Happy Woman's Day! How are you celebrating?
I headed downtown to check out the Marni for H&M collection. As you may remember if you follow me on Facebook, I have been lusting over it since it got announced, and especially in the past couple of days as the pictures of a few fortunate ones who got to wear the design ahead of the official launch started surfacing on the Internet (here and here). Yet while I was in the metro this morning at 7:45 am I got cold feet. Will the line to get in the store be already too long? I know well enough how much public this kind of collaboration will draw in Canada, but I had no idea about what to expect here in Milan. Will the collection be worth it? With these collaborations I have learnt that the design can be tacky, the materials can be cheap, or both (I am looking at you, Versace for H&M!). In spite of these doubts I did not turn back though! So here is a little chronicle of my outing.
8:00 am. I reach the downtown store of H&M in Corso Vittorio Emanuele. The line is no more than 10 people so I am hopeful I will get in quickly (the store opens at 9 am). Then I realize that they are distributing bracelets for 10:35 am, and I am a bit disappointed. Yet this is definitely the easiest line ever for such a big collaboration. They are distributing free croissants and juices. I do not have to wait in line for more than 10 minutes: I get my bracelet and go and hang out while I wait for my turn. Bonus: the weather is quite mild, compared to the extreme cold that I would have faced in Montreal!
8:45 am. I have strolled along Corso Vittorio Emanuele and checked out the other shop windows. I will definitely come back for a couple of things... As traffic picks up in the street, I sit down with a warm cup of tea and the new book by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, which I just bought from the bookstore.
9:30 am. H&M has opened and I go and check out the Marni for H&M men's collection. A lot of sizes have already sold out but I get a couple of nice presents for my dad and my husband (I will not spoil it, because they are surprises for Father's Day!) Since I still have a bit of time to kill before my turn, I make a quick stop at La Rinascente to check out the latest spring handbags.
10:20 am. I start lining up waiting for my turn. The tension is touchable. I hear at least few customers who complain that there was no information on the H&M website about the bracelet system, so that they will be cut out of shopping the collection until noon (bracelets are obviously sold out by now). I realize I am the least prepared person here (one woman in the line in front of me seems to have an iPhone wishlist app and is rehearsing her favorite items), and by eavesdropping I am remembered that sizing is French -- invaluable advice!
10:25 am. I am packed together with the others in my turn while waiting for the bodyguards to let us in. A lot of chatter because one woman is there with her partner (comments are along the lines of "I would have never convinced mine to come!").
10:35 am. Ready, set, go! The big surprise is that each customer has a personal shopper to help her with sizes and to carry the merchandise around. However, we are then dropped with our stack of stuff at the line for the dressing rooms, which is long and slow. I have selected so many things that it is difficult to hold everything while I am waiting.
11:30 am. I made it to the fitting room and tried on pretty much the whole collection. The quality of the items is the best I have seen so far. The tops and dresses are very flowy and a bit too unstructured for my tastes and body frame. Sizing runs true to size, and (contrary to what I had heard in line) is the usual H&M sizing. However, flowy tops and dresses are a bit large to size, so you may want to go a size down. Handbags were disappointing. On the contrary all other accessories (including the collar with paillettes) are totally worth the price. I definitely bought too much! Will post pictures soon.
12 pm. As a modern Cinderella mom, I run home with my three shopping bags on time to cook lunch for my son, who is still at home recovering from the flu!
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