"Mission Lanvin for H&M"

For some weeks now I've been thinking about how to be today, at the nearest H&M to my house, as early in the morning as possible.

Because today, in most of H&M's stores worldwide, at 8 am sharp, the exclusive collection designed by Lanvin's Alber Elbaz was to be unveiled. In the past years, always in November, H&M has been hiring different designers to create an exclusive line to be sold at really low prices. The first one was Karl Lagerfeld, then it was the turn for Roberto Cavalli, Matthew Williamson, Jimmy Choo and Sonia Rykiel. All of them great designers... but Alber Elbaz, from Lanvin, is the GREATEST of them all...

I've been checking online the different designs and I've seen the ad directed by Mike Figgis a thousand times (fantastic!). For a fashionista as myself, it was a real challenge... but to get in line and wait for opening hour since 5 am, with the cold and -1°C, felt like too much...

Finally, I've decided I'd be there by 9 am, calmly... and come what may!

And so I did... I got into my jogging, my Uggs, a sport jacket, gloves and earmuffs. As I reached the new H&M store by Champs-Elysées, I saw fences, policemen and security controls. At least 40 women were already there, waiting patiently. They gave me a pink bracelet and told me I'll be getting inside by 10:15. Among the others waiting and quite ahead of me, I noticed Laurence, the owner of the Optician's where I have my glasses made. I went to say hi to her, jumping ahead. When she saw me, she said in awe: "Vous, Madame d'Arenberg, ici?!"

I explained to her that I wouldn't miss such historical fashion moment for anything in this world.

At 10 am they led us into the basement of the store, where we had to wait by new fences, but we now had a privileged view of all the store, with the hangers full of pink dresses, red tules, prints and embroideries... A woman waiting with us said out loud that a friend of hers told her that on the store by Boulevard Haussman there was almost a mutiny and that the women took it all, throwing down hangers and whatever came in their way. Another said that to those who got in by 8 am were received with coffee and croissants.

At 10:14 the manager of the store told us we would be getting in shortly and that we would only have 15 minutes to look around and pick what we wanted... total madness.

As I finally stepped in, I've realized it was truly a dream come true. The clothes were done in really good fabrics and the shoes (for 99 euros), with embroideries, were made in Italy. The necklaces and earrings looked like those in the Lanvin flagship store, but at 10% of the price...

Each accessory had its special box and white satin paper. Bags and wraps for dresses were white and had Alber Elbaz drawings... divine!

It was indeed a great experience. Haute Couture goes down the street and democratizes itself. And why not?

It doesn't bother me at all, in fact I love it. If we all have the same dress, then each of us will make an extra effort to look different with it: with the pose, with what you eat, with how you mix it with other pieces of your wardrobe...

As usual, a challenge for us, women, but I'm sure we all know how to handle it...

Mission accomplished!!