Sonia Rykiel pour H&M Launch at the Grand Palais Paris

Sonia Rykiel pour H&M launch photo credit: H&M

Sonia Rykiel pour H&M launch photo credit: H&M

It seems that the launch of French designer Sonia Rykiel's collaboration with the Swedish fashion chain, H&M was celebrated in unabashed epic grandeur at the Grand Palais in Paris.

The party, organised by Etienne Russo (he is credited as the Fashion Event Creator) included a fashion show, fairground attractions (ferris wheel, swings, duck fishing, candy floss) cyclists, giant white rabbits (each of which took Dorko 40 minutes to individually stuff) and men on unicycles distributing hot chocolate from pots on their heads.

One party-goer commented that this is the most fabulous party that has been held in the French capital since "September 11th", after which, she says, all the great parties in Paris came to an end.

Jean Paul Gaultier praised Etienne Russo's efforts and further compliments were forthcoming from other guests including Alisa Zhidkova from Vogue Russia. In a video interview in which Alisa scotches any well-established rumours that people working at Vogue might not be the most intelligent let alone polite creatures on the planet, by pithily summing-up why the collaboration between one of France's most respected womenswear designers and the H&M high street chain is so good. For her, the juxtaposition of Sonia's reputation for unadulterated luxurious quality clothing with H&M's commitment to affordability, is spot on. Usually, she says, the only chance the fashion industry gets to see the Grand Palais is for Chanel shows.

The range is unfortunately not available online. H&M recently told me that the reason why they are still not yet selling online in the UK is an issue related to stock. It seems the chain has such a high turnover of stock that monitoring levels in-store is challenge enough and so H&M continues to focus all of its sales on visits to physical shops. It is interesting that H&M still manages to keep its prices so low without benefiting from the low cost sales environment offered online. Sonia's lingerie range features bras from £14.99, silk kimonos for £39.99, silk slips at just £29.99, bustiers for £19.99 and a hairband encrusted with rhinestones for £19.99. The collection is most definitely girly but in a good way. It's a sleaze-free zone - think the opposite of Kate Moss' imagery for British lingerie brand Agent Provocateur which oozed with a slightly sinister take on undies.

Sonia Rykiel pour H&M offers something for most women: from teenagers to grandmothers there really is a garment or an accessory which should suit you, madam. If lingerie is not your thing at all, check out the rhinestone high heel slippers at £29.99 or the demure striped slippers for £19.99.

Not all off this range will go into all the stores, so head for your nearest largest branch of H&M. And I wouldn't delay that visit too long if I were you, I am not sure what level of stock will be available here in the UK but judging by how well sales went at the Grand Palias launch party in Paris, it's not going to be on the H&M rails for long. Alisa Zhidkova (Vogue Russia) bought several pieces and if she's filling up the carrier bags with the stuff and paying real actual money for it, it's bound to sell out.

If the reasonable prices raise questions in your mind about the sustainability and working conditions and the labour behind the labels, so to speak, I suggest you take some time to check out H&M's policy on corporate responsibility. The company has made great efforts to avoid cotton from Uzbekistan being present in any of their garments. CSR policy for them dictates that while they have not officially launched a 'boycott' of cotton from Uzbekistan - where reports of forced child labour are well established - the company does communicate to all its suppliers that it will not tolerate the use of Uzbekistan cotton.

There are also several other reassuring policies on good working conditions, sustainable fabrics and several instances where H&M donate clothes to charities including Oxfam and the British Red Cross.

So, congratulations H&M and Sonia Rykiel, it looks as if this collaboration is an instant success and it's nice to know that no-one suffered un-necessarily in making your knickers, bras and gentle pink silk dressing gowns.

I wonder though how much money was actually spent on that launch party. Many, many, many Euros methinks.

Words: Marian Buckley.

www.hm.co.uk