by DYS — Wednesday, May 27th, 2009 at 9:56 am
in Apparel, Handbags, Shopping and tagged with Botkier, Rebecca Minkoff, Sampe Sale
The thing that I love about this city and the one that I would dearly miss, if I ever have to move out from the Big Apple, is the Sample Sale Season! Besides the growing number of online sample websites (gilt, ruelala, hautelook, ideeli, billiondollarbabes, etc) and outlet stores, nothing would ever beat the excitement of the traditional sample sales, where you could actually touch, see, or try the items and having that “adrenaline rush” of scoring great deals.
Sample sales normally occurs whenever designers/ labels/ stores are trying to get rid of their unsold or imperfect collections from past seasons, and to make room for new arrival. In this recession time, some designers and stores keep on having sample sales until they ran out of stuffs, just to keep the cash flowing. Meanwhile, others would keep their sample sales as scheduled, usually twice or three times a year. In the end of spring till Memorial Day weekend, end of summer until Labor Day weekend and especially around the end of the year, starting from before Thanksgiving Holiday on Black Friday, until after New Year.
Dailycandy, Thrillist, Madison Avenue Spy and Fashionista, are few of the many websites, who always keep me updated with any sample sales around New York. Dailycandy also provides sample sales updates around the US. If you happen to be in New York and around the Fashion District on 7th Avenue and 39th Street, there’s this stand called the “Fashion Center Info Kiosk” . The kiosk with a giant button and needle on its roof could provide you with the schedule of all the sample sales around the city during your visit in New York.
Designer sample sales could run for one day to 3-4 days or more, depending on each designers, with all items marked down 50% – 70% off their original retail prices.
There are a wide variety of sample sales around New York from:
-designers: local and international designers, just to name a few from Jimmy Choo, Louboutin, Diane Von Furstenberg, Hermes, Herve Leger, Abaete, Theory, Kate Spade, Orla Kierly, to new designers like Tory Burch, Mike & Chris, Rebecca Minkoff, Botkier, Kooba, Be&D, Loeffer Randal, Bulga, Foley + Corinna, Charlotte Ronson, LaRok, etc.
Some of the many sample sale flyers *click on thumbnails, images courtesy of DVF, Mackage, Mike&Chris, Cynthia Vincent, Kate Spade, Betsey Johnson, Mulberry
- stores : Barneys, Atrium, French Connection, Anthropologie, Opening Ceremony, Showroom Seven, etc.
Opening Ceremony sample sale, image courtesy of Opening Ceremony *click on thumbnail
- beauty : L’Oréal warehouse sample sale is one of the most sought-after where Kiehl’s, designer parfums, makeup, any beauty merchandises are marked down to almost 80% from their original prices. The lines to get into this sample sale is usually very very long, and this year they’ve moved their sample sale event into a bigger venue. There may be many more beauty sample sales which I’m not aware of, I’m sure FD’s beauty experts who live in the States are well aware about them.
L’Oréal Warehouse Sample Sales*click on thumbnails, images courtesy of L’Oréal, forwarded from friends and coworkers
- shopping events : Lucky Shop, Gen Art, Billion Dollar Babes, Charitable Fashion Sales, etc.
Fashion for Action Sample Sale, image courtesy of Housing Works *click on thumbnail
- private sample sales : sample sale invitations for friends and family, which you would be able to get easily from all the forwarded email blast, text messages, or twitter status from your friends and coworkers, -OR- the very exclusive ones mainly reserved only for magazine editors and specific clients. Although in these days, some private sales are usually ended up for public as well.
Some private sample sales *click on thumbnails, images courtesy of Gucci, Chloé, Chanel, forwarded from friends and coworkers
MAC for friends and family, image courtesy of MAC *click on thumbnail
- interior & home products, electronics, warehouse sales, and many many more.
Furniture sample sale *click on thumbnail, image courtesy of the New York Design Center
Jimmy Choo and Christian Louboutin just had their sample sales in New York, at the end of April. The Hermès sample sales in March 09 was the talk of the town, where everything was flying off the rack. Talking about global recession! I would pretty much be broke if I have to go to all sample sales around the city. Last year, I wanted to go to the Mike & Chris sample sale but ended up to another designer sample sale. Everything was sold at $20-$50, I bought a couple of tops and dresses without even knowing the label itself. When I went home and googled the name of the designer, Cynthia Vincent, it turns out she’s selling her collection at Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus for $300 and more! What a great deal!
