H&M reveal their next designer collaboration...

Jeeze, these guys at H&M don't hang around, do they?!

After their recent Versace collaboration sold out in a record breaking 30 minutes, the H&M bosses are working on their next money-making, recession-busting project... a collaboration with Italian fashion label Marni.

The line – which will include womenswear, menswear and accessories – will hit 260 stores nationwide and online on 8 March 2011, a couple of months after the launch of a second Versace collection on January 18th.

‘Collaborating with H&M has been an exciting challenge,’ says Consuelo Castiglioni, Marni’s Creative Director. ‘I’m very proud of the result. Everything has the same level of  quality craft and attention to detail Marni is known for.’

As much as I love the idea of designer items being made available at a price i can afford, I do question how they manage "the same level of quality craft and attention to detail" at a fraction of the luxury brand price. There are now so many high street & luxury collaborations,  that I wonder what the long term effect on the brand is. I know if I had saved up a fortune for e.g. a Mulberry bag, then they produced one with "the same level of quality" for H&M, everyone would be walking around with it, and I'd be pretty annoyed!! To me, the luring thing about a luxury brand is its exclusivity. I agree that it's very much unattainable for the average student like me, but that's what makes it so alluring. 

Saying that, I do love the sneak preview of the new collection, especially these silver courts.... Watch the video below and tell me your thoughts!

Do you like the fact these collaborations allow you a bit of that luxury kudos, or does it defeat the whole purpose of what "luxury" is about???