BINGO!I hit pay dirt!! I am the FIRST person on line at one of the H&Ms that have the affordable Sonia Rykiels Saturday morning! I got there at 7:45 and the store opens at 9 am. 10 minutes later 2 Russian pros from Brooklyn arrive. They're gabbing away excitedly in Russian. I implore them, how does this work? Have you done this before?
Ya, ya, we did Jimmy Choos, Comme des Garcons, all of the H&M designer sales.
WOW!
First you have to figure out what you want.There can be fighting, they warn me.
What?
I study the merch in the windows carefully...
And my knitwear expert friend tells me these sweaters/pull are "intarsia" so they would normally run around $450 a sweater!! YAHOO
By the way, Sonia was the 1st designer to have smiling, dancing, talking models prance down her runways and she still does. Her clothes are witty, fun, interchangeable and wearable like FOREVER!
The prices at H&M are RIDICULOUS!
Eeek
The Russkies tell me to map out a floor plan. Be prepared when they open the doors at 9 am and grab, grab, grab.
And I do!
They give us gigantic plastic bags to throw our booty into. I saw a guy in a mink shorty with THREE bags packed to the brim - he was either gonna resell on Ebay or send it off to China to knock it off.
By the way, Sonia was the 1st designer to have smiling, dancing, talking models prance down her runways and she still does. Her clothes are witty, fun, interchangeable and wearable like FOREVER!
The prices at H&M are RIDICULOUS!
Eeek
The Russkies tell me to map out a floor plan. Be prepared when they open the doors at 9 am and grab, grab, grab.
And I do!
They give us gigantic plastic bags to throw our booty into. I saw a guy in a mink shorty with THREE bags packed to the brim - he was either gonna resell on Ebay or send it off to China to knock it off.It happens/il arrive..
Decisions, decisions...
It's like Jour du Macaron in Paris ...
Which flavors/colors to get?
Sonia, these shorts are gorgeous, but Hey we're Americans not Frenchies! An obvious non-non so the decision is easy here...
This very long all-cotton scarf is oui oui! I got 2 of them - Ya never know...moths, stuff gets lost etc. etc.
One thing at a free-for-all like this is (well practically free), if you're undecided, GET IT!
Decisions, decisions...
It's like Jour du Macaron in Paris ...
Which flavors/colors to get?
Sonia, these shorts are gorgeous, but Hey we're Americans not Frenchies! An obvious non-non so the decision is easy here...
This very long all-cotton scarf is oui oui! I got 2 of them - Ya never know...moths, stuff gets lost etc. etc.
One thing at a free-for-all like this is (well practically free), if you're undecided, GET IT!No questions asked.
You can ask later and return it if you must.
You have 30 days.
Going home on the metro I feel like someone who has robbed a bank. I did. I worry about terrorists stealing my 2 fat bags of Sonia booty and warily look around for potential thieves. Who's paranoid? Who's feeling a guilty?
Not me!
Ice cream is definitely off the menu for a while...forever?
So did YOU go?
Did you get good stuff?
Tell all!!!
BONJOUR MY NEW SONIA RYKIELS!
I love you H&M xxx
how cool, sounds like you got some good loot!
ReplyDeleteWOW WOW WOW
ReplyDeleteOMG!!!
soooo lucky..why do I live in the boonies?
Why is there no Sonia at an H&M near me?
Must come down from the mountaintop.
Not worth it...
Ho hum :(
Lordie!
ReplyDeleteDid you buy EVERYTHING in sight?
I would have...
You should model some of the things you got for us!! Sounds like you had fun. I love that kind of sale.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I was right there with you in spirit, clearing a path for you to gather wildly!! Look like you really scored! I love those kinda sales!
ReplyDeleteWow! I am so jealous! I so regret getting rid of my SR striped top I bought about 33 years ago..and..as you say..it was and still would be timeless..and it was still in good condition..i was mad to let it go..hence..i hate the saying..'if you haven't worn something in a year..let it go'..rubbish..never again..i'll always hold on to the classics..and quality items..even the old holey t-shirt..if i love it..
ReplyDeletecheers
daniela from downunder..
Good shopping work. And I love intarsia: http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2009/12/sweatergasm/
ReplyDelete2 fat bags? how much stuff did you buy? Show them PLEASE
ReplyDeleteSo glad you got there & rec'd good advice. I didn't go down to the store here...oh well. I loved Sonia back then & still do. I'll be curious what else you bought, as well. Though having lived in France (early in life helps), I do realize that it is none of my business. (But if you feel like it...)
ReplyDeleteciao
Great photos, and I'm so glad that you factored in the moth problem and bought two scarves!
ReplyDeleteYou are just so damn perceptive NIKON!
ReplyDeleteYou cut right to the chase.
You notice the details...
you MUST be FRENCH!!!
Yes the moth & loss problem are big around here.
One does have to think ahead..
it's an INVESTMENT after all...non?
That made an early morning, but obviously it was worth it! Hope to see you wearing some of it when you visit Paris next time... soon! :-)
ReplyDeleteToday all Sonia is gone in Paris stores since ten minutes after the opening store !
ReplyDeleteIt was a long queue !!! said the employees
And it was crazy !
Did you buy the pink short too ?
A+C+++
Hello from Paris!
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to take a minue before I run around with my son to tell you how much I enjoy reading Paris Breakfasts. i'm a Chicago native living in Paris.