Hermès Sample Sale First Look in New York *click on thumbnails and links, photos courtesy of stylerumor.com
The only sample sales I managed to go this season are the Rebecca Minkoff (RM) and Botkier sample sales which unfortunately happened in the same week. Seeing piles of those handbags in every colors at 50%-70% off their original prices, waving back at you as if they’re calling your name, who could ever resist? The line to the cashier was pretty long, everyone was holding more than 2 bags in their hands. Strangers become friends seeking for shopping advices or they could be your worst enemies if they’re holding the item(s) you’ve been eyeing for =D
Botkier and Rebecca Minkoff Sample Sales *click on thumbnails, courtesy of Botkier and Rebecca Minkoff
At the RM sample sale, the designer herself was at the cashier. She was actually checking out my purchases but I wasn’t sure that she was the one until I googled her the next day. Handbags and accessories at the RM sample sale were at a price range from $ 20 to $ 350 max. The Morning After bags were $ 325-$350, damaged bags *with minimal flaws honestly* were priced at $100. Botkier bags were sold between $ 150 – $ 275. On the very last days, usually the prices would be lowered even more just to get rid of the samples.
Rebecca Minkoff, the designer herself *the one wearing floral racerback dress*, at the check out
At the Rebecca Minkoff sample sale, *click on thumbnails
Last day at the Botkier sample sale, *click on thumbnail
This week, the sample sale marathon is still going strong, especially in this Memorial Day long weekend. I know some friends who are hunting for great deals around the city ( I heard Tory Burch will be having a sample sale at the end of this week), or even going to Woodbury common outlets for designer deals. While myself, I’d rather chill out at my friend’s backyard and having BBQ *if only money could fall from the sky ;p
Sources and images courtesy of: ZA, MS, thepurseforum, bagsnob, bagbliss, dailycandy, fashionista, nitrolicious, fashioncenter.com
Blog: Sample Sale Marathon http://bit.ly/2jd3c
Sample Sale Marathon | Indonesian Fashion Spot! http://bit.ly/8n1UJ
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alright, bro, i can effort that you are tongued from courageousness, and i recognize you can do it outdo in forthcoming. And this is my page, you can just have a look, discounted tory burch sandals…
DYS, I wish i was there….how i miss sample sale…
am a sample sale sucker. too bad not too many happening on in Boston.
apalagi di atlanta, gak ada sample sale samsek
DYS, baca cerita sample sale ini sukses bikin gw jadi ngidam panadol!!
waaaahhhhhhh, mupeng berat deh liatnya…
blog hari ini…sukses bikin sesek napas.. :Crybaby:
Di indo knp yah ga ada sample sale ky gitu??
etoy..
((
bener lo..knapa ya..
DYS, kapan loe buka lapak di FD?
rere, pergi ke NYC dong, kalo nunggu supaya di ATL ada waduuuuuuh kesian kan kita2?!
i’m also a sample sale sucker. i go to many of them when i was in NYC and scored lotsa good deals. since then, sale was never the same.
gue rasa makanya sekarang gue kalo liat sale suka ogah2an juga.. abisan pasti ga seheboh kalo sample sale!
i remember i scored a nice fendy bucket bag for less than $300. or when i went to kate spade sample sale with loucee and scored the bags for such a good price (lupa brapa) and loucee got her 1st kate spade bag in green (ampe inget warnanya!).
aaaahh.. me wanna go back to new york!!
vian, wulan, rere, slesta: youu should visit nyc thenn esp during sample sale season…
pasti pada suka deh yg beauty sample sale, itu gila2an hrg nya coworkers gue byk yg suka borong, gw sampe skrg blm pernah ikutan siy.. ntar kalo ada lagi tak kirim yah flyer nya..
-wulan, elo kan di boston tinggal naik bus chinatown sampe deh
-rere, coba ceki2 dailycandy dia suka update sample sale schedule around the US, tp emang siy biasanya kalo ga di ny di LA
-slesta, iyah shin.. kesini2 jd males beli retail prices
lintje, lucy, merahgonjreng, etoy: duhh maapp bikin puyengg yahhh.. emang gw aja awal2x di sini nemu sample sales sempet terkaget2 juga.. dulu di jkt mana bisa afford designer items, br di sini kebeli itu jg krn byk sample sales.. hrg nya bener2 jatoh dan byk brg yg masi bagus2 dan season baru
lena: buka lapak yah.. hehe eke kayaknya blm qualified.. post nya masi blm nambah2 di forum hahaha
ide yg bagus jg niy utk jualan, sptnya jg byk yg belanja di sample sales utk jualan ntah utk butik atau di ebay..
