AFTER the long wait, international fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz AB, better known as H&M, will be opening its first store at Lot 10, in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur this Saturday.

The second H&M store will be opening next in Setia City Mall in Shah Alam, Selangor.

Spanning 3,340.5 sqm and three floors of prime retail space, Malaysia’s first H&M full concept store will offer a wide assortment of the latest fashion trends, promising quality and stylish apparel at attractive prices.

Cool: Biker chick chic in sweater and slim-cut pants.

“We are excited to finally open in Malaysia and expanding within the South-East Asian market. H&M has always been about making fashion and quality at the best price, and we look forward to bringing something new and exciting to Kuala Lumpur,” said Lex Keijser, country manager for H&M China, Singapore and Malaysia, in a press statement.

The Autumn/Winter 2012 collection marks the brand’s debut where minimalism meets maximalism, and sleek sculptural silhouettes are matched with bold shapes and pretty embellishment.

Separates are key: A cocoon coat with kimono sleeves in tweed; a double-breasted black tailored coat with a 90s sporty-feel; tailored black slacks with zippered ankle; leggings in vivid shades; they all come together to form different looks for different personalities.

Texture is obvious from the boucle sweatshirts, oversized cable knit cardigans to sweaters with plumes of hair. Fabrics come in wool jersey, cotton poplin, velvet silk, mohair, leather and herringbone tweed.

Accessories to go with the collection include elegant costume jewellery bracelets, pearl necklaces and drop earrings, as well as jewelled shoulder pieces to dress up minimal outfits.

The palette is mostly black and futuristic grey with autumnal browns, and accented by colours from the prints and patterns as well as pops of metallic.

The suit is the most versatile piece in a man’s wardrobe this season, as layering, texture and colour bring tailoring traditions right into the 21st century. It’s a sharp 60s silhouette that dominates the range, with slim lapels and slightly cropped trousers that go well with classic shades of black and grey, or the season’s colours of wine or bottle green.

Dressed for the autumn winds in cool scarf, cap and brown blazer.

Layering is achieved with thin-knit turtleneck under tailored shirts together with mustard-hued trousers. Suede pants spell attitude and tailored-coats emphasise the sleek body form. Tweed plays up texture, as does corduroy and cable-knits, with the surprise of Lurex finishes. For accessories, look out for leather brown brogue boots and leather gloves, coloured socks, tweed bow ties and braces.

Global singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey is the face and voice of H&M this fall. The print campaign is shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, and there’s a full-length film of Lana singing a cover of Blue Velvet, (catch this on hm.com) shot by director Johan Renck. She wears a pink angora blend sweater with printed leggings, a tweed biker jacket and a tweed figure-hugging faux leather trimmed dress. Lana will also star in a second print campaign later in the season, featuring the best of winter fashion.

Actor Joel Kinnaman, the lead in the remake of RoboCop, models H&M’s men’s fashion. In the campaign, Joel wears a series of key pieces including a green varsity jacket layered over a navy crewneck and denim shirt. The collection also features cardigans, corduroy pants, an updated version of the classic slim overcoat in navy, and a grey single-breasted suit. The commercial will be available for viewing on hm.com beginning Oct 5.

Underwear sells at H&M, especially if it sports the David Beckham name. His new campaign, focusing on the form and fit of the underwear classics that make up his bodywear range, had powerful new images shot in Los Angeles by photographer Alasdair McLellan. Beckham was photographed against a black background to show him and the bodywear in stark relief.

David Beckham Bodywear is an exclusive, long-term collaboration with H&M, which has become an instant global success following its launch in February 2012.

The collection features a set of core products designed by Beckham and his team, with special attention paid to the comfort and fit of each garment, from briefs and trunks to undershirts, T-shirts, Henleys and long johns. The David Beckham Bodywear collection is available at around 1,800 H&M stores in 44 countries worldwide, as well as online.

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