To celebrate the 22nd Ópera Prima de Tudela Film Festival, Queen Letizia opted for an aesthetic that has caught the eye of the ever-observant followers of her style: she wore a navy blue and white skirt from the TOGA Archives x H&M collection a front hole that was hugely disconcerting for those unfamiliar with the Japanese brand’s avant-garde style. However, it is a very common detail in Japanese Yasuko Furuta’s designs.
Furuta founded Toga in 1997 after graduating from ESMOD (Ecole Superieure des Arts et Techniques de la Mode) in Tokyo and then in Paris. In 2004, the company opened its first store in Ebisu, Tokyo. Almost twenty years later, Toga has more than thirty stores around the world and the brand is known among experts for creating unique pieces with eccentric cuts and bold colors that interpret classic garments with a different twist. She is known for her use of exclusive materials and her play with silhouettes.
The piece the Queen wore is part of a collection that premiered in September 2021 and this skirt was one of her highlights. It has a midi length and is pleated with a gingham check pattern. Play with asymmetry by sporting a circular neckline above the right knee. As Furuta said in the statement about his collaboration with H&M: “When I first launched Toga, I wanted to make garments for people who are full of curiosity and not afraid of change.”
The Queen debuted an avant-garde skirt from the Toga Archives x H&M collection. Photo: Getty Images
It’s not the first time that Letizia is dating H&M items. In fact, he’s been using the Swedish brand a lot to dress up in recent years. She debuted a sleek blue dress from H&M’s Sustainable collection while attending the state visit gala dinner in Sweden, a clear gesture of support for the fashion giant’s home country. And she wore a skirt from the same collection to receive heads of state at the start of the UN climate change conference last June, another moment in which she sent a message through clothing.