Bargain hunters brought mayhem to town centres after exclusive fashion label Balmain launched a limited cut-price range at high street store H&M.
Fights broke out and police had to be called to some branches on the first day of sales for the normally highly expensive French fashion house's range.
![People enter H&M in Florence, Italy. Photo / Getty Images](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/XZDGCXG3XEK6GJKMI2W5Q53SLM.jpg?auth=72ffbac797c946a646195d041f3d978198591705b685eb16ad1582fe201d85e1&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
What should have been a coup for Swedish retailer H&M turned ugly as shoppers, some of whom had lined up overnight, lost patience with the queues and tried to push their way into outlets.
Some lucky shoppers managed to buy a much-coveted item by the label - which has been made popular by celebrities such as US reality TV stars the Kardashians - caused further chaos by auctioning off their purchases to the highest bidder on the pavements outside. Others later sold their buys on eBay for far higher than the original price.