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The Beverly Center launch event for the highly-anticipated Maison Martin Margiela for H&M collection was slightly more organized than we're used to. After a patient, orderly wait, crowds were escorted into the store to shop the men's section while others stood by for their designated time in the women's section. Staff let shoppers in 30 at a time to the barricaded men's area, where they had 15 minutes to shop before being ushered quickly (and loudly, thanks to plenty of bull horns) out.
Between waves, staff took five minutes to restock shelves and racks, ensuring plenty of pieces for everyone while still enforcing the four-of-a-kind item limit. To keep things moving, H&M workers recommended that shoppers grab a piece they were interested in in whatever size they could find, and another size could be brought to them once they were safely in the fitting rooms. Not everyone was happy with the selection: We heard one forlorn shopper leaving the women's area lamenting that they did not have Tromp L'oeil bodysuit worn by Mena Suvari the MMM x H&M NYC premiere party.
Despite stern warnings against reselling, trading, and bartering, one woman managed to sneak to the front of the men's section crowd to tap a stranger on the shoulder to request an item from them. She was heading back to the women's line, and was hoping they could meet up and trade pieces later. Another successful hoarder set up shop in the middle of the store with his stash from the men's collection for people to peruse without having to wait in line. As the masses began to settle, security started enforcing the no-photography policy by the women's section. Armed with barricades, bull horns and restock breaks, it seems like H&M has got their launch day logistics down to a science.
· Skrillex Hair and Lots of Black: Margiela for H&M Launches in LA [Racked]
· The LA Guide to Shopping Maison Martin Margiela for H&M [Racked]
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