Hundreds of shoppers in Spain braved chilly weather to
queue outside shops in their underwear on the first day of the
winter sales Friday to take advantage of an offer of free
clothes.
"Come in your underwear and get a free outfit", so declared an
offer by Spanish-based clothing retailer Desigual for the first 100
people to enter each of their stores in cities around the country
-- Barcelona in the northeast, San Sebastian in the north and
Marbella in the south.
In the capital Madrid, which launched its winter sales early,
dozens of barely brave shoppers also did the same thing on
Sunday.
The lucky ones were entitled to a top item of clothing, for
example a blouse or T-shirt, and one bottom item, such as a pair of
trousers or a skirt.
Spain is struggling to emerge from an economic crisis with
unemployment at almost 20 percent, the highest in the European
Union.