Last night, a specter of neon green descended upon Midtown as hundreds of New Yorkers who’d received alerts on their phones scrambled to Times Square. This wasn’t the arrival of the aliens the Pentagon kept from us, but the equally paradigm-shifting force of Brat and the mastermind behind it, Charli xcx, who threw a surprise concert on the TSX Stage at 1568 Broadway to celebrate H&M’s Holiday collection and the re-opening of H&M Times Square.
But before any good rager there’s a pregame, and a fabulous pre-cocktail party at the Edition Times Square took on the role, welcoming a cast of who’s who from the fashion multiverse that included American model Amelia Gray Hamlin, fashion blogger Jessica Wang and H&M's creative advisor Ann-Sofie Johansson.
And then, of course, the main event: Just before 6:30 PM, visuals designed by Maximo Recio and Weirdcore flashed across Times Squares’ massive screens as Charli xcx emerged to “365” before performing “360,” “Von dutch”, “Apple” and the “Guess” remix. During “Von dutch,” the music video engulfed Charli xcx as hardcore fans and dazzled tourists looked up. During “Apple,” the camera briefly panned to Alex Consani, Julia Fox and Richie Shazam — New York It-Girls who made cameos in the “360” music video — doing the viral TikTok dance set to the song. As for the fit, Charli stunted custom H&M pieces inspired by the brand’s new holiday collection, which included semi-sheer draped dress with a high slit and bodysuit, “mask” sunglasses and heeled knee-high black patent boots.
But it wouldn’t have been a Brat function without an afterparty, and there’s perhaps no location more Brat-coded than The Hotel Chelsea, known for its history as a decadent haven for artists like Bob Dylan and Patti Smith, who once wrote: “life at the Chelsea was an open market, everyone with something of himself to sell.” Last night, that market was very much in operation, as stars like Lila Moss and Hari Nef mingled to music by DJ Pee .Wee (AKA Anderson Paak), Papi Juice’s Oscar Nñ and St. Louis and Chigaco-raised D, k.tea. Charli xcx arrived in her second look of the night, a sparkling fringed mini skirt and a fine black knit, all brought together by a faux fur coat. Other stars who attended the event included Irina Shayk, Elsa Hosk, Iris Law, Delilah Belle, Benito Skinner, Shygirl and others.
Amelia Gray, who hosted the party, curated an edit of her favorite styles on H&M’s newly-launched fashion platform, The Studio, which you can access starting Thursday, November 21.
H&M’s partnership with Charli xcx was meant to highlight the brand’s commitment to innovation and inclusivity. The new H&M store in Times Square will open on Thursday, November 21; you can shop for their Holiday Collection at select stores and online.
This article is a sponsored collaboration between H&M and PAPER.
Photography: Lucas Possiede x Romain Reglade
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