Behind the scenes with H&M

A few months before the shoot, a campaign went out on hm.com to ask H&M members worldwide if they wanted to be part of an upcoming photo shoot. Seconds later, tons of applications came pouring in.

On an early, foggy, and brisk September morning, 27-year-old Ahmad, who had traveled all the way from Los Angeles, entered the door of a large warehouse in the suburbs of Stockholm where four sets, hundreds of colorful pieces of clothing, and lots of people we're busy setting up everything for the day.

TELL US ABOUT HOW YOU FOUND OUT THAT YOU WOULD BE FEATURED.
”When I found out I had made the first selection round, I just didn't believe it. They asked me to send in a video and some more photos, but I still didn't believe it. And even when they chose me, it didn't feel real. I have always wanted to work with H&M. As a kid, I always shopped at H&M. To do this is just like I am making the younger me happy.”

As Ahmad settled in and headed to his fitting, we took a peek at the set, which consisted of four smaller sets and rooms that were part of a Member House concept. At the center of the room, a narrow, majestic red staircase with velvety red walls and a pink door at the top caught our eye. On the left was a bright-yellow tiled bathroom with pink details, like one you see in luxurious hotels. On the right was an art deco-inspired elevator with orange and gold details and a light blue interior, like something you’d see in a Wes Anderson movie. The fourth and final setting took our breath away – a dreamy, wavy pink-and-beige velvet lounge with elements of a 1960s living room but clean, soft shapes.

As we stood in awe and admired all the amazing sets and the incredibly talented people who made all of this possible, our next two members arrived — Hanna, a 24-year-old from Vingåker, Sweden, and Florian, a 26-year-old from Nantes, France.

We watched as the stylist went back and forth with outfit and styling choices, the art director and photographer talked about different angles for the models, and the beautiful pictures came to life on the monitor in front of us.

A lot of time on set was spent waiting in-between photos–which meant plenty of time to devour all the goodies at the snack bar– but the atmosphere was still hectic. A lot of things had to fall into place within a very tight schedule. We did manage though to squeeze in a few questions for Ahmad on his second day on set.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE BEST PART OF THIS EXPERIENCE?  
“The best part of this has been meeting the whole team. Everyone has been really friendly and welcoming. It makes this experience better. When you have a great team, it just flows so much more easily.”  

As Ahmad went off to try his next look, we managed to grab a moment with Florian.

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA?  
“Being in front of the camera is a bit stressful in the beginning, with all the flashes and the light. There are so many people behind the scenes that you had no idea were there. You try to interact with the camera. This is a bit intimidating initially, but you just have to go with it.   

TELL US ABOUT YOUR DAY HERE ON SET. 
"On set today we have done several shoots in different rooms. For example, there was a red staircase, there was fake snow, and we had to alternate between models. Sometimes I was alone, and sometimes there were several models, and we were in different décors: red stairs, a yellow bathroom, a velour lounge. The décors were very nice, and I loved being there."

We popped in to Hair and Makeup and asked Hanna about her day and experience so far.

"My day has been amazing. It was an early start, but it has been so great, and I got to experience new things that have been so exciting. Being in front of the camera feels exciting, fun, new and nervous. Working with the photographer is very exciting. You don't have to think about much more than being here in the moment, and they guide you through everything. You feel very safe."

WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF A PHOTO SHOOT?  
“The most challenging thing about participating in a photo shoot for me, since I am doing it for the first time, is my lack of knowledge. But there is always someone to ask, and there is always someone to help. It can be difficult to know how to pose, stand or walk. But there is always someone to help.”  

Our members were on set for a few days for different photos in different sets. Each set had its own images, all planned to portray the benefits of being an H&M member. The outfits, the styling, the sets, and the props were carefully selected for each image and had been planned months in advance. Shoots like this take a lot of time – the planning, the prepping, and finding the right people both for in front of and behind the camera. They also require a lot of people to handle the day-to-day things on set, such as food, travel, accommodation, etc.

Join today and enjoy more great benefits of being a member!