H&M celebrates decade of designer collaborations with commemorative book

It has been ten years since Swedish fashion retailer H&M introduced its first designer collaboration

with none other than Karl Lagerfeld, which forever altered the relationship between designers and high street fashion labels.

“Inexpensive is not ‘cheap’ anymore, that’s why the luxury industry has to make an even bigger effort. I think all that is very healthy,” wrote Lagerfeld in the commemorative book H&M is set to launch in honor of its decade of designer collaborations.

To celebrate its collaborative history, H&M gathered never before seen images as well as behind the scenes contributions from each designer the Swedish retailer worked with, including Donatella Versace, Alber Elbaz and Roberto Cavalli.

Titled “The First Ten Years,” is set to launch on November 6, the same day H&M is launching its latest designer collaboration with Alexander Wang. The book will debut in 250 stores around the world and will retail for 9.90 euros. 25 percent of the book's proceeds will be donated to Unicef.

H&M is also set to open a retrospective exhibition of its designer collaborations at its Fifth Avenue flagship in New York on October 27.

“I never expected it to make such a splash,” mused Lagerfeld.