Lookbook: ARKET F/W 2017

We can finally put a face to the first collection coming from the newest brand in town, ARKET. After months of speculation and secrecy, the launch of the highly anticipated new reincarnation of H&M will arrive in just a few weeks with the opening of the first flagship store in London's Regent's Street on 25th August.

It will be followed by further store openings in Paris, Stockholm and Copenhagen, joining in the likes of COS and & Other Stories as the new upscale sibling, showing yet another facet of the sophisticated minimal-Scandi style that has flooded the high street as of lately.

So far we have only seen a few pieces of their forthcoming Fall/Winter 2017 collection but the vocabulary of clean silhouettes and multi functional, simple pieces in forest green, navy, or beige feels very similar to COS's and I wonder how necessary or wise the creation of a whole new brand is.

However ARKET might be targeting an audience that currently shops at places like Uniqlo and that is more interested in durability and simplicity than in investing in slightly avant garde fashion.

Parkas, turtle neck knitwear, selvedge denim and robust accessories make part of the first few looks shared online, but the whole collection will drop on 25th August.

London was selected as the testing ground due to its cosmopolitan nature. The store will open on 25th August when the brand will also begin selling online at their website.

You can subscribe to their mailing list and receive an small discount and early access from 23rd August at their website.

The store looks like it is going to be more experience-driven, with the addition of what looks like a very instagrammable café.

Still, the café and the homeware range, also very much like the existing COS x HAY collaboration judging by the pictures, does not justify the creating of a whole new brand, but who am I to judge.

In any case, I am very intrigued to see what the whole thing is about.