FASHION BLOGGER DESIGNS FIRST COLLECTION FOR H&M

H&M, which has worked with top celebrities such as pop icon Madonna, said in a statement on Monday that Swedish fashion blogger Elin Kling had created a minimalist collection to be launched exclusively in Sweden on February 3.

"As one of the largest fashion profiles in Scandinavia, Elin fits our fashion-conscious target audience very well," Sofia Jegerborn, marketing manager at H&M Sweden, said in a statement.

Kling, a stylish girl who shares her colorful outfits on her blog Style By Kling in Sweden, created a capsule of nine pieces and two accessories.

Fashion lovers flocked to the micro-blogging website Twitter to cheer the news as a big leap forward for their community, some wondering who among them would first design an international collection.

"I think it's great news for fashion bloggers -- it really shows the meritocratic nature of the media," London-based blogger Pamplemousse21 told Reuters.

Kling said she had been left free to follow her style.

"The collection is minimalist and raw, but with a clear bohemian element, something that reflects my personal style well," Kling said.

Hennes & Mauritz, Europe's No.2 clothing retailer, reported a 17 percent rise in total sales for November, broadly in line with forecasts.

But fashion retailers are facing pressures from uneven European demand and rising costs of cotton and labor.