Alber Elbaz 'Was Sure There Would Be No One' In Line For Lanvin Hearts H&M

After throwing an over-the-top runway show last Thursday, Lanvin Hearts H&M hit selected stores over the weekend, and designer Alber Elbaz was shocked at the turnout to purchase his mass-market duds.

Elbaz checked out the line at Madison Avenue and 59th Street at 8 a.m. and he told WWD, "We stayed in New York one more night so we could see this...I don't dare go in." He added, "I can't believe it. I was sure there would be no one. I was a bit panicked. This is a once in a lifetime experience."

WWD didn't hesitate to ask shoppers how much they spent -- with dresses priced from $199 to $249, it wasn't too hard to spend over a couple of hundred bucks. But thousands? Sure. Cue WWD:

• Caitlin, who declined to give her last name, said the quality was good, but the sizes "itsy bitsy." She still managed to spend1,800.
• Wensen Ho, a 30-year-old who works in advertising, spent around3,000 buying virtually every item from the women's assortment for his wife. "She is pregnant and can't be here, so I am doing a run," he said.
• Nicole Eng, a 27-year-old graphic designer, said, "It was this collection that really introduced me to Lanvin." Eng ended up spending1,700 on Lanvin (Hearts) H&M. She said it was "the most I've ever spent in my life.''

Comments

[writergal28]

05:48 PM on 11/23/2010

There were plenty of coats left in one of the Toronto stores...I guess many didn't realize that they could easily wear it as a dress:

http://www.delectablychic.com/2010/11/lanvinloveshandm/

or

http://blog.shorty-stories.com/2010/11/its-coatno-dress.html

[lucy4]

03:24 AM on 11/23/2010

i saw some of them on h&m site and was not impressed by the quality or style. I don't know it looked a little bit of cheepish

[Blues02]

08:25 PM on 11/22/2010

H&M needs to branch out more in the U.S or at least give us an online store.

[LuLuMax123]

09:09 PM on 11/22/2010

Second that emotion!!!!

[gemini68]

04:22 PM on 11/22/2010

Nicole Eng, a 27-year-old graphic designer, said, "It was this collection that really introduced me to Lanvin." Eng ended up spending1,700 on Lanvin (Hearts) H&M. She said it was "the most I've ever spent in my life.'' And to think for that amount of money she could have bought a REAL Lanvin piece of clothings- as opposed to the watered -down overpriced H & M stuff.

[FPhoebe]

09:21 PM on 11/22/2010

Seriously! This stuff won't last more than a few seasons before it's starts to fade, rip, what have you. All these girls could have went to the real Lanvin store and gotten one or two beautiful, quality items for the amount they spent that will last them a lifetime. But you can't reason with crazy.

[LisaDi]

09:07 AM on 11/23/2010

True

[DSevere]

03:57 PM on 11/22/2010

Saw the TV ad for those dresses. Good looking stuff for a reasonable price, I'm sure they're going to be all over the place at holiday parties.

[gemini68]

04:25 PM on 11/22/2010

See, I don't think they're actually THAT affordable. For the materials used they're actually over-priced. Maybe I'd feel differently if it wasn't H & M. The average price point for a dress at H & M is 50 bucks. That's a big difference to me. I love Lanvin but I don't like the idea of spending that kind of money on H & M quality clothing. It is not REAL Lanvin with the same type of craftsmanship.

[DSevere]

05:17 PM on 11/22/2010

I'd have to see it up close, hard to tell from pix. I'm a Loehmann's/Marshall's person myself, I like to search out finds at a discount, so I see your point. I'd be taking my $200 and trying to find a $599 designer dress for the money...

[tcnsrq]

03:37 PM on 11/22/2010

this guy cuts a mean dress and a fabulous shoe

[JJovana]

03:54 PM on 11/22/2010

AGREED! Whether real Lanvin or HM diffusion, Alber Elbaz knows how to dress women.

[gemini68]

04:25 PM on 11/22/2010

Agreed- the clothing is beautiful- but still overpriced for H & M.

[PresidentRobertBooth]

03:37 PM on 11/22/2010

In fashion, nothing annoys me more than "whimsy"