H&M

Yesterday I got the chance to head to H&M for a spot of shopping. The weather was pretty yucky so I was hoping the queue to get in wouldn't be too long. Luckily it only took about ten minutes of waiting in line before I took my first steps into what seemed like every girl's paradise. 

In my opinion, H&M has so much appeal because of the space they've chosen to set up in. The GPO building is an amazing location but even more appealing is the impeccable visual merchandising inside. This is the first shop I've seen that looks like an interior designer has swept through the building and worked their magic. I could try and explain it, but instead I'll let some of these photos I took do the talking. My favourite thing about the shop (other than the incredibly cheap prices) was the set of mannequins at the front. Taking a photo with them was obligatory as they're the first thing you see when you walk in and the thing you remember most when you walk out. Lighting was also one of the store's key features. Bright lights set the mood and make it much easier to peruse items. The array of mirrors everywhere was another bonus for me as I managed to avoid the massive queue for the change rooms. 

All in all, H&M Melbourne lives up to the hype surrounding it. Despite wanting to go more for the experience and to snap some great pics, I managed to pick up a pair of ankle strap boots for just $50. There's a huge variety of clothes and accessories at prices for every girl and, although I've always been much more of a Topshop and Zara girl, the opening of H&M in Australia has evidently been enough to convert me! 

Free People jacket (old) | Zara top | AG Adriano Goldschmied jeans | Forever New bag

H&M Opens In Melbourne

Swedish fashion giant H&M opened its very first store on Australian shores two days ago! The major international fashion chain follows in the footsteps of Zara and Topshop and the hype surrounding its opening is even bigger than that of its predecessors. H&M has taken over the entire GPO building in Melbourne. That's 5,000 square metres and three levels dedicated to men's, women's and children's fashion alone! Oh and it also has a homewares section!

On the day of its opening, eager shoppers had camped overnight and some had arrived at the crack of dawn to be amongst the first to set foot inside. Over 3,000 people queued on Friday morning to shop at H&M!

As luck has it, I'm currently in Melbourne for a very important diving competition. We finish on Thursday afternoon but don't fly back to Sydney until Friday morning. So guess where I'll be heading to afterwards?! I'm hoping the queue for H&M won't be too long, but I'm not going to lie, I don't mind having to wait if there's going to be some quality shopping at the end of the rainbow. I'm fairly confident H&M will deliver but I'll be happy just to get a look at Australia's newest fashion palace. Apparently H&M is set to open up a Sydney store by the end of the month, but I doubt it will be as amazing as Melbourne's. Fingers crossed it's not too busy on Thursday!

The massive queue for H&M at the opening on Friday

Images via Herald Sun & The Age