Wes Anderson directed a Christmas short film for H&M and it's like a festive Darjeeling Limited
The aesthetic couldn't be more Wes
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Your support makes all the difference.Following the success of Burberry's Domhnall Gleeson-starring Christmas ad, H&M has thrown its pastel felt, sequin-festooned hat into the ring with a short film starring Adrien Brody and directed by none other than Wes Anderson.
An incredibly festive four minutes it is classic Wes, all perfect symmetry, camera pans, smooth tracking shots, immaculate costume and quaint appliances and stationery.
Brody, who also starred in Anderson's train-centric film The Darjeeling Limited, plays a train conductor who finds himself in the unfortunate position of having to tell passengers of the 'H&M Lines Winter Express' that they're going to miss Christmas due to delays.
"Good morning passengers of coach 14, this is conductor Ralph speaking," he says over the tannoy. "I regret to inform you that due to challenging weather conditions overnight in combination with mechanical difficulties on our scheduled route we’ve been redirected to alternate tracks and will therefore be delayed an additional 11 and a half hours.
"Our estimated arrival time is now 3:17am; we realise this will interfere with many of your holiday plans and celebrations, it certainly cancels mine. We’re very sorry for this terrible inconvenience.
"My assistant porter Fritz and I will be serving a small complimentary Christmas brunch including chocolate flavoured hot beverage with whipped topping in the cafeteria section in the rear of the coach starting in 20 minutes. Please do join us, thank you."
This "Christmas brunch" turns out to be a pretty spectacular one, which comes to the joy of the 'unaccompanied minor' in one of the cabins.
H&M must have spent well into the millions to land Anderson and Brody and stump up the budget for the film, which doesn't ram its products down the viewer's throat but does see the passengers wearing unmistakably H&M outfits.
“This story may resonate more than ever at a time in the world where we could all do with giving a stranger a hug,” Brody commented, in a presumed nod to the recent US election.
Fashion and beauty brands have finally started to break out of the mould when it comes to adverts recently, kickstarted by Her director Spike Jonze's stunning commercial for Kenzo.
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