Held on 17 September, the H&M&YOU&I presentation combined live performance, digital art and runway fashion, with music from Labrinth setting the pace throughout the show.
Alex Consani opened the presentation in a cropped ivory jacquard jacket, sheer lace blouse, slim white trousers and cream jacquard heels, introducing a collection that moved between historical references, pared-back minimalism and sharper tailoring.
The runway itself became part of the performance. Brazilian ballerina Ingrid Silva opened the show, with her movements choreographed to activate and illuminate the 40-metre catwalk before models including Consani, Paloma Elsesser, Karen Elson, Lila Moss and Archie Renaux took to the runway.
Where Fashion Meets Technology
Knight’s influence extended beyond photography, with the physical show becoming a canvas for moving imagery and digital experimentation.
Curved mirrors ran along one side of the space, while a video installation by Tokyo-born artist and engineer Karyn Nakamura occupied the other. SHOWstudio also created an interactive experience using imagery Knight had previously created with Consani and Renaux, allowing live movement and digital visuals to interact in real time.
The technology evolved again during the H&M Studio section, where models appeared alongside digital illustrations by artist Cliff Warner. Strong tailoring, sculptural silhouettes and structured forms dominated the clothes, creating a contrast with the constantly shifting digital environment around them.
A Dramatic Finale
The show ended on a more theatrical note, with Consani and Renaux performing a spoken-word piece inspired by Foreigner’s I Want to Know What Love Is.
Labrinth then performed the song live, with Consani appearing in a ruffled cream gown and Renaux wearing a look from H&M Atelier.
Around 700 guests attended the presentation, including members of the public who secured tickets through H&M’s social channels. The brand also gave audiences access to the action beyond the runway, livestreaming pre-show moments from the red carpet and backstage.
And in a move designed to close the gap between runway and retail, H&M embraced the ‘See Now, Buy Now’ model. The first drop of its Autumn 2026 womenswear collection, alongside the H&M Atelier menswear collection, became available through H&M’s online channels from 9pm CET on 17 September.
For H&M, the message was clear: the runway is no longer simply somewhere to show clothes. It can be a stage, a screen and a shopping experience all at once.
