I never thought this day would come when I’d purchase a real designer dress. But it has, and oh boy, what a day it was. Somewhere in late 2019, H&M decided to collaborate with couture designer, Giambattista Valli. Determined and woven, I decided to go to the world launch day, which took place in Tel Aviv. I had a feeling I couldn’t purchase the expensive items of the collection, especially not the flagship item that Kendall Jenner Wore, but I went anyway. A long line of excited girls waited for me at the entrance of the store and very precise instructions from the employees were repeated aloud. We only had ten minutes each to grab whatever we can carry.
When my turn had finally arrived, nothing was left in the store. Devastated, I decided to check the dressing rooms, thinking maybe someone would give up an item that didn’t match her size. Voices of arguments were heard loudly in the background as two girls pushed each other and fought over an extravagant Valli coat. For a minute there, a famous scene came to my mind and I felt as I was standing in the middle of the sample sale happening in the “Confession of a Shopaholic” movie. Two girls desperate, one item being fought for.
With that in mind, after a few minutes, one of the staff excitedly shouted out who wanted “The red dress” and I jumped ahead to grab it. To my amazement, it was the coveted red dress and not only that it was in my size! Grateful to the universe, I went to try it on, and I managed to win it over without much of a fight. Confessions of a shopaholic’s success!
As expected, it was perfectly fitted to my body. The fabric felt amazing and the red layers were heavenly soft. Looking at the mirror, I beamed with excitement and pride as if I met an actress standing at the Met Gala.
Giambattista Valli is widely known for his “larger than life” dresses. His expertise in ruffles has made celebrities such as Sofia Carson, Kendal Jenner, and Ariana Grande wear his creations. The collection with H&M has made his Haute Coture Fashion accessible to all, even to us. And so this long-awaited collection has finally arrived in the small country of Israel, and I knew that I shouldn’t miss it.
Going back to the story, although my conscience told me that the dress was too expensive, I followed my heart and bought the dress while the other girls in the store looked at me in amazement. Rocky’s victory song echoed through my mind as I walked out of the store proudly. My luck grew, even more, when I found out I had a place to wear the spectacular dress – to my twin sister’s wedding. Matched with the kiss belt of Valli and green jewelry to compliment the color, I experienced the night of my dreams.
It was an unforgettable experience both because of the special dress and because it was the first wedding in the family.
