Laura Harrier wasn’t in the room when I interviewed Wardrobe.NYC co-founders Christine Centenera and Josh Goot at a Paris hotel last month, but when I sat down with her a few hours later, she unknowingly picked up the conversation exactly where they left off. It wasn’t entirely surprising: Harrier told me she’s very good friends with Centenera, whose new H&M collaboration launches today. When I asked which item from the 29-piece collection they’d wear on their next flight, Centenera, Goot, and Harrier all had the same answer: the Nylon Track Pants ($109). Now that’s what I call fashion ESP. (These are also the same pants that Teyana Taylor wore to the launch party in Paris, by the way.)
When it comes to styling the pants, Goot has an idea: “I like to wear a blazer when traveling,” the designer told Who What Wear. “I find it really convenient because it has great pockets. It’s handy for the passport and whatever else you need.” If you’re on the same page, the Wardrobe.NYC H&M collection has two excellent options to choose from: the Double-Breasted Wool Blazer ($269) in gray, and the Wool-Blend Hourglass Blazer ($269) in black.
“Part of Wardrobe.NYC’s initial conception was [considering]what pieces I would pack if I had to go somewhere for a week and could only take a carry-on,” Centenera told me. “So that’s how we came to our neutral color palette, predominantly black and white with gray in the mix. It’s about having pieces that will work the hardest for you in the greatest variety of ways.”
This capsule-wardrobe concept is exactly what first attracted Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M’s Head of Womenswear Design and Creative Advisor. “Wardrobe.NYC is so curated, well-balanced, and sharp,” she told Who What Wear. “It feels like a new take on quality essentials. Something we haven’t seen before.”
Expounding on the travel theme, Centenera said that “this collection specifically lends itself to the journey, and the different layering elements that you might need on the plane or the train. And then when you get to that destination, you have pieces that can carry you from day to night to different occasions—something active, something dressed up. I think we’ve got you covered in all of the different aspects of a trip.”
In addition to Harrier, Audrey Nuna of KPop Demon Hunters fame is another celebrity fan of the collab. “I love that these H&M collabs are accessible but also have very intentional tailoring,” she told me at the launch party in Paris. “I’m a huge fan of that duality. Growing up, H&M was such an accessible way to explore fashion. It’s truly for everyone. And I love that these collabs bring in a different perspective. I like genre-bending, and the fact that H&M constantly tries to do that is really cool.”
Shop the Full Wardrobe.NYC H&M Collection
