Low-end let-down

Frugal Fashion

Although there was much ado about Matthew Williamson’s new line for H&M, it wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. True, Williamson’s line seemed to hold more promise than most lower-end designer collaborations, but it still managed to come up short.

The potential lay in the design factor; as discussed previously, Williamson spared no creative juices when concocting the pieces, as each separate reflected the same great design quality as those he sent down the runway. Cut, color, even materials (silk was a primary construction component) were all of Collection caliber—or so it seemed.

Unfortunately, great designs and top-notch materials are futile if the product doesn’t fit properly, which is, regrettably, the case in this instance. Granted, Atlanta didn’t receive the full line (being a smaller market, they are only set to sell select items), so the critique only goes as far as those pieces. But if the Atlanta assortment is any indication, sales don’t bode well for the rest of the line, either. Low-hanging armholes stick out like strange wings if more than an A-cup is added to the equation; pants are cut so slim that sitting is restricted; bathing suit bottoms don’t flatter any behind over a size 0. On a positive note, though, the scarves and bags appear to work for everyone. Riiiiiight...

The limited Williamson variety at the Atlantic Station store was disappointment enough, but when even those few items weren’t cut correctly it only added insult to injury. Such excitement shot down with an unflattering fit. At least it’s clear now why H&M chose mannequins (as opposed to real, live models) on which to display the complete collection on their website.