The much-anticipated cheap and chic collection by British fashion designer Matthew Williamson hit H&M stores everywhere this week.

It was the cha-ching heard ’round the world.

Sienna Miller-alike girls (and a few good men for solid measure) clawed their way through the H&M racks and displays, all eager to be the first to get their pretty little paws on the coveted items.

The range sold out in minutes.

Gaggles of girls, armed with their student loans or credit cards, flooded the doors at 9 a.m. Thursday morning with one warning: two items only.

No matter, because in less than an hour all the leather bomber jackets and brightly coloured maxi dresses were snapped up in a hot trendy flash. 

And it’s not the first time H&M-meet-designer collections have caused a stir. 

This marks the retail store’s seventh designer range. They obviously know what they’re doing.

H&M has boasted collections from Roberto Cavalli, Commes des Garcons and *be still my heart* the fabulous Stella McCartney, among many other legends.

The point of many of these collections is to provide the middle classes with high-end clothing at a moderate price. Sure, the clothes aren’t as spectacular as the couture. But even a fraction of spectacular is still pretty great, right?

Hmmm.

My question is, if the point is to make the untouchable designer clothing not only close enough to touch, but also to try on and wear bowling, then why does H&M make it so damn hard to get?

Sure, you can have a piece of Williamson…

That is, if you camp outside a store the night before the unveiling, nearly break a limb during the stampede in and get clawed after accidently grabbing someone else’s scarf.

You leave battered, bruised, broke… but better, because you walked away with a full shopping bag.

Reports of Thursday’s event were halirious to me. 

Toronto Star: Shopping became a no-holds-barred contact sport yesterday morning at the H&M Eaton Centre store as normally civilized shoppers turned into aggressive combatants, fighting tooth and lacquered nail for designs from the Matthew Williamson collection.

The Cut via Twitter: Dressing room employee says potential purchaser of size 2 blazer has 2 min to claim it before its fed to the crowd.

NY Mag: …Once the doors opened, the line disappeared in a single swoop, and the red carpet was left with nothing more than a few scraps of litter.

It’s just as hard to get the H&M downgraded Williamson than the real deal!

The store never restocks after the initial sell-out. So, you either need to wait for returns in the coming weeks or scour E-Bay later in hopes of landing a piece.

I ask you - wouldn’t it be better for your mental and physical well being to save up for a few months and buy one absolutely amazing authentic piece from Williamson instead?

I beg you, next time you’re queuing outside an H&M, take a moment to consider my plea. Then, lower your claws and take a deep breath.

Trust me, your limbs are going to look a lot better in the real stuff five months from now then in the cheap stuff covering the cast on the fractured arm you got from throwing elbows during the H&M launch now. 

Heed these words on May 14 when Williamson Round Two hits the stores. 

 

Tags: Fashion & Beauty //