H&M KUALA LUMPUR GRAND OPENING: 20.09.2012

The wait is finally over. H&M has finally embraced Kuala Lumpur as the next stop in their high street fashion world domination conquest. The official opening for public is slated for tomorrow (Saturday, Sep 22^nd) at 11AM and last night they celebrated the occasion with a triumphant grand opening event.

The exterior of the store is tres impressive albeit predictable. We’ve seen a lot of store with roadside façade/ entrance in the city before but I dare say H&M is the first one to execute it right. The ultra-high glass wall fixture façade will allow a lot of natural light to come in it with metallic aluminum trimmings to give just the right amount of shine during daylight and the right combination of glow at night.  

The white-paneled perforated pleated facades that stretched out to the rear of the store remind us of the same design applied to the H&M Somerset store in Singapore (although the design was first initiated for the opening of H&M Seoul in 2010) – which is indeed very simple, modern and trendy; perhaps a perfect architectural reminder of what the Swedish brand H&M is all about.

As expected the women’s department took over almost two-third of the massive 3,340.5 sqm emporium. I waste no time and rush my self to the men’s floor at the top of the three-floor outlet; which also share its floor with children’s (newborn up to 14 year-old) & maternity wear.

Boy was I surprised upon entering the floor? Indeed I was. H&M Kuala Lumpur was generous enough to accommodate large floor space for the men’s department, which could only mean many good things ahead! (more style on display, more size, more color – more, more more!).

My most favorite department, children’s (for all the cute trendy little stuffs they have), shared almost the amount of space with the men’s, which is considerably big for an H&M store.

Based on humble observations I don’t think it’s too much too say the men’s and kid’s space is almost twice as big than the one where I usually go do my H&M shopping duty in Somerset Singapore.

I spent most of my three hours there at the children’s area (which was later proved to be a very regrettable decision) as the other department is packed with anxious first-timers like Yours Truly.

The pricing, as predicted, proved to be slightly cheaper than in Europe and Singapore. For years, I have been buying leggings, Hello Kitty costume jewelries and glittery ballet flats for my three little nieces from H&M store all around the world but the prices are all cheaper in KL now which means a great deal when I am traveling next time! (no more luggage space to provide for family souvenirs from H&M!)

Another highlight from last night was the atmosphere of the event. I can not remember the last time I met so many friends, former colleagues, acquaintances (especially the one I have not met for the longest of times) – all under one roof, partying and; SHOPPING! Bumping into one friend on the ground floor, then another on the escalator way up, another one in the fitting room, another one rubbing shoulders whilst trying to get out of the packed crowd at the accessories area and even while queuing at the till for payment! It was quite surreal for me really. Everyone are all jolly and seem to be having the time of their lives shopping (with free-flow of what seems like a thousand bottles of Moet who can resist not being happy, anyway?)

After a few rounds of going up and down the escalators, my friends and I exited the store at around 10pm. The place was still loaded and happening at the time we left (I can only imagine the misery their retail staffs had to go through doing ‘closing’ late at night but supposedly the good sales on their first day of operation will somehow cheer them up J)

H&M Lot 10 Kuala Lumpur will officially open at 11am tomorrow (Saturday, September 22^nd). The first customer will receive RM500 gift card; the 2^nd-5^th will receive RM200 gift card each and the next 300 customers will each receive RM50 gift card. Pretty generous, right? 

For more information on their opening tomorrow you can check out local H&M website here. 

(there’s no online shopping service in the website but there’s a lot of helpful catalog with MYR prices to guide you through your shopping tomorrow)

Postscriptum: What’s inside the gift bag last night was H&M Passport Cover in beautiful tangerine color and a cute imperial-crown-shaped luggage tag from the Anna dello Russo for H&M collection! What a way to end the night. 

Thank you H&M for extending us an invite and for a very fun & memorable night!

Written by Arman
twitter:@malaychic