After Bad Bunny’s Album of the Summer influences swim style, music continues to make waves in the expression of clothing design.

For their summer 2023 campaign, fast fashion juggernaut H&M collaborates with Billboard’s Women in Music Rulebreaker recipient: Kehlani. Although Kehlani was dubbed a Rulebreaker back in 2017, her work continues to venture into uncharted waters. Topping R&B charts and mixing hip hop influences with soul and groove, Kehlani’s modern pop creates a vibrant and genreless feel that translates gorgeously into H&M’s summer swim line.

As the face of the campaign, Kehlani brings both her musical identity and cultural identity into the energy of the editorial. Born in Oakland, CA, Kehlani’s Filipino, indigenous, Mexican and black heritage channels her inner island girl.

Not only does the campaign video feature the singer-songwriter’s new track “Tangerine” off of her new album “Blue Water Road,” but Kehlani’s coastal origins imbibe a tropical feel to bikinis, one piece suits, beachside apparel, and accessories. Vibrant colors, adjustable ties, provocative Brazilian bottoms, high cut silhouettes in jewel-tone jungle palettes of fuschia, jade, chocolate brown, and cream.

“I love it when fashion and music share a vibe. They help each other express style, emotion and personality. So for summer, I'm looking forward to wearing the bright colors from H&M's collection!”

Kehlani

Kehlani additionally collaborated with H&M as part of their “Innovative Circular Design Story” at the 2021 Fashion Design Awards, and the ecologically conscious strategy continues; this summer’s swim debuts in recycled polyester, recycled polyamide, and recycled elastane at fast-fashion accessible prices from $5.99 to $24.99.

H&M looks to the future with high hopes for their ecological progress, as their production team intends to utilize only recycled materials by the start of the next decade. See highlights from H&M Group’s 2021 Sustainability Report (Slides 5-6).

Stream Kehlani’s new album now on Spotify & Apple Music.

Written by Lily Moskowitz