H&M is not only a very image concious fashion brand as they are also continuously thinking of others. They’ve created a number of collections in aid of different causes and have been working with the Fashion Against AIDS (FAA) campaign for four years now. FAA is a campaign designed to raise both funds and awareness, which has so far donated over 41 million Swedish Krona for Designers Against AIDS (DAA) and various other international HIV/AIDS projects.

The (FAA) is an extremely important initiative for H&M and this year they have designed a new collection that comes with a new twist. The collection will be available in H&M’s Divided department from 26th April 2001 and 25% of sales will be donated to youth HIV/AIDS projects around the world.

“We wanted to create a unisex collection with a sporty vibe. It felt really liberating to think of the cut, the shape and the fabric first before thinking of what gender it should be for. Key pieces are the slogan T-shirts as well as the sports style jacket with zip details, which can be worn in all sorts of ways. FAA is vital because it is still so crucial to make young people aware of HIV and AIDS,” says Ann-Sofie Johansson, Head of Design at H&M.

“H&M’s FAA campaigns are extremely important, as it is essential to spread the message to young people worldwide to take care and have safe sex. The main message is: life is beautiful, so keep it that way and be safe, both for yourself and your partner. HIV is everywhere, not just in Africa, not just in the gay community – HIV concerns us all. If you’re old enough and wise enough to make love, you’re also old and wise enough to take care,” says Ninette Murk, founder and creative director, DAA.

The unisex collection mean women can work the boyfriend look quite easily with sporty T-shirts, blousons and parkas that are there to be personalised: sleeves can be rolled up or zipped off, waists can be belted and garments totally adapted from one item into another. Comfort is a key factor and colours are naturals as well as pale pastels which means they can be worn by all.

The money raised through the collaboration with H&M and the FAA has been divided between Designers Against AIDS (DAA), the NGO who brought the concept of Fashion Against AIDS to H&M, YouthAids, focusing on its projects in Haiti and Russia to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in chronically affected areas; the MTV Staying Alive Foundation and UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.

*Images courtesy of HMFAACollection.com

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