(See what we did there? Like the love child of ‘Got milk’ and ‘You’ve been tangoed’)
Laura Reynolds looks at the hype surrounding the collaboration.
Just a week to go until the man in red arrives...
Last week the Versace for H&M collection finally went on sale, and it couldn’t come soon enough for devotees of both brands, some of whom camped out overnight to ensure they got their hands on pieces from the collection. So accustomed are we to the images of people camping for days to get their hands of Apple’s newest release or the latest game, that it makes a change for the phrase “handbags at dawn” to take on a literal meaning as shoppers fought to be the first to purchase items from the collection.
The collection was launched at 9am worldwide on 17th November, with several cities selling out within 30 minutes of stores opening. One picture showed a man with 4 bags full of items from the collection. Predictably, many items swiftly ended up on Ebay, with lucky buyers looking to make a quick buck from shoppers who were slower off the mark. Following the preview launch party in New York (where else?), the H&M store on London’s Regent Street was fortunate enough to have the presence of Donatella Versace at the sale launch last week.
But was the wait worth it?
The collection, which had been described as ”garish” amongst other things, has created a divided opinion in the fashion industry. Of course, everyone is reluctant to dismiss anything that is associated with one of the most famous designers in the world, and many were pleasantly surprised to find that the price tags were more H&M than Versace, with prices ranging from £14.99 for the pendant necklace and £19.99 for other jewellery pieces such as this ring to £199.99 for the studded leather trench coat.
Colour is key, that much is clear. Versace takes colour blocking one step further by cramming as many colours into one collection as is possible. Some pieces, such as this pink studded silk shift dress, £129.99, are classy about it, and give an easy way to inject summer colours back into a winter wardrobe. The draped dress red, £49.99 would be a great alternative to the LBD at this year’s Christmas party, and given the demand for it, it’s highly unlikely that anyone else will rock up in the same outfit.
Other pieces, however, are undeniably more garish than glam, the floral leggings, £24.99, being a prime example.
Leather and studs feature heavily throughout the collection, giving a strong nod to the androgynous trend currently featuring heavily on both the high street and the catwalk. The studded leather dress, jacket, and trench coat were among the first items to completely sell out.
Following the success of this collection, it seems that high street-designer collections may be the way forward, offering everyone (well, those willing to camp out for it) the opportunity to own a piece of the latest designer trends, even in the current economic climate. Dior for New Look next? Perhaps.
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