‘‘We love the way H&M encourage us to be creative and mix together different trends to conjure a personal look. The brand prides itself this season on its celebration of tailoring with innovative proportions. The store is overflowing with dangerously desirable - and affordable - things."

 

Fasten your belts...

‘Tailoring is back on the fashion scene. Classic staples are the obvious choice, but updated and re-modelled,' says H&M's Head of Design Ann-Sofie Johansson. This season her team have focused on traditional styles with refined cuts, details and finish, but also injected rock'n'roll attitude with innovative shapes and proportions. The result is a rebelliously inspiring collection with endless possibilities for personal expression.

It is the season of the silhouette. The big question is, whether you are going to go long and narrow, curvaceous or wide? And black or cream? Dramatic belts are essential for all looks, plus nostalgia for super stretch 1980s pieces. H&M serve the Dramatic Black catwalk trend well. We love the exaggerated puffed sleeves used in black velvet jackets. Lace leggings or lace-graphic print leggings are a key item, worn with heels and fingerless black leather gloves to add attitude.

Tailoring is dramatic and elaborate. Wear the big jackets over tight pencil skirts or hot pant/legging combination to make a big Dynasty-esque entrance. Mix shiny cream jacket with body-con skirt and over-the-knee boots. Go all cream/white with wide shorts and cream-knit, fur-trimmed gilet cinched at the waist with a wide leather belt.

Away from the metropolitan monochrome palette, inspiration for knitwear and casual jackets comes from woodland fairytales and forests. The look is rustic, as in a cropped khaki hunting jacket worn over a long cowl-neck tunic jumper the colour and texture of moss.

There's also a gorgeous Cossack-style opulence in decorative detailing and uniform styles. Seek it out in the casual range of big cream, fur-trimmed, heavy-knit cardigans and the more formal, oversized grey military coats which look great worn over suiting.

Key pieces for women include: suits, trench coats, pleat-front trousers, all-in-ones and granddad trousers.

 

NB: Images show current ranges. If you are planning a special trip, please contact the store beforehand to make sure that these products are currently in stock and in your size.