Back in January, H&M faced social media backlash for the apparent racism of using a black child to model a “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle” hoodie, with celebrities including The Weeknd and G-Eazy subsequently cutting ties with the brand.
Now H&M would like you to pay attention to something else, please.
The brand launched an ad for its spring collection by agency adam&eveDDB with a female empowerment theme, and it appears there are some celebrities still willing to work with the brand. Adam&eveDDB’s new spot opens on Elizabeth Olson appearing bored while dancing with a man in Buenos Aires cafe. A woman than taps her partner on the shoulder and cuts in, as the music shifts to a more lively beat. Olson and a group of other women dance there way out into the street as the ad progresses, all wearing items from H&M’s spring collection.
The spot concludes with Olson turning to a new partner, Winona Ryder. Other models and actresses appearing in the ad include Andrea Valle, Andreea Diaconu, Anna Ewers, Imaan Hammam and Naomi Shimad.
“It was wonderful to see how all the women on set were able to express their own personalities through the strong yet relaxed shapes of the Spring collection,” H&M’s design director Pernilla Wohlfahrt said in a statement to The Drum. “The voluminous pieces in particular, moved so beautifully in the dance sequences.”
In addition to the aforementioned hoodie controversy, the spot also follows a “Just Kids” campaign Norwegian moms/The Oslo Company creatives Torny Hesle and Ingrid Lea calling out H&M for reinforcing gender stereotypes in its children’s clothing.