lundi 1 novembre 2010

La queue



(20 minutes, I Simon, Sipa)


When Uniqlo's first store opened in Paris a year ago, I had to wait a couple of months in order to get in the store without doing the queue on the street. The day I finally set foot in the store was uneventful. I left empty handed and confused not only by the red neon lighted entry stairwell but as to why anyone would wait in a queue on a cold Fall day for clothes and especially such basic ones.


A couple of weeks ago, after getting the gloves at the Eric Bompard, store I headed down Haussmann and saw a rather lenghthy queue on the sidewalk. I paused a moment and after passing down Uniqlo, came to realise that it's the day of the J+ new collection launch. Did I head back and join the queue? Non.

So November is all about les ventes presse in Paris (private/sample sales). I used to expect my invitations with such excitement but now the idea of waiting for hours in a cold street while inhaling cigarette smokes, the nervousness and possible frustration of the whole situation just to buy more clothes isn't that appealing anymore.

And of course, this month also is the Lanvin - H&M "collaboration" launch. For this one I can already imagine riots, so I'll stay out of harm's way! 

I love a good deal but I want to enjoy my purchase and I'm not willing to lose time and sanity for a piece of cloth.

8 commentaires:

  1. dear lord, this is terrible...

    I was in London last Xmas and got some very nice items from the J+ - collaboration on sale. Didn't know this can cause huge queues.

    I travel to Asia often for my job, so I mostly shop at Uniqlo over there. It's funny that one have to queue to get in the H&M in Tokyo (the only one in Japan). ;-)

    Am I the only one who is not that impressed by the sneak peak of the Lanvin-collaboration?

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  2. I think it's a good thing that when I went to Uniqlo, it was in New York and the store had already been opened a few years ago. My reaction was that I was happy to find great basics in cheaper prices than American Apparel and even H&M.

    But you are so right, I've never lined up for any high street chain and designer collaboration but I've waited outside for a few sample sales and never really got anything exceptional out of them.

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  3. I wouldn't wait in line for clothes (or movies) either, I'm not into that mass hysteria kind of thing.

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  4. i did line up briefly whilst in paris at uniqlo...because i had never been inside...and i did buy some nice basics for next to nothing.
    but i never line up...for stores nor clubs...to enter! ;)

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  5. Vegalyn, I can't imagine if/when Topshop opens in Paris! You'll have to make a reservation in order to get in the store!

    I'm with you about the Lanvin-H&M collaboration, nothing appealing so far BUT the whole collection will be revealed tomorrow and I'm sure I'll see something I like... BUT as I don't plan
    a) to take a day-off on Nov 23rd,
    b) to camp outside the store,

    I guess that's toast.

    Dahlia: I like Uniqlo's no nonsense basic too and the +J collection but waiting in line for hours to buy clothes? No way. But I know the Isabel Marant sample sales is next wednesday and thursday, suddenly I think I could summon the energy to do a little queue...:))

    Couldn't agree more with you, Prêt à Porter P. I don't mean it in a snubby way but I'm happy my primary anti-marketing defense mechanism is working properly enough and leaves me insensitive to that kind of mass hysteria.

    If Jane: Sometimes I wonder if making people wait outside is a trick the Uniqlo people are using to make their store "attractive" because the area is quite substantial...

    I went there a few times but always early to avoid the crowd and always left empty-handed...

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  6. For me it's not about marketing and more about I don't like the crowds and the chaos. Too overwhelming. I prefer things at a calmer pace.

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  7. Prêt à Porter P : My point was actually regarding those "masstige" collaboration and its effect on some.

    Out of all the people waiting in line and acting crazy for the previous H&M collections like Comme des Garçons or Victor and Rolf, how many were really interested in the final result ?

    I think that marketing does work and influences some, especially in those case of designer and mass fashion retailers business.
    It's not even really about the product but the thrill to be "there" and to own a piece of "it".

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  8. you know what's funny. early this morning on my commute to work the Lanvin x H&M pictures started to filter in. i was really interested in that weird faux-fur jacket and i was even thinking of taking a day off work to queue up for it.

    then by the end of the day, after seeing the images pop up on my blog reader a million times on all these blogs, i completely lost interest! ah well, money saved :-)

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