All the H&M rage happening right now is centered on the upcoming Alexander Wang launch, Alexander Wang for H&M, which lands Nov. 6, so get a red Sharpie and draw a heart around that date in your calendar if you don't solely rely on your iPhone or Siri for reminders. But H&M's sister brand & Other Stories (&OS), previously available only in Europe or via its 2014-revealed Soho store in NYC, now has an online store for all U.S. customers. It's open for business and you can shop, no matter what your location. And while this is a much quieter launch than the aforementioned Wang x H&M range, it certainly has its own set of merits, like the fact that you don't have to wait nor do you have to don battle armor to nab pieces in a shopping frenzy.
Here is why you need to shop the Swedish brand, which sells accessories, jewelry, beauty items, candles, shoes, and bags, like, you know, most good retail shops.
There are tons and tons of options. &OS peddles goods and wares that are bit pricier than standard H&M items, but they are also of the classic variety and not nearly as trendy. H&M is the gold standard of fast fashion. & Other Stories is more edited and the items are more of the statement sort. It's the older sister that has established her style and chooses investment pieces over right now items.
Some of my fave pieces?
The top-handle black bag, because it can and will go with anything ($225).
The '50s housewife length leather skirt ($375), which takes a prim and proper silhouette and kicks it up on the sexy meter.
And the to-the-elbow leather gloves ($90)? Those are so classy.
They are all lady-like items. For a little edge, how about the Punk Bouquet body scrub? ($15).
Start shopping sooner than later, since the brand is offering both 20 percent off everything on site and free shipping through Oct. 31. The code is "FRIENDS." Thanks to WhoWhatWear for that tip.
Other European brands that have traveled to the, uh, New World and done well are obviously H&M, which originated in Sweden. Then there's Zara, which launched in Spain and is actually considered the most legit of the fast fashion retailers, getting items to market faster than anyone. Topshop crossed the pond from the U.K. and now has outposts in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and in some Nordstrom stores. When Topshop first got here, I was shaking and crying in a way that only the fashion obsessed can really comprehend. Boots, a U.K. beauty brand, is now sold at Target and delivers everything from lip gloss to makeup remover wipes to body butter.
Given those track records, I expect the & Other Stories online store to do well, since it reaches style mavens all over the U.S.
Images: & Other Stories
