H&M and the Masstige trend

"Masstige" is a portemanteau word that join together « Mass market » and « prestige ». 

Masstige product are items that are premium but atteignable : it answers to the new trends which is the growing interest of mass consumers toward luxury brands.

The key success factors of the Masstige can be identified as:

•         The collaboration between a luxury brand and a mass consumption brand
•         The use of mass consumption  communication codes
•         Short lived commercial transactions mainly based on the announcement effect
•         Marketing target younger than the target of luxury brands

H&M has understood this and managed surfing on that trend through a few collaborations with luxury brands.

in fact, the suedish brand has already collaborate with  designers of luxury brands such as Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, Sonia Rykiel, Victor and Rolf, Jimmy choo and Lanvin.

Stella McCartney add:

Some of those collaborations have been reallly successful (Karl lagarfeld, stell mc cartney, sonia rykiel) and some others less (Jimmy choo and LANVIN)

 In November it will be the turn of Versace to reveal its capsule collection designed for H&M brand. It’s the artistic director herself, Donatella versace, that has designed the entire collection for H&M. 

The collection will give consumer a look on all the brand legacy : she will use esthetics codes and symbolic items that made Versace brand historical : leather, gold studs, exagerate use of colors…

This collaboration is announced as not only glamour but also successful.

Donatella versace has declared that she likes surprising people, so we can’t wait to be amazed by that new collection, that is scheduled to be in selected stores on November 2011 the 19th.

H&M is not an isolated case of collaborations between luxury designers and retailers. 

For instance the japanese department store Uniqlo (which sells very cheap product in japan)  has collaborated  with German fashion designer Jill Sander. The clothing range Entitled +J, offers a selection of clothes in monochromatic style but with a value added price tag.

Jill sander's add for UNIQLO