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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Shoppers eager to Choo-se shoes | Shoppers eager to Choo-se shoes |
| (1 day later) | |
| By Phil Mackie BBC News, Birmingham | By Phil Mackie BBC News, Birmingham |
| Jimmy Choo shoes are a highly sought-after fashion item | Jimmy Choo shoes are a highly sought-after fashion item |
| High Street shop collaborations with celebrities - such as Kate Moss and Lily Allen - usually mean big business for both brands. | High Street shop collaborations with celebrities - such as Kate Moss and Lily Allen - usually mean big business for both brands. |
| With successful collections from designers Karl Lagerfeld and Stella McCartney having already flown off the H&M shelves, the Swedish clothing chain has now teamed up with renowned shoe creator Jimmy Choo. | With successful collections from designers Karl Lagerfeld and Stella McCartney having already flown off the H&M shelves, the Swedish clothing chain has now teamed up with renowned shoe creator Jimmy Choo. |
| When staff opened the doors to the Bull Ring shopping centre in Birmingham at 6am on Saturday, it was a welcome relief for the hundred or so die hard fashionistas who had been waiting outside throughout the night in driving wind and rain. | |
| The queue started at 9pm on Friday and when students Dee, 19 and Trishnan, 20, from Birmingham, arrived at 1am there were already 20 people ahead of them in the queue. | |
| "Loads of people were fighting to get in the queue and get in first," said Dee. "People were pushing in but no-one was letting them." | "Loads of people were fighting to get in the queue and get in first," said Dee. "People were pushing in but no-one was letting them." |
| Once inside the the building, burly security guards kept order, and staff from the store began organising a system to ensure that as many people as possible were able to buy a pair of the sought-after shoes. | Once inside the the building, burly security guards kept order, and staff from the store began organising a system to ensure that as many people as possible were able to buy a pair of the sought-after shoes. |
| When you look at the website of Jimmy Choo, these are all like similar designs but they're not £900 Dee and Trishnan, shoppers | When you look at the website of Jimmy Choo, these are all like similar designs but they're not £900 Dee and Trishnan, shoppers |
| Shopping times | Shopping times |
| Different coloured wristbands were handed out, and those in possession were given appointment times, when the would be allowed to return and pick up some footwear. | Different coloured wristbands were handed out, and those in possession were given appointment times, when the would be allowed to return and pick up some footwear. |
| "We've got the red wristband and we've been told to come back at 9.35am, and we get like ten minutes in there," said Dee. | "We've got the red wristband and we've been told to come back at 9.35am, and we get like ten minutes in there," said Dee. |
| "We're only allowed one item, so we can only get one pair of shoes each," added Trishnan. | "We're only allowed one item, so we can only get one pair of shoes each," added Trishnan. |
| By 8am the queue was snaking back to the entrance of the shopping centre. | By 8am the queue was snaking back to the entrance of the shopping centre. |
| Small groups of teenagers and well-dressed women were in the majority. | Small groups of teenagers and well-dressed women were in the majority. |
| But dotted along the length of the queue were glum-looking men, often on their own, looking incongruous in their jeans and anoraks, trying to get that must-have Christmas present for their wives or girlfriends. | But dotted along the length of the queue were glum-looking men, often on their own, looking incongruous in their jeans and anoraks, trying to get that must-have Christmas present for their wives or girlfriends. |
| After they'd been given their coveted red wristband, Dee and Trishnan took pictures on their phones of each other posing next to the Jimmy Choo window display. | After they'd been given their coveted red wristband, Dee and Trishnan took pictures on their phones of each other posing next to the Jimmy Choo window display. |
| Missing out | Missing out |
| The pair had each squirreled away £80 to buy a pair of shoes, and after a long, tiring night, were convinced the wait had been worth it. | The pair had each squirreled away £80 to buy a pair of shoes, and after a long, tiring night, were convinced the wait had been worth it. |
| These shoppers were queuing for their shoes in London's Regent Street | These shoppers were queuing for their shoes in London's Regent Street |
| "When you look at the website of Jimmy Choo, these are all like similar designs but they're not £900," they said. | "When you look at the website of Jimmy Choo, these are all like similar designs but they're not £900," they said. |
| But not everyone was so lucky. Another pair of friends had arrived from Leicester just after 7am, and were already too late to get a wristband. | But not everyone was so lucky. Another pair of friends had arrived from Leicester just after 7am, and were already too late to get a wristband. |
| Comforting each other over a couple of lattes, they said they were angry that they wouldn't be able to buy the shoes they wanted. | Comforting each other over a couple of lattes, they said they were angry that they wouldn't be able to buy the shoes they wanted. |
| What made it worse was that they are H&M employees, but their store hadn't been chosen to stock the special range. | What made it worse was that they are H&M employees, but their store hadn't been chosen to stock the special range. |