Tomorrow will be a massive treasure hunt for bargain-loving shoe hounds — the much-hyped Jimmy Choo for H&M collection, which includes footwear, apparel, and handbags, hits 200 H&M stores worldwide tomorrow. As you can see from the styles pictured here, the footwear styles in the collection feature the detailed craftsmanship and elegant femininity we associate with Jimmy Choo while also boasting the youthful, trendy spirit of H&M fashions. I love the rocker feel of the metallic blue shoes at top, with their intricate, angular cut-outs and stiletto-meets-ankle-boot silhouette, and the slightly harder-edged of the studded black leather sandals pictured second from top. And, of course, the rest of the shoes in the collection also channel this edginess with plenty of studs, animal prints (as with the zebra print sandals below), grommets, and jewel embellishments. Though the collection also includes apparel and handbags, the shoes are definitely the highlight — which is no surprise, given that Choo is a footwear master.
But here's the catch, my friends: though they're priced moderately by Jimmy Choo standards, these shoes cost an exorbitant amount in the eyes of the average H&M consumer. The metallic blue shoes pictured at top, for example, retail for $129, while the knee-high boots pictured below cost $300. I am jonesin' over a few of these styles (particularly the blue shoes), but I don't know that I'd be willing to pay that much for any item coming out of an H&M store. For me, H&M is like the Ikea of fashion retailers: you'll occasionally find something that's right on trend but, if you fiddle with it too much, it's bound to fall apart. Paying $300 for a pair of shoes that could possibly fall apart after a few wears (or leave blisters and cuts on my feet) is just not an option. I wish I knew that these are high quality shoes but there's really no telling until you've walked in them for yourself. So, for me, it's just too big a risk. Were they priced at $50 and $60, we might be in business, but once you hit $100, the stakes are too high. Plus, when I picture the crowds and the bully shoppers who are bound to be present at the launch, I just want to roll over and take a nap.
I think I'll be passing on this one but, if you like what you see and you're brave enough to face the crowds, hit H&M tomorrow and slip those feet into some Choos!
I will say I bought a pair of shoes from the Victor & Rolf collection, H&M’s best I believe, and I wore them like a a chickenhead wears her feathers so even after all the wear and tear the did last at least a year. So not perfect but worth the $80 I spent on them. Those blue pumps are much!