Following on from the recent successes of Arket, launched in August 2017, and the sellout Erdem x H&M collaboration in November, the H&M Group has announced that it will unveil a new brand, Nyden, early this year.
Headed up by Swedish fashion mastermind, Oscar Olsson (now based in LA), Nyden will be targeted at millennials, offering them an affordable luxury brand. The name fuses two Swedish words, 'ny' and 'den', meaning 'new' and 'it'; however, the brand will not follow new trends, seasons or the traditional fashion calendar. New releases will be limited and prices will vary depending on the product. Olsson, who has worked at H&M since 2013, was appointed head of H&M’s Innovation Lab at the beginning of 2017, reporting directly to the CEO, Karl-Johan Persson. He then developed Nyden, which will be the ninth brand in H&M's roster. It will be a collaborative label, working with select 'tribe leaders' to 'co-create' the clothing; two of the first 'tribe leaders' will be tattoo artist Doctor Woo and the Swedish actress, Noomi Rapace. The slash, the brand's logo, represents this idea of collaboration, at the core of the brand's philosophy.
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According to H&M, Nyden's launch is a "smaller start-up" so we won't expect the same fanfare surrounding Arket's opening, nor the quick rate at which stores popped up in London and across Europe.
While Arket offers chic, timeless and quality wardrobe staples and homeware, Nyden's audience is decidedly younger, savvier and interested in genuine brand experience. Targeted at the millennial, or "Netocrat" as Olsson calls them, the Nyden creative director explained to The Cut that "the Netocrat is more sensitive than ever to credibility, authenticity, and personality... They’re also more sensitive than ever to exploitation of themselves or other people."
Though the exact launch date hasn't been revealed, clothes will be available through e-commerce and immersive pop-up events and you can sign up on the Nyden website for more information. Note down Nyden now.