Your site is so unique, witty and funny, a great way to start my day!
Glad you had a wonderful shopping experience at H&M,
I love that too.
Have a nice day,
Brigitte
I love the Mocha Almond Fudge ice cream you showed today-guilty!!!! Right now I have the MAF, Vanilla
ReplyDeleteand White Chocolate Raspberry in my frig. I also need to resist, tomorrow . . .
And I wore the black and white stripped tee to work last week.
Tres Chic???
Tres Sonia?
Sounds like an adrenaline rush that was a success! Love the floor plan pic made me giggle and I noticed the Eiffel in the background...nicely done :) I remember hitting the sample sales in NYC...the worst one was COACH, women go nuts when it comes to bags too....so funny!
ReplyDeleteI went back today to the SR well...ahem
ReplyDeleteI am throwing out everything else I own, which ain't much these days.
I promise I will show and tell Di...
I'm a teensy bit embarrassed though...
Oh heck no I'm not!!
:)
How fun! I would make a mess of it. I dont think fast enough. but here you are thinking, grabbing and taking pix of it allat once. Amazing.
ReplyDeleteYes do show what all you got.
I wish I had the scarf and the black and white stripe pull over. No way to buy something in Paris Opéra! People were waiting on line for many hours before the opening and everything was sold in 15 minutes! French people!!!!
ReplyDeleteLove the photos of your H&M adventure! People are way dedicated to the designer collections, no wonder there's nothing good left when I got there, say, a week later. I'll be stopping by the SF H&M tomorrow to see what's left!
ReplyDeleteDecember 3rd- Bonne CHANCE!!!
ReplyDeleteAnne-you MUST come back to NYC!
The lines were short here and the wait was 1 hour tops for idiots like me...
Others waited 10 minutes maybe..I had to be Frist in line bien sur :)
this is so great that we are abble to buy affordable Rykiel. Merci H et M
ReplyDeleteShow! Show! Show! Perhaps you should paint yourself in your SR in front of Laduree!
ReplyDeleteYour story is so much fun to read! I also love Sonia Rykiel. All the fun, the vivid colors... and I want the same cool hairdo as the models in the campaign have! :D
ReplyDeleteI bought the collection online while baking two dozen of cupcakes for my boyfriend's birthday that day. I can't wait to see how the pieces are in 'real life'! I bought some of the big knits and the brooches. The sweaters match perfectly with Yazbukey's Ladurée-box, don't you think? :p
What a great post...I enjoyed your adventure..
ReplyDeleteMoney is so intangible, its almost like a promise and a piece of paper...
ReplyDeleteBut Sonia's clothes...
ah that is something completely different
I feel so lucky! Thanks to your timely posts, I made it down to H&M in D.C. on Sunday. (I went back yesterday, too...) Some things were already gone, like the striped sweater with the fringe, but I got a scarf, yay! and a striped dress with the black crisscross straps (love it!!) and the pink and black short sleeve top (exquisite!) They still had a few things left in the D.C. store on F street if anyone is in the area. And no lines... Thank you, thank you for your great posts on this, and I can't wait to see what you scored. Viva Sonia! Elise in Alexandria, VA
ReplyDeleteCollections of Sonia Rykiel is typically chic. Blend of striped and printed tops and pretty dresses. Awsome!!
ReplyDeleteLooks like H&M is raided!!
Bises,
7jades.
Collections of Sonia Rykiel is typically chic. Blend of striped and printed tops and pretty dresses. Awsome!!
ReplyDeleteLooks like H&M is raided!!
OMG !
ReplyDeleteHow lucky you were...
You had time to take everything you wanted, try it, compare the sizes... take pictures.
Everybody seems nice and polite, smiling...
Here in Paris, it was like a battle field and even my brave and loyal husband was over... (i don't know the english word...) He was just helpless.
I had to do it and I did !
http://www.chicandgeek.com/mode/sonia-rykiel-for-hm-la-maille/
But a few days later, when I saw the comments of girls who couldn't get anything and the prices on ebay, just a shame (for bags designed to help kids via Unicef !)...
well I decided, as a gesture, to give away part of my treasures and organize a contest on my website.
It's in french but everybody is welcome and I'm really happy you left a comment on my article : I discovered your posts and subscribed to RSS.
You will be my Breakfast in Paris from now on ;)
Thx
Anne, Chic and Geek (I'm not the geek in the Story, an italian guy, really good friend of mine, is... so it's Starwars meets Carrie Bradshaw, kinda..)
PS : sorry for my poor english... I will improve it by reading you every day !
PS: I robbed H&M last saturday after 2h queueing in Paris rain and cold. But it worth it. I am a Sonia addict since I was a teenager.
ReplyDeleteMERCI Anne, Chic and Geek!
ReplyDeleteWe are a Solders Of Love of Sonia!
In the wild wild west doing our best to get some Sonia (sorry SADE!)
I have the will to survive
bla bla bla
It was a FUN battle in NYC
Paris oh no OMG=grande battle
Injuries :O
Only Jimmy Choos make New Yorkers fight like cats but I did not go.
Merci encore
Carolg
Just wanted to let you know, after reading your blog posts about Sonia, I went shopping! E-bay shopping that is. I became obsessed with stripes. I now have a Sonia Rykiel for H&M scarf and I love, love, love it! I'm not exactly a fashionista but that could change.... Thank you!
ReplyDeleteCathy