Karl Lagerfeld for H&M

[andrewcbho]

Did anyone get a chance to see the merchandise? What do you think of this pairing?

 

[ernest]

Did anyone get a chance to see the merchandise? What do you think of this pairing?

My girlfriend did not even manage to come in in the shop because of the crowd.

Some girls were fighting for pants and several fainted in the shop.

Hundreds of people were waiting out of the shop to be allowed to enter.

When my girlfiriend came in 2 hours after the opening (which was postponed of 30 min) there were nothing to buy anymore...

Increadible for such poor clothes at retail price.

 

[BjornH]

There was a feeding frenzy in the downtown store we walked into. All his items were beeing snatched up and many girls in the cashier's queue were carrying 2-3 identical dresses. Madness...

 

[chorse123]

Yeah, sounds nuts to me. "It looks like rugby without the rules" http://www.nytimes.com/2004....n&8hpib

 

[amirrorcrackd]

It's designed by Lagerfeld, but is it the same crap that H&M is so adept at producing?

Dan

 

[Valmont]

People here are mad, mad I tell you it was a disgrace seeing how grown women and 14 year old little brats were all acting alike.

Any marketing professor would tell you that Lagerfeld is effectively killing his brand equity by abandoning the high end niche and being asscociated with low cost retail but seeing how people were acting on the launch of H&M by Lagerfeld I'd say that there is a whole new market out there and loads of money to be made. Wouldn't be surprised if GAP by Christian Dior and ZARA by Miuccia Prada will be the next in line...

 

[jasonpraxis]

Any marketing professor would tell you that Lagerfeld is effectively killing his brand equity by abandoning the high end niche and being asscociated with low cost retail but seeing how people were acting on the launch of H&M by Lagerfeld I'd say that there is a whole new market out there and loads of money to be made. Wouldn't be surprised if GAP by Christian Dior and ZARA by Miuccia Prada will be the next in line...

Funny, I was just thinking about that. Yet the line was (until its phenomenal success) a limited run, one-time-only event. By giving the clothes a sense of exclusivity, even though it isn't the same exclusivity as one has when wearing a Chanel dress, Lagerfeld made an gesture toward maintaining the value of his brand. And what conspicuous consumer can resist the allure of limited edition Lagerfeld?

Caveat emptor and all that.

 

[DSKent]

People here are mad, mad I tell you it was a disgrace seeing how grown women and 14 year old little brats were all acting alike.

Any marketing professor would tell you that Lagerfeld is effectively killing his brand equity by abandoning the high end niche and being asscociated with low cost retail but seeing how people were acting on the launch of H&M by Lagerfeld I'd say that there is a whole new market out there and loads of money to be made. Wouldn't be surprised if GAP by Christian Dior and ZARA by Miuccia Prada will be the next in line...

While I don't completely disagree, I don't necessarily feel that he is killing his brand equity, for several reasons.  First, it's a completely different demographic being targeted.  When the twentysomethings buying Lagerfeld/H&M pieces grow up, Lagerfeld will have better name recognition among people who can actually afford to buy from him.  I know, that at least at some stores in the states (which are in upscale locations, like Georgetown in DC), many of the younger women I know who shop at H&M will probably be sporting Chanel suits - or at least bags and shoes - in a few years.

Armani Exchange hasn't killed Giorgio's ability to effectively sell higher-end clothes, despite the comments made by many here about their quality.  Gap doesn't target the same urban/hip/inexpensive chic demographic as H&M, and my experience with Zara is limited.  But in either case, I could hardly see the late Mr. Dior doing much of anything these days.

 

[ernest]

People here are mad, mad I tell you it was a disgrace seeing how grown women and 14 year old little brats were all acting alike.

Any marketing professor would tell you that Lagerfeld is effectively killing his brand equity by abandoning the high end niche and being asscociated with low cost retail but seeing how people were acting on the launch of H&M by Lagerfeld I'd say that there is a whole new market out there and loads of money to be made. Wouldn't be surprised if GAP by Christian Dior and ZARA by Miuccia Prada will be the next in line...

KL is not stupid, these are limited items...