This past Thursday I went to Kenwood, unable to wait until the weekend to see if the much anticipated Garden Collection would live up to its hype.

Here’s a quick explanation behind the collection from the H&M press website:

“Romantic, exotic, glamorous or abstract: this spring’s floral patterns provide an injection of creativity and a love of fashion into your wardrobe…The romantic garden collection is made using organic and recycled materials. All the garments have been produced using sustainable materials or using recycled PET bottles or textile waste.”

My discoveries are as followed:

  • As a whole, the collection is very well put together. All of the pieces look like they belong and most complement each other.
  • The fit on a few of the items is questionable, especially the shorts and dresses.
  • The quality of the fabric is surprisingly wonderful. Most of the fabric was softer and more durable feeling than regular cotton or polyester, which says a lot for the sustainable materials. So far, they’ve held up pretty well in the washer and dryer.
  • The Kenwood H&M’s selection is pretty good, but is definitely missing a few of the more standout pieces… namely the gorgeous red dress pictured below. I almost considered sending my sister on a hunt around the H&M’s at home. I’m sure the Pasadena store would have had it.
  • The best aspect of this collection is almost every single piece is to-die-for.  I love the effortless, summery looks of the pieces, as well as the overarching nature theme: colorful floral patterns combined with earthy tones.

Here are a few of my most favorite pieces…

It’s obvious this is a huge improvement from past sustainable clothing lines we’ve seen with reasonable prices and attractive designs. It’s a perfect formula for those wanting to be more eco-friendly, but certainly not willing to sacrifice style or their wallet to get there.

–Mari Teasdale

images from: http://www.hmthegardencollection.com/look-book/