Video by Jessica Leibowitz
A man sighs while hovering over a long white table inside 83 Wooster Street. His credit card purchase of $1,115 worth of Kanye West apparel has just been rejected (for a second time). His companion is on her phone speaking in emphatically hushed tones. The cashier is gritting her teeth and pacing a bit in place, avoiding the stacks of limited edition hoodies and coach jackets and erotic zine covers in front of her.
Although there are only about 30 or so people in the entire room at the moment, there is immense pressure to complete the purchase and move on. After all, there are over 700 more people standing on line outside waiting to get in, hoping-against-hope that they didn't just waste three hours of their lives sulking fashionably on the sidewalk. Then again, who could resist the lure of the most exclusive line in NYC?
