Replica Celine Handbags | Replica Celine Bags Sale
Back in May, Olivier Rousteing, the creative head of the house of Balmain announced the collaboration with HM via Instagram. He said: Get a piece of the dream and create a global #HMBalmaination: a movement of togetherness, fueled on a hashtag. There has been a lot of publicity since then, including a music video on the subway and countless Insta posts.
First off I should say: I'm not exactly eager to wake up at the crack of dawn and wait in line for these collaboration sales. But, I liked the idea of a movement of togetherness. And, I love the loud, swagger-y warrior-girl glamor of Balmain clothes. So, I called the nearest HM downtown Los Angeles to make sure they'd be carrying the collection. And, yesterday, I went to shop the sale.
6:30 am: I get to HM one hour and a half before the sale starts. It's the largest HM in the Greater Los Angeles area. I have a warm coat and some coffee. It is 55 degrees out. For Angelenos, that is cold. The line is about 350 people winding around the two rows of crowd-control posts. Looks manageable, I think. I get at the end of the line.
7:10 am: Wristbands are handed out. I get a ticket! My section' will be allowed to enter the store at 10:25. I text my husband with excitement and call my friend Jade to see if she wants anything. I am impressed this is more organized than I thought. According to a hand-out, the first 420 people will get wristbands and be allowed to shop. It doesn't look like there are 420 people in line. So, the odds seemed promising.
8:15 am: I ask the girl in the adjacent row how long she had been there. She arrived at 9 pm the night before. Where did you sleep? I asked her. In my car. My friend and I took turns. Then she added: Oh, and I kind of also slept on the pavement.
8:16 am: I have this visual image of Olivier Rousteing drinking champagne in a warm bar in Paris with the Jenner-Kardashians and watching all this craziness unfold through TV monitors. I feel a wave of anger.
9:00 am: A guy is chatting with me. He is possibly on something. It turns out his name is Hurtboy and he is being paid to stand in line for someone (that's a thing). He sees my phone which has broken screen and tells me his friend Danny Santana can come and fix it. He gives me Danny's number and says, tell him Hurtboy sent you. He could even come here right now. That's okay, I say. There is a switchblade on a necklace hanging around Hurtboy's neck, so I think it best to avoid further conversation. As politely as possible, I move away.
9:30 am: I have become friendly with two ladies in line with me. The line is moving at a good clip, we observe. Now, people have started emerging with the enormous Balmain x HM Replica Celine Handbags. One of them is the girl who spent the night on the pavement. She has about seven bags (you're allowed to get 2 of each style) How was it? we ask. There is nothing left, she says back. We eye the bags in jealousy and a twinge of anger. One of the ladies in line says: aw, shit, now all I'm going to get is one of those lame earbuds.'
9:45 am: More chatting with people who are exiting the store. Someone tells us they had none of the expensive, beaded dresses that Kendall was wearing. They weren't delivered to this store.
10:00 am: A woman wearing an HM uniform comes out with two bodyguards. She says that she is sorry, but there is no more product. The line around 100 people at this point emits a collective groan. The bodyguards tighten in around her. Then, the HM lady says While the Balmain pit is empty, you can certainly go in and shop the regular HM merchandise. And, that is that.
In an interview with Business of Fashion, Olivier Rousteing a masterful millennial PR wizard said: “Balmain is a luxury label of expense and exclusivity that only a few can afford, but I also believe that fashion should be inclusive.”
Right. It's very inclusive. We can see that. Along with the fist-fights in Paris, the stampedes in Zagreb and Istanbul, the flood of angry messages on Olivier's Instagram feed. Along with the fact that very few people got Balmain clothes, not even any lame earbuds, and most of those who did had to spend the night on the pavement in downtown L.A. on one of the coldest nights in months. Along with the fact that the Replica Celine Bags store didn't even get the entire shipment of clothing that they promised, the Balmain x HM collaboration does not seem inclusive at all.