Last night I braved the awful weather in Barcelona to attend the exclusive opening party for & Other Stories, the new store/brand to come out of the H&M dream factory. Despite the rain and cold wind, the fashionable people in Barcelona showed up to celebrate the designs and beauty products offered by the new brand to storm the retail front. Scroll down for pictures and my review of the entire experience.
To me, & Other Stories seems like a candy store for devoted followers of fashion. In terms of the Spanish market, many items would probably puzzle shoppers used to less riskier brands such as Zara or Mango, but if they are looking for the Scandinavian desing of COS, paired with the quirkyness of H&M’s most adventurous styles, then & Other Stories could be a lot of fun.
Things get even more exciting when it comes to their accessories collection. There is no room for boredom. Extremely covetable with shapes and colours that are unavoidably eye catching at times, in loud and vibrant shades, and on the other side of the spectrum, items that favour minimalistic lines. As I walked out of the underground floor dedicated solely to shoes, bags, shades and other tit bits, I couldn’t help but think to myself “well played, Stories, well played”.
I may have fallen for the burgundy/shiny pair above, and I may have or may have not bought them already
It was a fun event: great music, cool atmosphere, canapés and bubbles galore. The layout of the store meant there was space for a lot of people, waiters, photographers and shoppers.
The beauty section had me quite intrigued. I loved the packaging, very simple, effective and the colours in the nail bar were extremely attractive. I was gifted with the Moroccan Tea Body Mist, light and fresh, perfect for summer. I used it this morning, right after my shower, and, at almost 4pm, it’s still present, in a soft, subtle way.
My verdict on the brand? Honestly, I’m excited. It could be because I live in Spain, surrounded by the Inditex empire and quite fancied something different. The medium to high price tags – below COS but more expensive than H&M – may be a drawback, but it is an entire different shopping experience. The staff made sure we were treated superbly, but it remains to be seen whether they will always be as helpful. I couldn’t have had more fun at the shoe section, the girl giving me a hand was also dedicating herself to please several other customers around me, never ceasing to smile. The shoes are nicely packaged and they seem to be of good quality. The cosmetics appear to be more affordably priced. With regards to the clothing, again, I think time will tell whether & Other Stories manages to please initial customers and create a following like that of sister brand COS. Quality needs to exists with these higher prices.
Oh yes… I bought the shoes. It was a strong tie between these and their siblings in black, but I went for these burgundy beauties. The more I look at them, the more I like them. What do you think?
Is there an & Other Stories where you are? Or will you be shopping online? Do you think this could be a brand for you?
Pictures: Fashion Limbo
PS. Thanks to Santiago Asensio and the team behind Area CG for inviting me to the event xx
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