It’s here! You no longer need to go all the way to Sylvia Park to get your H&M fix. The European superstore of fast fashion has opened its doors in Auckland’s CBD. The new store offers an enormous range of clothing and accessories for men, women, and children alike – plus a Home department.
Colin Mathura-Jeffree was spotted at the VIP opening last night – it’s New Zealand Fashion Week, so if he didn’t have anything better to do then this new flagship store must be a big deal.
The women’s fashion is affordable – we won’t explore why that is – and the clothing is on-trend. Florals for Spring, anyone? The adult’s clothing is spread out over three of the store’s four floors and is casually divided into trends. There’s an athletics-inspired section, a grungier section, workwear, ruffles – it’s a little bit of organised chaos, which is easy to get gleefully lost in.
The children’s section is garish and bright, because children have no taste, but the department includes some cute costumes – Mario, a unicorn, Princess Elsa (not advertised as such). The kids will love it, but their floor is at the top of the building, so watch them on those escalators.
The addition of the Home department excited many people hoping for a one-stop-shop for their entire home lives. It’s about twice the size of a Typo and contains much the same stock. However, H&M Home also has bedsheets, plates, and gold-coloured cutlery alongside your classic snake-shaped candlesticks and rose-gold wastepaper baskets.
Many of the staff have been transferred from the store’s Sylvia Park location, so they’ve got experience and know what to expect when the doors open. It’s a gigantic, slightly cheaper Glassons, and it’s a surefire hit.
Recommended transport is by foot, as there is no parking at or near the premises.
H&M/H&M Home opens today, 30th August, in its Commercial Bay location.
