Dive Brief:
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Fast-fashion retailer H&M announced Friday that it has chosen Caitlyn Jenner to be the new face of its athleisure apparel brand, H&M Sports.
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The Swedish retailer noted Jenner’s past athletic achievements—she was an Olympic gold medal decathlete as Bruce Jenner—as well as her transition as key reasons for the choice.
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The retailer has tapped other members of Jenner’s family for marketing partnerships in the past, most recently featuring model Kendall Jenner as part of its Balmain collaboration.
Dive Insight:
Caitlyn Jenner is probably the world’s most high profile transgender woman, and she’s enjoying plenty attention and endorsement deals, with H&M’s move just the latest.
Behind the scenes with the strong and beautiful @Caitlyn_Jenner. Stay tuned for more! #HMSport pic.twitter.com/vPBE5c74Ae
— H&M (@hm) March 11, 2016
“We have picked Caitlyn Jenner, one of the world’s most celebrated athletes, as part of this H&M Sports campaign because we want to illustrate that everything is possible—in sports, and in life,” a spokesperson for H&M told several news outlets in a statement. “It is a collection of performance sportswear made to celebrate individuality and self-belief.”
While cutting-edge fashion can certainly influence society—or at least nudge along dressing habits—the fashion world is generally not known for getting far ahead of society’s norms, beyond some in-your-face moves meant to shock.
And as transgender or gender-nonconforming rights gain acceptance, it’s become less shocking and more mainstream for people to feel comfortable and dress in ways they find beautiful.
Jenner has certainly arrived and accomplished her transition at a time when it is widely seen as a brave act. In fact, it may be Jenner’s political statements, not her transition, that could rankle some H&M shoppers, as they have many in the transgender community.
