H&M Opens on Lincoln Road With Flo Rida, Chace Crawford, and Lots of Miami Love

Photos by Christine Borges

Having a building as historic as the Lincoln Theatre, originally opened in 1936, transformed into a shopping destination can be a bit jarring at first. As we stepped foot within the massive space last night for the private opening of H&M's flagship in South Beach, we wondered: Would anything remain the same?

Promises of Rumer Willis, Mia Moretti, Matthew Morrison (hello, Gleeks!) and a performance by Flo Rida made for an eclectic group of attendees, too. And with pop ins from some of Miami media's elite, Chace Crawford, The Real Housewives of Miami, the 50+ set, bloggers, and hangers-on, we hoped someone would actually buy something.

This wasn't like the private opening for the H&M pop-up shop last summer. We could actually buy things this time. And with overeager sales associates (one available every few feet!), we totally would've dedicated some real time to shopping -- if the music wasn't blaring so loudly.

The soiree began around 8pm, and this clearly wasn't dress code enforced. Middle-aged women walked in rocking flip flops and jeans with tiny pups in their carry-all bags, while others decided this was an all ages event, opting to bring their under-10 children to a cocktail party with free-flowing booze.

Adorable cater waiters decked out in white button downs, red bow ties and black slacks (we have a hunch they were actually models) strutted their stuff, serving Champagne, sushi, and some extremely sweet concoction of raspberry vodka, Chambord, and syrup (what a kick).

The later it got, the more amped up everyone's attire got, though, as we even spotted someone paying homage to that famous Britney Spears costume she wore to the VMAS (rhinestones on a nude dress, anyone?), as well as a woman full-on decked out like she walked off of the set of Clueless circa 1995. (She was really the spitting image of Dionne, with a plaid mini dress, braided buns, over the knee socks and chunky heels.)