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After spotting fashion notables of the international (RiRi) and local (Kate Ogata) varieties rocking Alexander Wang x H&M, you've no doubt picked your favorite pieces from the collection. Now it's time to plan how you'll acquire those pieces. In two days, H&M will unleash the heavily-branded Wang collab. Here's what you need to know to prepare.
Where to Go
H&M released the Wang collab stores list last week, and two of the San Francisco stores made the cut. Both the location at 150 Powell Street and location inside Westfield San Francisco Centre are slated to carry the collection. We have confirmed with staffers at both stores that they expect shipments this week.
Photo by Driely S. for Racked
When to Buy It
The stores carrying the collab will open at 8 am on November 6, and H&M will be bringing back its bracelet system to keep the fray in check. The first 420 shoppers in line at each store will be given a colored bracelet denoting what time they'll be able to shop. Groups of 30 will be given 15 minutes to shop in the designated collaboration area before they're ushered out to make way for the next group. After the first 420 customers have come through, the free-for all begins.
For last year's Isabel Marant collab, shoppers started lining up at
7 pm the night before the launch, so plan on an equally rabid group of shoppers for the Wang collab. If you're not an early bird, you might be better off gambling on the Westfield Centre store. A store staffer tells us that they are still working out logistics with mall staff, but the current plan is for customers to enter the mall at the BART entrance at 7 am, where a security will keep the order. Shoppers would then be escorted to the store, where doors will open at 8 am.
UPDATE (11/05/14 at 9:30pm): We're receiving conflicting reports from Westfield H&M staffers. On Wednesday night, staffers told us that shoppers could queue up on Market Street outside the doors near the Adidas store, where a security guard would help regulate the line. When we walked along Market Street at 7:25, there was no line and no security guard, (even though team members told us he should already be there). The line will be outside of the mall, somewhere. If you see it, join it.
Image courtesy of H&M
What to Buy
If you need a refresher on the collection —don't even pretend that you haven't seen it yet— here's the full lookbook, with prices included. Racked NY has these additional photos to add to the roundup, if you want to see the clothes in their natural, on-the-hanger environment.) Our sister site also picked the ten pieces they think will be the most popular, noting that this sweater pictured above ($149) is basically a piece copied out of Wang's Spring 2013 collection. Thanks to San Francisco's year-round sweater weather, you can expect these to sell out.
Photo by Driely S. for Racked
How Much You Can Buy—and the Deadline for Returns
There's a limit of two of each item per shopper, and you only have seven days from your purchase date to return for a full refund (with your original receipt). After that seven-day period, items can be returned with or without a receipt for store credit at the value at which the item is currently selling. Accessories are not returnable, due to "hygiene reasons."
· Where to Get Your Alexander Wang x H&M Fix in the Bay Area [Racked]
· Alexander Wang x H&M: All the Items, Plus Pricing [Racked]