Las Vegas Weekly

H&M’s Vegas takeover ready to begin

Behind the shining walls: H&M reveals the space formerly known as FAO Schwarz December 11. Trojan horse, not included.

Photo: Justin M. Bowen

The largest H&M store in the world is scheduled to open December 11 on the Strip, just in time to nab affordable gifts this holiday season. Let’s run that by you one more time: Largest. H&M. In. The. World.

Photo: H&M

Pretty pennies: A look from the couture line of Lanvin's H&M collaboration, which sold at a recent UNICEF-benefit auction for $1,105.

The Swedish clothing retailer will open the doors to its third local branch (there are already stores at Town Square and the Miracle Mile Shops) in the former FAO Schwarz location at the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. Spanning three levels and 55,000 square feet, the store will house women’s, men’s and children’s clothing, shoes and accessories, and lots of them. The iconic FAO Schwarz location closed January 23 after the store let its lease expire at the mall at the end of January. The toy store had occupied the space, along with its famous Trojan horse, since 1997.

The H&M Forum Shops location was picked to be one of a handful of U.S. stores to carry a limited edition line of clothing from luxury brand Lanvin when it was released last month, scheduled to correspond with the store’s original opening date, which was postponed for unknown reasons. While the line quickly sold out in other U.S. stores, the new Forum Shops H&M will be the last location in the world to carry the line when it’s released at an invite-only shopping event Friday night.

H&M started carrying affordable collections by luxury retailers in 2005 with eco-friendly designer Stella McCartney. The store has since carried lines from fashion greats like Karl Lagerfeld, Roberto Cavalli, Viktor & Rolf, Comme des Garcons and Sonia Rykiel. All of the lines sold out within hours of their release, and the Lanvin line at the new Forum Shops store is expected to be no different.