The New Lemlem and H&M Collaboration Will Have You Ready for Summer
H&M’s roster of collaborations as of late has been notable, from the highly anticipated collection with Simone Rocha to Diane von Furstenberg’s homeware range. Today, H&M returns with another strong collaboration, this time with Lemlem—maker of summertime staples for traipsing around the city or those far-flung getaways everyone is hoping to escape to post-reemergence.
“I love that H&M has always been at the forefront of doing really cool collaborations. So for Lemlem, it’s really exciting to be part of that group of brands that they’ve collaborated with,” says Liya Kebede, founder and creative director of the brand, and, of course, a supermodel.
The Ethiopian-born Kebede, who is also a vocal maternal health advocate, launched the womenswear brand Lemlem (which means “to bloom” and “flourish” in Amharic) in 2007 to create job opportunities for women in Ethiopia. In the 14 years since Lemlem’s launch, Kebede has transformed the brand from a collection of handwoven scarves, children’s clothing, and caftans into a full ready-to-wear line crafted by artisans in her native country.
For the collaboration with H&M, the Lemlem offerings continue to inspire that sense of on-holiday, on-a-tropical-island ease; “Because we created this beachwear collaboration together right in the midst of the pandemic, it was extra significant to all of us that the spirit of this collaboration and the collection be about a sense of joy, and a focus on what connects us,” Kebede tells Vogue.
Of adapting Lemlem’s artisanal ethos to a larger scale with H&M, Kebede explains, “Sustainability was at the center of our discussions from the beginning—particularly around fabric choices. We picked materials like organic linen that gives the collection a light, breezy feel. While this collection is not handwoven, I was excited to translate some of our unique Lemlem elements and stripes into the collection. We learned a lot from one another throughout the process, especially in carefully strategizing how to make more sustainable choices and design a versatile collection we hope will be well worn and loved.”
Beyond sustainability, Kebede and Lemlem are steadfastly devoted to female artisans throughout Africa. “I’m very proud of the work we’re doing through Lemlem’s foundation to help train and empower women artisans in Africa and would like to add a special thanks to H&M for their interest and generous contribution to help support our programming,” says Kebede. H&M is donating $100,000 to support the Lemlem Foundation, which aims to create a pathway out of poverty for women artisans in Africa.
The range includes caftans, swimwear, jewelry, bags, sundresses, and matching sets, all made from sustainable materials like organic linen, recycled polyester, and Tencel Lyocell in Lemlem’s signature soft stripes and color-blocking details. The collection is meant to be worn for spring and summer holidays ahead on “a day trip to the beach, or those wonderful long summer nights we’re looking forward to ahead. No matter whether on vacation or at home, what I hope most is that it’ll be a lift for people to be able to enjoy these new pieces, making new happy memories getting together with friends and family again,” Kebede says. As for Kebede’s favorite piece? “I absolutely adore the slip dress. And I have so much fun styling it with the jewelry,” she says. “We’re so excited about each of the jewelry pieces, which is new for us at Lemlem. I love stacking on all the rings and bracelets.”
Here, shop the Lemlem x H&M collaboration and get ready for sunny days ahead now.
