/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61197705/racked_placeholder.4.0.1421600868.0.jpg)
Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.
After standing in line for two hours this morning waiting for the release of Karl, the collection Karl Lagerfeld designed for Net-a-Porter, we were startled to discover when the doors finally opened at 10:45am that there were no clothes in the store. Turns out this was a virtual pop-up only.
The storefront at 375 Bleecker was covered with a black curtain when we arrived early this morning. At 10:30am, the first 50 people in line received a canvas tote with either a pair of Karl's signature fingerless gloves or a faux leather collar from the new collection. (OK, not so bad for having waited so long.) At approximately 10:35am, two male models appeared on either side of the shop. In conjunction with the unveiling of the cube in Paris by Mr. Lagerfeld himself, they whisked off the curtain, revealing a window displaying the collection.
Friendly and excited Net-a-Porter staffers armed with iPads were on hand to help us understand what would happen next. When you point an iPad at the window, the application becomes live, allowing you a chance to win anything from the collection. If you've downloaded the Karl app on your iPhone, all you need to do is point it at the window and you too have a chance to win. Once inside, you're welcome to a hot beverage and more chances to win pieces from the collection, again by using your Apple device of choice.
There will, however, be a real pop-up shop at the same location on Friday, giving you a chance to shop the collection in person. If you can't wait that long, you can shop the complete collection on Net-A-Porter's website. Net-a-Porter offers free shipping and returns in the U.S., so even if you don't love the pieces you ordered, sending them back is as easy as taping up a box. We'd say that's a win-win situation for everyone.—Pam Krywy
· Here's Where to Shop Karl Lagerfeld's New Line Tomorrow [Racked NY]
· 24 Hours Until Karl Lagerfeld's KARL Line Launches [Racked National]
· Karl [Net-a-Porter]