There’s not any single day in which you don’t read any collaboration between a fashion brand and a celebrity. Some of them are really legitimate and truly add value to a collection; but when the same actress or singer is used by too many brands, there’s this confusing feeling that you’re just buying a mass market item.
Lana del Rey was Mulberry muse, and Emma Hill (Creative Director) explained why:
‘I love Lana’s nostalgic references to bygone glamour and the fact that her look is retrospective yet so modern. This inspired us to create a bag that was timeless, refined and elegant, yet with a beautiful practicality that would suit any woman.’
But I’m not sure that Mulberry’s universe is happy with the new H&M collaboration. As NME wrote: “After the inital Brigitte Bardot meets Mad Men press shots, the Lana Del Rey H&M campaign has released more images. The general vibe is the same – sultry, pouty, a lot of shoulder and big big hair”. I don’t think that the problem is Lana del Rey; after all, she does her own business and to her detractors who thought that she wouldn’t last, she can tell them to go to hell. I truly believe that there’s a strong lack of originality. References to Brigitte Bardot? Again?? For H&M items which are going to be sold also to teenagers who also dream of other references? Do you think it’s legitimate to highlight what used to be a myth and who’s now supporting Marine Le Pen, extreme right politician in France?
The same question happens with David Beckham. I don’t understand, really, I don’t. You could write a whole sitcom:
- David trying his new underwear
- David trying to sell the Olympic Games to UK constituents
- David eating a burger
- David in a beach
- David drinking a soda
So if you are a brand: how can you avoid a kind of decreasing share of voice, using a noisy phenomenon? And more deeply: how can you make us dream?
