H&M launches Sandra Mansour collection

H&M has teamed up with Sandra Mansour to create a high street collection launching online and in stores on 6 August. The first Arab designer to do so. The Beirut-based designer is known for her romantic, ethereal pieces characterised by ruffles, tulle and strong silhouettes.

"The inspiration for the H&M collection was nature and natural elements," says Mansour, adding that the sunflower was of particular significance for her. "Poetry and painters inspired the selection of fabric - the dark laces, jacquards and embroidered organza," she continued. "With the Fleur du Soleil collection, I wanted to send women around the world a message of hope, something we all need right now." The label's H&M collaboration is reflective of its dreamlike, whimsical signature look, but with a heightened youthful edge. Hoodies and T-shirts are styled with frothy mini skirts, while chiffon dresses are worn with hardy boots. The collection, called Fleur du Soleil, was inspired by Mansour's love of the natural world, manifesting itself in floral and sunflower motifs.

The muted colour palette comprises shades of mushroom grey, ivory and black, preventing the pieces from feeling too saccharine. Mansour started her eponymous label in 2010 (having worked with Elie Saab in the past). And while the designs are available internationally from Farfetch to Harrods, every piece from her high-end collection is made in her atelier in Beirut. She is incredibly inspired by painters (that was her original career goal), and is known for her hand and thread embroidery. This craftsmanship is particularly apparent in her bridal line, which produces both collections and custom pieces. Princess Ekaterina of Hanover wore one of her bespoke dresses at her wedding in 2017. The gown took 10 months to create, and honed in on Ekaterina's Russian heritage. In the past two decades, H&M have produced lines with Stella McCartney, Lanvin, Sonia Rykiel, Erdem, Versace, Alexander Wang and more. But it has never worked with one of the many prominent Arab designers that are regulars on international runways, until now.