Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known. With individuality as symbol of our society, art has become the perfect medium. It also reflects the way brands now need to mix rationality with creativity to put a soul into their products to respond to a new consumer mindset, one that draws its inspirations from the worlds of culture and art, science and technology.

Various collaborations are perfect examples of the charisma and fascination an artist can give to everyday objects. See the installation of Chinese artist Ai Wei Wei at the luxury department store Le Bon Marche in Paris, the collection of bags created by German artist Tobias Rehberger for MCM, the art work created by Japanese artist Azuma Makoto for concept store Colette in Paris. COS has collaborated with Snarkitecture (picture) for the Milan pop-up store and with Andre Fu for their store in Hong Kong. H&M is the exclusive sponsor of the exhibition ‘Fashion Forward – Three Centuries of Fashion’ at the Louvre, Musée des Arts Décoratifs. Selected styles from the H&M archive will also feature in the exhibition, including a look from the first-ever designer collaboration, with Karl Lagerfeld in 2004.
Art has also changed its position from being a collectors’ domain to being part of the consumer world. The high-street offer and mass production caused a longing for individual, unique and creative objects. People also want to express their individuality by buying and displaying art at home. The OWN ART scheme is the perfect solution for it. The network of 300 galleries provides a big choice of artists with a wide variety of styles grouped by theme or by setting for an easier selection. The OWN ART scheme offers loans repayable in 10 monthly installments, completely interest free for buying art. It is designed to make it easy and affordable for everyone to buy and collect contemporary art and craft. One can apply for as little as £100 or as much as £2,000 for the purchase of original works of art by living artists in any media including paintings, sculpture, photography, ceramics, glassware, jewelry and furniture.

Art is creativity, inspiration and full of life – what all people long for. And therefore art will play an important role now and forever.