Here’s how to shop Giambattista Valli x H&M

After being treated to a limited teaser version of his collection with H&M back in May, we are now on the verge of being able to shop the complete Giambattista Valli collab in Montreal this Thursday, Nov. 7. Valli is originally from Rome, and is known for his beautiful haute couture and ready to wear collections, which are shown during Paris Fashion Week. The main idea behind the collaboration with H&M is to make haute couture accessible to the masses. It’s also the first time Valli’s done menswear.

The sneak-peak of the collection last month in Rome’s Palazzo Doria Pamphilj featured a star-studded display of models and attendees, inlcuding Troye Sivan, Sofia Carson, Alexa Demie, H.E.R., Cameron Monaghan, Chiara Ferragni, Chris Lee, and of course, Kendall Jenner. 

“Normally, it’s women who adopt pieces from the masculine wardrobe, so I thought my men could just pick things up from the women’s wardrobes.”

—Giambattista Valli

The collection, which is divided between Valli Boys and Valli Girls, features a complete range of clothing, accessories and shoes. The Girls have an amazing selection of tule, chiffon, lace and sequined dresses and tops, to wear with boots and faux fur mules, knee socks and mini bags, tights and scarves, and pearl and rhinestone jewellery. The Boys collection ranges from socks and underwear, a pearl necklace and boots and bags, to embroidered shirts and sweaters with pearls, a leopard print suit and an embroidered tailcoat. Valli encourages women and men to shop from both collections, as “everything is meant to be exchanged.” The pearls for men are a perfect example of this.

“I aim at creating a distinctive silhouette, because a silhouette will pierce the memory.”

—Giambattista Valli

Unlike certain recent designer/retail collaborations, this collection can be purchased online. If you’re the type of person who likes to line up early in the cold, the only location in Montreal carrying Giambattista Valli x H&M is Ste-Catherine W. at Peel. The collection launches at 8 a.m., with a line-up surely forming hours earlier, and shopping will be based on a colour-coded queuing system. Lining up early does not guarantee item availability; please also note that the line-up will start behind H&M Loyalty Members who won a contest for front-of-the-line access through their app. Purchases are limited to one size per style. All this to say that the easiest option to get a piece of this collection is likely to shop online starting at 10 a.m. You’ll still be limited to one of each item, and will probably have to play the page-refresh game, but at least you get to shop in the comfort of your own home or workplace. Good luck getting a piece of this special collection! ■

For more details on the launch, visit the Giambattista Valli x H&M page.