Vegas’ rank in the fashion world rose a little higher yesterday when H&M’s latest high-stakes fashion collabo launched, as the Isabel Marant pieces went on sale after months of salacious buzz that heightened when the full lookbook was leaked months ago. The chic French designer created quite an expansive collection, and chose this landmark partnership to do her first ever line of menswear and children’s clothing.
As the holy grail of Strip shopping, The Forum Shops at Caesars is one of the limited number of H&M’s carrying the collection, and the only one in Las Vegas out of its four outposts. Shoppers were allowed to line up beginning at 6 a.m. for the store’s specialty 8 a.m. opening time (10 a.m. on a normal day), and early birds were given special treatment. The first 420 in line were given bracelets—14 colors for each group of 30 customers (yes, we’re serious, this is fashion) and allowed 15 minutes to shop per group so it didn’t get too crazy.
But I can see why it did get a little nuts—and why women were schlepping multiple bags full of the goods, getting their hands on the very limited number of pieces made. As Rachel Zoe would say, “I die.” Structured quilted boho jackets embellished with studs, wool cardigans, metallic tanks, silk floral print dresses, chunky silver jewelry; I wanted it all.
In the short whirlwind of time I was there, I only witnessed a few instances of female shopaholic insanity. There were definitely a few staredowns over dresses and tops whose popular sizes were quickly disappearing, and I tried to keep up with my fellow lionesses in the wild in-store competitors, tearing through the racks like it was “The Hunger Games” of fashion.
The boxes of shoes—namely the suede beaded pumps and fringed booties—fared the worst, and were ravaged by the time I arrived at 9 a.m., with my size completely sold out. Quickly checking the H&M web site on my cell phone to try and score a pair, I discovered it had crashed, natch.
I ended up scoring a top I really wanted, and promptly left before I got knocked over by any more crazed fashionistas. All I know is, if Christian Louboutin ever releases an H&M collection, I’ll prepare for battle, throw some elbows, and be one of those fashion nuts I was mocking yesterday.
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