Shoppers queue up for low-cost offering from French designer

H&M logo

SAN FRANCISCO – The latest collaboration between a high-fashion designer and a low-price retailer has produced long lines at H&M stores around the world, while online shoppers complained they couldn’t get on the chain’s website before most items from its new Balmain collection were sold out.

Shoppers waited for hours outside H&M stores in London, Sydney and San Francisco on Thursday, as the chain began selling items from its collaboration with Balmain, a French fashion house.

By midday Pacific Time, the chain’s website showed all but a few items from the collection were sold out. Shoppers vented on social media, and a Twitter account for H&M stores in the United Kingdom offered apologies.

H&M representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.