After much deliberation, we decided not to sport our Lanvin to the Lanvin H&M media preview at the AGO. I mean, we didn’t want to come off as snobby. We did decide, however, to sip champagne and skip around the racks of floral and hot pink dresses, play dress up and pretend to be carefree fashion muses from France. My name for the evening was Mireille. 

It’s true. Every time H&M announces a new collaboration, girls from Sweden to Japan to Canada go “OMGOMGOMG.” We look at the video, spread the love on Facebook and create a countdown clock in our style minds.  Come launch day, all notions of civility are lost in the name of affordable designer fashion. 

We have been known to give security guards a peep show as we strip down six feet from street entrance. We push fourteen year olds and their rude moms aside as we voraciously paw at the apparel. It becomes an utmost emergency to purchase four new dresses at once. VITE VITE! If all else fails, we will barter and beg with the enemy, or, um, fellow shoppers. “Oh hi Sally – um – GIMME THAT F*CKING THING!”

The plan was to meet at 8PM at the AGO entrance, it was a mission made for the Shedoesthecity Fashion A-team! (Minus Ivana….who regretfully had an exam. Poor Ivana.) 8:15 and twelve texts in, it was apparent that our uber eagerness to see the collection had pummeled our plan entirely. No one was where they were supposed to be. Following a  pleasant detour through the Italian family hallway and a needless ride up and down the elevator, we found one another and collectively congregated in front of the mannequins to oooh and ahhhh. But because Lanvin hails from Paris we oooh-la-la’d.

After a second glass of wine and a third figure eight, we decided to choose the item we each loved best – and since we all have completely different style, we weren’t concerned with fighting over the same hanger….’cause that can hurt.

Elli Stuhler wears high waisted pants with oversized hats, crop tops that expose her midriff and puffy pants that I would only wear hungover watching a W-network movie marathon in my basement. ALONE. She always looks incredibly trendy, but even more so whilst riding a bike. She chose the brown tutu-dress and tells us why, “Just because I failed at ballet as a kid, doesn’t mean I’m ready to let go of the tutu and this frothy delight really takes the cake.”

If the film Blow Up was a person who played with Russian Dolls, then that person might look like Caitlin Agnew. Despite being a daring dresser, Caitlin went for a more conservative piece, but her logic is sound, “At $99.90, it’s an incredibly reasonable price for a bold and fun take on my favourite look – the LBD.  With the collection’s trademark ruffles, the dress manages to give the designer-meets-street look without screaming “Lanvin for H&M.”  It will undoubtedly garner endless compliments from friends and admirers alike.”

Louisa Cohen enjoys meddling with the sexes, and feels like she has won when able to mix menswear into a sexy feminine look that will make his or her jaw smack the ground . Here she defends the tuxedo shirt, “I like the Lanvin for H&M Tuxedo Shirt as my favorite piece – I know its for the dudes but I would love to pair this with black pants, killer heals, soft feminine makeup and flowing hair.”

Although she may not, I would describe Haley Cullingham’s style as To Sir With Love meets Mr. Dressup, meaning she’d just as well hang with Casey and Finnigan as she would with a dashing young Sidney Poitier – grrrr.  So, what the hell does that mean? Costume detailing is important as is old school elegance. “There’s nothing more elegant than pulling off a pair of elbow-length gloves that were hiding under a jacket.” Says Haley. 

As for me? Although for the past sixteen months, I have been known to wear almost exclusively black and gray (I know, yawn, I suck) I felt magnetically drawn to the brightly coloured minidresses that resemble freshly cut flowers, but flowers that wanna hit the dance floor and have a good time. Flowers with an element of danger….catch my drift? Probably not. They are perfect for holiday parties but could carry through smashingly to springtime weddings. If I’m not being all leggy in a mini, I will throw on the red dress with playful crinoline and twirl my way through the night. 

La-la-la-la-l….anvin! Yes, the collection does feel whimsical and fun indeed. 

So come November 20th, you’ll have to wait behind us in line.  If you are nice, we’ll maybe share our coco – but DO NOT expect any favours when the door flies open. 

Oh, and I may or may not have a black belt in karate – HIYA!