Versace for H&M: Menswear Looking Fierce

[All images courtesy of H&M].
What with Versace being incredibly luxurious and unobtainable for us plebs, and with H&M being a powerhouse of global high street fashion, it seems only right that the two companies should have a meeting of design minds and develop a one-off collection. Previous collaborators with H&M have included Viktor & Rolf (intelligent style), Madonna (quite chavvy, most ended up in the sale) and Lanvin (flirtatious and fun), so Versace is joining an illustrious list. As you can see from the image above, the menswear drop is looking particularly exciting - it's edgy and moody, without alienating the more mature man. You could wear that leather jacket aged 20 or 50 if you styled it right, i.e. no accompanying mid-life crisis motorbike and bimbo. I also love the cut-off shorts, but there is definitely an age limit on those.

I'm strangely attracted to this all-pink ensemble, even though it's quite attention-seeking. There's just something cool/vaguely OCD about being this freakishly co-ordinated, and the suit just looks expensive. It's a great cut.

There's something distinctly fun about this shirt and I like it, despite (or maybe because of?) its potential to make people's eyes hurt. The pattern is sharp and it would look brilliant with a dark jacket and some tailored trousers. Although not everyone would find this print wearable, it's a lot easier on the eye than much of the ladieswear, which was sequin-heavy and full of lurid colours that were a little hard to stomach.

Out of the female choice, there were two dark looks that I loved (the rest I would struggle to justify buying in Primark, let alone at the price of this collection, which tends to be £50+ per piece). The black dress seen here has a gorgeous bodice top with ribbon edges, and its flared skirt will be flattering for big stomachs or boyish frames.

A less forgiving number, this studded leather dress is highly dramatic and perhaps worth splashing the cash. With the studs arranged to highlight the body frame, it's going to make you feel special. Sadly the rest of the ladieswear was just too gaudy for me to enjoy, but if you want to invest in some Versace on a budget then head to H&M from 17th November for palm print leggings and bright orange.