Sitting out... probably

You should know by now that the collection of Versace for H&M will launch in a couple of days, in Italy on November 17 at 9 am to be exact.

I am not a hard-core fan of H&M collaborations, but I have done Jimmy Choo and Lanvin back in Montreal. The former was a satisfying experience, but not on the day itself -- I scored the best piece (a pair of leather leggings for 70$) the day after, as I was going to return a couple of things I realized I did not like. Lanvin was a bit more disappointing, but I still got a nice t-shirt that in a regular store would have sold for an insane price. The thing is that, exactly because I am not a hard-core fan of these collaborations, I never went to sit outside H&M at 5 am. I arrived around 7:30 am in both cases, and at that time I was lucky to be among the first group of shoppers. As I am looking through the Versace for H&M lookbook, I am thus thinking whether it is worth the effort. Yes, there are a couple of pieces I would like, but...

A couple of things I would like from the Versace for H&M collaboration

However, if you are planning to go for the opening, let me share a few tips from my previous experience:

1. BE PREPARED. whether you are among the first group of shoppers, and especially if you arrive a bit later, you need to know what you want. The crowd inside the store will be so intense that you will not have time to shop around. The web is your best ally here, and you can browse the complete lookbook on Fashionologie.

2. DRESS WARMLY. This may seem silly, but my first time at Jimmy Choo I froze my feet off while I was waiting outside. The second time for Lanvin I wore heavy socks, gloves and a hat, and that made the experience a lot more bearable.

3. DO NOT TRY THINGS ON. Once inside the store, it will be madness. Lines for a dressing room will be long (especially if you arrive later in the day). I suggest to grab what you can, and try things on at home. Everything is returnable, after all.

4. CHOOSE YOUR TIMING. Most H&M collaborations are sold out within the first few hours of hitting the floor. Either you can get to a store by noon on launch day, or you may be making a useless trip. Rather, go a day or two after the launch and asks for returned merchandise -- you may have more to choose from.