So Hennes and Mauritz opened their store "& Other Stories" last week, after their string of other successful stores like H&M and Cos, I was pretty excited to see what "& Other Stories" would be like. It was amazing, it was the balance between H&M and Cos, the aesthetics of Cos but with lower price points and a slightly younger more adventurous feel. It was the shop where the girl wants to grow up to be a Whistles and Cos woman but is still having a lot of fun with fashion and the main factor, they can afford it!
There was a minimalist urban white feel with hints of wood and natural lighting. The collection was rather large compared to what I thought it would be, there was so much, I didn't know where to start and I could feel myself falling in love with each piece. The huge array of clothes consisted of leather and mesh grunge pieces, structural satin jackets, cocoon like dresses the list goes on. Something for pretty much everyone.
Picture taken from Marie Claire
Towards the back of the ground floor was the make up and beauty area, filled with body lotions and powder, "& Other Stories" was a lifestyle that I wanted to be part of, effortlessly chic and chilled is what I felt. I could see the brand taking form and I could also see myself being sucked into it all, wanting to become a part of that world as lame as it sounds.
As I trapsed upstairs the collection continued with the addition of lingerie and a devine shoe area. I have a shoe addiction to say the least and they definitely excelled in this area. Their shoes were definitely inspired by designers such as Nicholas Kirkwood, Acne and Celine. Every 20 somethings dream!
However the price points were a little odd, I bought myself an organic cotton/jersey dress for a mere £29 yet a simple ring was £19. Bags ranged between £19 to £95 for a pretty simple design, although the higher prices were made of leather but I didn't feel they were justifiable against other pieces in the collection. It won't stop me from shopping here in the future, I will definitely be buying many more pieces on pay day. Although I do question that the launch of this new store/brand will put Cos in jeopardy due to the ridiculously good price points which are very relatable to Topshop. I can see this being Topshops and Zaras real competition on the high street.
Worth the hype? Most definitely.
My Top 10 Buys.
Camisole £35 Clutch £19 Shirt £39 Dress £45 Shoes £79
Dress £29 Skirt £45 Trouser £195 Sunglasses £17 Ring £12
