A Balmain x H&M Customer Asks, “Where’s the Love?,” Questions Her Passion for Fashion After Braving the Line Overnight

Some of the best comments this week came from customer testimonials from the Balmain x H&M launch. As you’re undoubtedly aware, shoppers fought, grabbed, and stampeded to get their hands on sumptuous embroidered dresses, velvet pants, and gold buttoned blazers.

A reader who called herself, “Where’s the Love?” recounted her experience, “I was there. One of the first to go in at the West Hollywood Location in LA. I had been waiting since 8pm Wednesday evening. It was quite the experience. One to go down in History books or at least a check mark on my bucket list. I kept asking myself why I was there because it was completely out of my element and I couldn’t really come up with a solid answer. I’m not a fan of Kim K or any celebrity for that matter but I do aesthetically enjoy the fashions of Balmain and designer Olivier.”

” I made friends with the Koreans in front of me. We planned a strategy to help each other out and in the end they were only in it to resell on Ebay. People were really bold in line i.e. paying people off trying to score, paying folks to stand in line for them, one guy put two chairs down and went home to go to bed only to come back to his chairs in the street. A verbal argument ensued when he returned and was kicked out of line. One girl was dropped off by her uber driver and walked to the front of the line and sat down like she had been there all night. It started to get ruthless and tension was thick. The energy was shifting and it was no longer fun and exciting. Although, I was able to get the pieces I wanted I’m questioning if it was worth it in the end.”

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Instagram @Franco_di_Sotto ” I enjoy the creative element of fashion and self expression. But clothes don’t make you happy. Happiness truly comes from within. I’m taking the next few days to go deep within myself through mediation and prayer to bring to the surface of why I may feel the need to engage in consumerism to this capacity. I learned so much about myself in this experience. I hope this helps anyone who wasn’t able to get what they wanted. The arguing the fighting, pushing, shoving, every man for himself mentality is not what fashion or life should be about. If we learned anything especially post 911/Katrina, what seems to be more rewarding is helping people, giving back, looking out for one another or just putting a smile on someone’s face. Where is the Love????”

Instagram @rosebaby0510

Indeed, where is the love? Fashion should be a fun flourish, the cherry on top of the cake of life–not a cruel competitive sport.
What do you think of “Where is the Love”‘s story?
*The pictures above are used only for illustration purposes.