Byline: Ailbhe Jordan
IN THE current climate you could be forgiven for thinking it was a dole queue. But it was quite the opposite.
There was little evidence of recession at Dundrum Shopping Centre yesterday morning, as shoppers who tag heuer replica had lined up in their hundreds, some for 12 hours overnight, bought every item of clothing in the H&M Jimmy Choo sale in 20 minutes flat.
The one-off fashion range by shoe emperor Jimmy Choo went on sale at 9am, with a wristband system to guarantee first comers were first served - and store manager Nekane Diez emerged at 9.20am to announce that all items other than shoes had been snapped up by the first 60 bargain-hunters through the door.
Fashionistas had queued from as early as 9pm on Friday but only the first 160 were given wristbands that guaranteed them first pick of the 800 pieces, which included shoes, bags, clothes and accessories.
Restaurants in the south Dublin mall opened as early as 6am to cater for peckish bargain hunters.
A cheer erupted as the shutters rose just after 9am and the first band of 20 shoppers were ushered in. From then, groups were admitted on a staggered basis according to the colour of their wristband, with each group getting just 10 minutes to complete their purchases. Customers had to surrender their wristbands as they left the store, lest they sneak back in. But the first few waves snapped up everything bar the shoes.
It was hardly surprising as shoppers emerged from the store with armfuls of merchandise in glossy purple bags bearing the Jimmy Choo logo. Prices ranged from [euro]59.90 for a sequinned tunic to replica breitling [euro]179.99 for leather sandals.
Twenty-three-year-old student Charmaine Wilson grabbed almost [euro]700 worth of clothing after travelling from Wexford with her mother, Margaret, the night before. She said: 'I just wanted a pair of shoes - I didn't mind which ones. I ended up with three pairs of shoes, a bag, a dress, a belt and a pair of earrings.' Best friends Avril Markey from Blanchardstown and Sam Kane from Dunshaughlin, Co. Meath, emerged from the store just before 9.30 looking happy but exhausted, having secured entry by queuing since 11pm on Friday night.
'We were in the first 20 and even then there wasn't even our sizes in some of the shoes,' Avril said.
'I bought shoes, boots, sandals, a top a scarf and some other accessories. It was a bit crazy but well worth it. My sister wanted a top but I looked after myself first. By the time I got back, her top was gone.' In a welcome reversal of recent consumer trends, several Northern shoppers trekked south as the range was not available in the North.
Downpatrick couple Leanne and Paul Nugent spent [euro]800 in 15 minutes after taking their place in the queue just after 9pm.
'We brought chairs and took turns waiting. I bought three bags, a dress, a matching necklace and bracelet and a pair of shoes,' Leanne said.
But the phenomenal demand was not necessarily the result of the first 'green shoots' in the economy.
Within hours of the sale, many of the coveted items were being auctioned on eBay - often at a considerable mark-up.
Several garments from the range were available for auction yesterday afternoon, with more being added by the minute. Some individuals were selling several items.
In some cases, greedy auctioneers were charging almost double
Other articles:
http://www.mylightweb.net/blog.php?user=mywatches¬e=98
http://www.18580.net/Blog/View/?25
http://www.beehiveforsyth.org/Do-they-know-its-Christmas.html
http://letsgetthisright.com/blog/view/id_886/title_perfect-fit-for-christmas;-adv/
http://www.simmentalusa.com/Jimmy-Choos-numb-Hannahs-pain.html
