Inside Mugler H&M, 2023’s monumental fashion collaboration: the new collection aims to capture the spirit of Thierry Mugler’s legacy with 90s inspiration and even a music video – interview

Mar 27 , 2023

H&M and Mugler are collaborating on a one-of-a-kind, highly anticipated collection set to release this May. Photo: Handout

H&M is set to unveil its latest high fashion collaboration with Mugler, a Parisian fashion house loved by celebrities including Kim Kardashian, Beyoncé and Cardi B

Mugler’s creative director Casey Cadwallader and H&M’s creative adviser Ann-Sofie Johansson sit down with Style to talk about the inspirations behind the designs

High-street giant H&M’s latest designer collaboration is with Mugler, the Parisian label known for its fierce red carpet looks worn by A-listers such as Kim Kardashian, Beyoncé and Cardi B.

Casey Cadwallader, creative director at Mugler with Ann-Sofie Johansson, creative adviser at H&M. Photo: Handout

Designed by Mugler’s creative director Casey Cadwallader, the range, which features womenswear, menswear and accessories, and drops on May 11, pays homage to the legacy of Manfred Thierry Mugler, who passed away in January 2022.

The H&M x Mugler collection drops on May 11. Photo: Handout

For the launch of the range, Mugler and H&M made a music video and recorded their own take on Stardust’s 1996 dance hit “Music Sounds Better With You”.

Here, we chat with Cadwallader and Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M’s creative adviser, about the upcoming collection.

How did the collaboration come about?

H&M’s latest collaboration with Mugler pays tribute to the high fashion house’s late iconic founder. Photo: Handout

Ann-Sofie Johansson: It’s been a long process, because we started off [by] talking to Mr Mugler himself. I was thrilled and honoured to meet him as he was always a hero of mine. We always hoped to include, within this collaboration, a blend of the old Mugler and the new Mugler. Obviously, we were all shocked and devastated by his passing, and truly sad not to be able to bring his vision to life as he’d been so enthusiastic about the collaboration.

Mugler is known for its bold and eccentric designs. Photo: Handout

But then we were so happy that Casey [Cadwallader] was keen to pursue things, and in the end the collection is everything we could have dreamed of and more – it’s so contemporary in the way it unites eras and inspirations. Casey has done an amazing job at offering a totally modern, exciting collection, while also using parts of the range to pay tribute to Thierry Mugler’s legacy and designs, by including special reissued archive pieces like the amazing 80s and 90s dresses for women.