Telfar shopping bags are famously in demand, making getting your hands on one a near to impossible task. But on Sunday evening every single colour and size was stocked at a pop-up for one night only.

As part of the chaos of New York Fashion Week, the pop-up took place in downtown Brooklyn at the American retail store Rainbow. Despite the rain, customers began queuing three hours before the store opened, creating a line-up that circled around the entire block. The crowd was far from just native New Yorkers, though, with people hailing from all over the country, including Pennsylvania and California, just to get their hands on their very own Bushwick Birkin. 

Amid the chaos, we sent out our resident street style photographer Yu Fujiwara to photograph the beauty and madness of the event. The images depict everything from the rows of umbrellas, to hosts of Telfar TV, including TikTok star Selyna Brillare – also known as @trapselyna. 

Elsewhere, other pics show Telfar fans screaming with pure joy after purchasing their bag, accessorised with their own waterproof bagging. Despite the five-bag limit, by the end of the event, there was still a long line of people who were not able to get in. However, for those who could not get their shopping bag, fear not. The label announced a restock of all the colours arriving online in the next few weeks.

Get to know the stans waiting in line to get their hands on a new bag below. 

TREASURE, @TREZZIE 20

What brought you out here today? 

The pop-up has all the colours and sizes, and I did not want to miss out on the opportunity because when they sell out online, they sell out real fast. 

How many do you have already?

I have this one, this one and this one only, but I want to have a collection because I’m a girly girl and I like collecting bags!

Which one are you hoping to get your hands on today? 

I want a small white and a small tan one. The one I really want is the white one. 

GABBY, RAKAYAH, & JHENESIS, @GABBYTHANDIWE, @PINKINTHECITI, & @JHENESISHINES_

How many bags are you planning to get today?

Gabby: I’m hoping to get one for myself and one for my friend. 

Rakayah: I’m planning to get two to three for myself. 

Jhenesis: I just want to get one for my mum. 

Which colours do you want?

Gabby: Either cream or azalea. But I was looking at the metallic colours and my friend wants the bubblegum pink.

Rakayah: Azalea, black, and also white.

Jhenesis: I’m looking at the medium tan, medium cream or the navy. 

What was the last meme you saved on your phone?

Rakayah: Mine was about the death of Queen Elizabeth. It was like boyfriend’s telling their girlfriend, I heard the queen is dead, are you okay?

Gabby: Oh my god, it was also about the Queen. It was like Irish, Indian, Kenyan, Nigerian, South African, and Caribbean twitter right now joining hands celebrating. 

Jhenesis: Honestly, my last meme was just a guy in New York standing in front of a car and the car was just honking at him for two minutes straight. 

TAYLOR, @TAYLOR.NDIAYE 20

Which bag are you hoping to get today?

I want a small one because I’ve worn this one out and I want a small going out bag, maybe. 

What is your favourite thing about Telfar?

I wrote an art history paper on Telfar because I’m obsessed with it. There’s this thing where it’s not for you, it’s for everyone, and I love that. 

BIBI, ZETA & NICOLE, @AMOEBUH, @YUNG_SISTA & @NICOLEMBIBI

Do you own any Telfar bags yet?

Bibi: Not yet. 

Zeta: Nope, not yet. 

Nicole: I have two, the medium white one and the small green. 

Which ones do you want?

Bibi: I just want to go in and see which one pops the most. I want something bright, so many a yellow or a blue or a pink. 

Zeta: I want the silver or chrome blue in medium. 

Nicole: I’m looking for either a yellow one or the painter’s blue one in large, and my friend wants a small chocolate one. 

Why do you love Telfar?

Bibi: I love the story it took to get to this point and all the energy behind the content that they are producing right now. I really like the way they present their products and the way they keep everyone involved, the whole Telfar community. 

Zeta: I love that it’s Black-owned and the vision behind it. I love the collaborations and I love those bags that you cannot get from other places. Marc Jacobs is not going to come out with a chrome blue bag or a stark silver bag, you know?

If you were to come back as a ghost what would you be wearing?

Bibi: It would be Telfar head to toe!

Zeta: Oh you have to stay in that forever! I have these bootleg flare camo pants that are lowrise with a bunch of pockets on them, for sure that with a black turtleneck crop, the Telfar one, and then probably a chunky black loather. 

DANTE, @DANTELARMONT 

How many Telfar bags do you have already?

Dante: The bubblegum pink! It was my favourite. I got it and I’m just here for my partner now. Picture the story: I was at work, a miserable, terrible day. I was like I shouldn’t check my phone, but I looked down at my phone at 12pm and was like ‘Oh my God’ bubblegum pink dropped again. I got my bag! Boom, it came. This is my first bag and I always wanted a Telfar. 

What brought you out here?

Dante: I really came here for my partner because he doesn’t have a bag yet. He really loves lime green. 

If you could describe your personal style as one animated film character who would it be?

Dante: My style is very Black. It’s all over the place. I’m a motherfucking faggot, I’m punk, I’m nerdy as fuck. It would be some type of anime character. I would be, I don’t know… I have a cute Yu Yu Hakusho shirt and it’s yellow as fuck. He’s doing his spirit gun and that’s my motherfucking style – fun. 

What do you love the most about Telfar?

Dante: I love that they’re Black. Really as a random ass bitch, I love their insistence on being first and foremost in terms of fashion and doing your thing. It started in Brooklyn and now they’re having a release at Rainbow!