Hundreds of people had gathered in a snaking queue outside the Louis Vuitton outlet at Ion Orchard by about 7am yesterday.
Each hoped to get his hands on a ballot number that would allow him to snag pieces from the luxury brand's limited-edition collaboration with New York-based streetwear label Supreme, which enjoys a cult-like popularity, largely due to its association with popular skateboarders such as Mark Gonzales and Sean Pablo.
The collection includes items such as leather backpacks, denim jackets and iPhone cases, most of which are branded in Supreme's signature red hue or Louis Vuitton's monogram print. While Louis Vuitton declined to reveal prices, streetwear website Highsnobiety said the Christopher Backpack in red or black Epi Leather is estimated to cost US$4,350 (S$5,985).
The items go on sale at the brand's Ion Orchard boutique at 10.30am today. The ballot numbers were auto-generated randomly by Louis Vuitton staff on an iPad and given out from 7am yesterday. Only those who landed numbers between 1 and 350 - each number representing the order in which one can enter the shop - received a ticket to shop.
Non-ticket holders will get access to the collaboration only after those with tickets have had their pick. It is understood that the one-time balloting system is for crowd-control purposes.
The first person in line, Mr Muhammad Syahir Mohamad Tahir, 17, did not get a ticket as his ballot number was 630. He started queueing at 6pm on Wednesday.
"I am going to go home now," he says, looking disappointed.
Ms H.L Goh, 32, who works in a public relations agency, clinched a ticket with a ballot number of 123. She started queueing at 10pm on Wednesday with her husband.
People who want to shop for non-collaboration items at Louis Vuitton can enter the store via a separate entrance.
A check at 10am yesterday found that a few people had already gone to online marketplace Carousell to offer to buy collaboration items for others for a fee.
Apart from Singapore, the Louis Vuitton x Supreme collection is also available in selected cities worldwide, including Sydney, Seoul and Miami.
