The Muses Behind Mugler and H&M’s Latest Collaboration

With the likes of Karl Lagerfeld, Comme des Garçons, Versace and Balmain, the Swedish retailer H&M has been collaborating with luxury designers to create a variety of collections, in attempts of elevating its high street image and making high fashion brands more accessible and affordable towards a wider audience.

Their recent partnership is with no other than the infamous French fashion house of Mugler. Pioneered by the brand’s very own creative director, Casey Cadwaller created a collection that features womenswear, menswear, and accessories.

To mark this monumental occasion, the two brands came together and curated a launch event in New York City, attended by over 800 guests and brand ambassadors of the Mugler community. When you think of Mugler, you think of show-stopping fashion and catwalk theatrics, and this event was just that.

Featuring musical performances by notable artists such as Shygirl, Amaarae, Arca, and Eartheater, all of whom starred in a music video for the song “Music Sounds Better With You”, a track specifically commissioned for Mugler and H&M as an influential anthem for the collection. The event brought together a perfect merging of music, production, and style, all the while commending the theatricality, flamboyance, diversity, and inclusivity – key themes that have been central to Mugler’s brand identity.

According to Cadwaller, ‘Mugler has always been a house with a lot of cultural soul, and this event was a celebration of our long association with music, dance and performance’. Evidently, the Mugler universe heavily leans towards its association with music, and that is why the decision to create a music video and a new track with selected talent was so integral. Both Cadwaller and the late Thierry Mugler share similar values of inclusivity, gender fluidity, empowerment, and body positivity.

This is why, for the campaign, it was important for the brand to work with artists who equally embody these values in their work and lives. Here are some of the artists that performed and were featured in the new Mugler and H&M collection launch.

Eartheater
The words ethereal, explosive, and psychedelic come to mind when describing music by singer-songwriter Alexandra Drewchin, also known as Eartheater. The artist achieved fame with her last two albums, creating music for the runways of fashion’s biggest names like Chanel and Proenza Schouler, and most recently, starred in Mugler’s campaigns, channeling her strong, sensual, mysterious image. Similar to Mugler, there is a lot of sexuality in what she does and it is a very powerful force that she mobilizes when she performs. She resonates with Cadwaller’s process as she believes his understanding of anatomy is very acute, which she finds similar to her work, attempting to find a way to merge comfort and sexiness at the same time.

Arca
Venezuelan electronic artist Alejandra Ghersi, also known as Arca, explores themes of sexuality, gender fluidity, and transformation in her work, often experimenting with different modes of music and technology. She often ventures into the world of fashion through her music, producing for musicians like FKA Twigs and Björk, as well as modeling for brands like Bottega Veneta, Mugler, and Calvin Klein. Just like Mugler, her work constantly portrays themes of identity, recognizing the importance of the body and how it coincides with music and culture.

Shygirl
Known for her bold and empowering lyrics, Blane Muise, also known as Shygirl, balances dark and light sounds in her music, subtle hints of futurism, and references to 2000s pop. The musician has worked with a variety of fashion brands including Fenty, Burberry, and Mugler. Her music is all about female empowerment, confidence in body image, and sexuality, which is why she was a perfect addition to the Mugler and H&M campaign.

Amaaarae
A popular artist of today, Ama Serwah Genfi, also known as Amaarae, is another one of Mugler’s musical muses that shares the brand’s values through her work, continuously referring to the importance of gender diversity and identity. With the use of her Afro Pop genre and sensual tones, the Ghanaian singer, who has a global cult following with her viral songs, delivered an explosive performance during the event and added to the strong and powerful energy towards the campaign’s music video.