H&M Kicks Up CSR Business Values with Exclusive Conscious Collection and Fashion Against AIDS
We recently covered H&M’s CSR business initiative run in collaboration with Marni in support of Red Cross Japan earthquake relief and now the fast-fashion giant are launching two lines that reaffirm the company’s commitment to walking the talk. The retail clothing conglomerate, whose buyer can be seen on NBC’s Fashion Star, is launching two socio-environmental clothing lines this spring including a new spin on their annual Conscious Collection and an expansion on their Fashion Against AIDS line.
H&M’s Conscious Collection initially launched in 2011 and represents its sustainable fashion ethos but what makes this year’s collection different is that they have added an Exclusive capsule line within the Conscious Collection that is specifically made for galas, red carpets and other glamorous events. The collection is made from organic cotton and hemp as well as recycled polyester and demonstrates the variety that is now possible in upscale green fashion with styles reflecting today’s red carpet diversity. The collection has already gained A-list celebrity attention with Amanda Seyfried wearing their blue tuxedo blazer and shorts at a London premiere, Oscar nominee Viola Davis sporting the hot-pink sleeveless top and skirt and Kristin Davis wearing the apple green embroidered dress to a Vanity Fair event. Even Oscar-winners Michelle Williams wore an H&M sustainable black and gold gown to the BAFTAs in London this year and Natalie Portmanchose a $50.00 H&M creation to an Oscar event last year.
Images courtesy of hm.com/ca/
Momentum for a sustainable upscale fashion line has been building since Colin Firth’s wife Livia put forth the Green Carpet Challenge for stars to wear eco-fashions this past award season and H&M have certainly taken the challenge to heart. Even though this line is gaining media and celebrity attention, H&M have ensured the pieces remain accessible to the average consumer looking for that special something with the pieces ranging in price from $19.99 for a top to $299 for a floor length gown. According to H&M’s Conscious Actions Sustainability Report, the company is “the number one user of organic cotton in the world and that they’ve donated 2.3 million garments to charitable causes.”
H&M Conscious Collection is an excellent example of their consummate approach to CSR business programs which tend to combine responsible practices, spreading awareness for an associated cause and raising funds in support that same cause. The company’s Fashion Against AIDS line is another example of this approach as it too ticks all their CSR business boxes.
Fashion Against Aids will launch tomorrow, April 26th, 2012, in Canada and in over 300 H&M locations worldwide. The line features prints that H&M commissioned from international artists and illustrators solely for this collection. Twenty-five percent of the proceeds from the purchase price of every item in the line will go directly to fund youth HIV/AIDS prevention, education and awareness organizations, including: Designers Against AIDS (DAA), YouthAIDS, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and MTV Staying Alive Foundation. The Fashion Against AIDS line first launched in 2008 and has since raised over $6.5 for these projects.
H&M’s Head of Design Ann-Sofie Johansson has said, “I love this year’s Fashion Against AIDS collection. It brings together so many global styles that send not only a powerful fashion message, but also help spread the word about HIV/AIDS awareness. It’s great that the collection includes the work of artists and illustrators from many different countries, helping us to raise funds for these vital youth HIV/AIDS charities.”
You don’t have to purchase a piece of clothing to support H&M’s Fashion Against AIDS as the company will also donate $1.00 for every make-out/kiss photo uploaded to their gallery so pucker up, grab your partner and do your part. Of course another way to support this program is to wear a condom and spread the word to others to do the same as well.
H&M believe Fashion Against AIDS is not about sexual preferences – it’s about love and that’s why they have included gay couples in their adverts so a big standing O for that. Say what you want about H&M as they may not get everything right 100% of the time but you can’t deny that they get more right than most and we’d be better off with more like ‘em.
Fashion Against Aids 2012
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh1nvLSYQpc [/youtube]
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We think it’s great that companies as large as H&M are thinking eco and taking the extra step to be involved in the movement. People are beginning to catch on and it is being looked at as less of a trend or fad and more as a way of life. It is beneficial on both sides of the retail/shoppers in that the designs are just as stylish and fashionable as the regular collections that most people that already shop at H&M will be buying eco, sometimes without even knowing it. From a business stand point it will also possibly attract the growing group of shoppers who shop with an eco mind-set essentially broadening their market. Thank you for sharing this with us, we are definitely pushing where we can to spread the word and let people in on the fact that it is relatively simple to make small changes in your daily life that can reap long time benefits.
x0! Stylust
Thanks for reading and for your comment. Yes we agree and gladly promote retailers that are cognizant of environmental impact and when they can do that and still make it affordable like H&M, then that is even better. I think there is a perception that the responsible choice is generally the expensive choice so the more we can prove that perception wrong, the better off we will be. Thank you again for stopping by.