Balmain for H&M Press Preview Event is a Sellout

The line for the Balmain for H&M Press Preview tonight on Sunset. It was cold and windy.

Tonight I was invited to the press preview for the forthcoming Balmain for H&M collection. I was very disappointed as the event was sold out about 30 min after it’s 7:00 pm start time.   After waiting in the cold, windy weather on Sunset Boulevard for a half-hour, I finally was admitted to the store to see the empty racks. (note even handicapped people on the guest list were made to wait in the line in the cold.) Everything except T-shirts, accessories and a few striped shirts was gone.  Fellow shoppers told me that 2 hours before the press was admitted celebrities and stylists were admitted, and they bought just about everything.  By the time the press event was supposed to start, just about everything was gone.  Needless to say the press, fashion bloggers and stylists admitted to the empty racks were not happy.   Even more disturbing, people in line to buy items clearly had bought with no discernable limits.   There seemed to be hoarding, and eventually, you can expect some of the items to be listed among the hundreds already for sale on eBay.

The few accessories available from the Balmain for H&M collection after the mad rush to buy.

I left without buying anything, because everything I wanted was gone.   The quality of the clothing items I saw did look good.  It looks like Balmain ready to wear and couture.  I wasn’t impressed by the quality of the jewelry, I think for the money you can find better costume jewelry elsewhere and the jewelry is non-returnable.

Based on the behavior I witnessed tonight, Balmain for H&M will sell out in a nano-second.   This is a better made and better looking collection than the goth athletic wear from Alexander Wang.  I don’t think I will venture back to the store to buy  the  Balmain for H&M collection, but I will look for the pieces on the H&M website tomorrow morning early.  Hopefully, the website won’t fail.