First Look: H&M’s collaboration with Mantsho

H&M has unveiled its first-ever collaboration with an African label, South Africa’s Mantsho, celebrating “the elegance and vibrancy of Africa”.

Launching on August 15 in all South African H&M stores, as well as all H&M online markets and exclusive flagship stores around the world, the Mantsho collaboration will feature “flowy, easy fitting cuts, frills and gathers” in a range of colour palettes from blues, browns to blacks, hues of pink and amber reds.

“This is my love letter to the world from Africa,” said Mantsho’s head of design, Palesa Mokubung in a statement on her H&M collaboration. “I hope customers around the world will enjoy this ensemble of my stand-out pieces from my last three collections.”

The collection caters for what H&M calls the “stylish carefree woman” who are after “modern edgy designs” and includes print dresses, skirts, tops, and trousers, as well as “Afrocentric fashionable” accessories including shoes, earrings and a clutch bag.

H&M launches its first collaboration with an African firm

Pernilla Wohlfahrt, assortment manager for collaborations and special collections for H&M, added: “Palesa’s creativity with colour, print and silhouettes is inspiring as she celebrates the female form through her designs which complement the female shape in a flattering and playful way. We are so excited to share this collection with our customers across the globe.”

The Mantsho label, meaning ‘black is beautiful’ in Mokubung’s native Sesotho language, was founded in 2004 and has showcased on the catwalk in Greece, India, USA, Jamaica, Nigeria, Botswana and Senegal.

H&M x Mantsho is expected to retail from 19.99 euros for a pair of earrings to 99.99 euros for a maxi dress when it launches on August 15.

Images: courtesy of H&M x Mantsho