acted out last year, and this week the Swedish fast-fashion giant is continuing its mission of bringing high fashion to the hoi polloi with a collection from Rei Kawakubo's Comme des Garçons.

This tie-up may be less glamorous than the avant garde label's fancy store-in-store collaboration with Louis Vuitton in Tokyo, but at least there's some degree of symmetry with the Swedes: after washing, the seams are likely to be as deconstructed as the designs.

But the impoverished art student look is always good in times of crisis, so expect another store run. I'll sit out the launch itself and instead hope that there are some items left for when the personal shopping and style consultancy opens in the new Mariscal-designed store next week.

Comme des Garçons for H&M - from November 13
Ramblas 131, Passeig de Gracia 9, Diagonal 579
H&M de Estudio Mariscal - opens November 20
Portal de l'Àngel 22, Gótico

By SNo