DYS..waaah lo bnr2 bikin gw jd pengen hijrah ke US deh:( Msh bnyk lowongan ga yah disana??Hehe Gw bakal kerja rodi deh biar bs borong sample sale!!
But seriously, why we can’t have such sale here in Indo sih??Mgkn yg bergerak di bidang fashion bs ksh info … (please..dying to know nih)
Dhysti darling, sample sale is unheard of nih di DC. Atau ada?
kenapa sample sale gak ada di jakarta?
1. turun harga dikit aja udah laku, ngapain di diskon abis2an? diskon 30%, orang udah antri kayak barang dibagiin gratis
2. too many rich people in jakarta, not enough stuff, i.e. supply exceed demand by a LOT. see point 1.
oops, maksud gue sebaliknya, demand exceed supply by a lot
Hmmm..tp di US jg jauh lbh bnyk org kaya kok dan spending power mrk jg jauh lbh gede. They can dress up with brands from head to toe like everyday.
Or mungkin krn disini bnyk bajakan kl yah??Jd mrk tkt ketuker sm brg2 bajakan..
Anyhow, bersyukurlah kalian yg bs hunting sample sale disana.Ayo doong buka lapak buat yg disini
DUNDAN: dundan, yg waktu itu elo ke sini yg ke barneys sample sale dan dpt balenciaga bag itu lg musim2 sample sales jugaaa tuh.. wekss di DC ada ga ya sample sales? cek ke dailycandy deh, hari ini ada tory burch sample sales.. kalo suka tory ke sini aja naik buss heehe.. gw blm pernah siy ke sample sale si tory ini, kurnag bgitu suka di nyc brg2nya sejuta umat jg yg make.. hanya koleksi fall dia mayan siy.. ini cek ke sini niy utk yg tory dan yg sample sales lain http://www.clothingline.com/index.php
dan elo pasti suka dehh beauty sample sales, bisa kalap kali ya? gw thn lalu pengen dateng ga kesampean krn saking panjang line nya lgs di tutup.. ntar kalo gw dpt flyers nya tak kirim2 ke blog.. kantor gw suka dikasi tau in advance l;oreal sample sale krn mereka clients terbesar kita.
ETOY: sorrry br reply lg.. iya mari2x ke sini, lg resesi siy di sini lowongan lg berkurang BUT.. ada satu anak indo pindah ke sini lgs dr jkt krn dpt lowongan kerja di sini.. so you never know, keep lookingg ! tapi ya jelek nya sample sale season di sini tuh semuanya deketan, jadi kalo ga hati2 bisa bangkrut siy dlm sebulan
LENA & ETOY; hmm kenapa di jkt jarang ada sample sale? a very good question… stuju dgn spt dibilang Lena, diskon dikit uda rame ngantri hahha
dan mungkin krn barangnya memang ga sebyk di sini.. esp designer items, spt nya buyers kita ga beli dan memasok brg nya banyak, kecuali mass retailers yah mungkin beda (semacam zara, mango, guess, etc) pasokan barangnya lbh byk .. dan kalaupun ada sample sale, harganya mungkin ga sejatoh di sini, krn beli dan biaya import nya uda mahal duluan.. pls correct me if im wrong yah 
hanya di lain sisi, designers locals harusnya bisa adain sampe sales siy, kan pasokan nya bisa lbh byk.. kaya xsml gitu misalnya? ada ga kira2?
TAPI gueee pernah dikasitau..if im not mistaken.. grup luxury retailers indonesia.. club21, maha gaya or MRA yah namanya lupa..(bener ga niy nama2 grupnya) suka ada sale gila2an juga..either cuma utk employees nya or open to public nah itu gw kurang tau
kalo spending power nya orang sini, bener juga siy middle-class di sini masi bisa kebeli designer items.. gaji 2 minggu masi bisa kebeli misalnya.. tapi kalo designer items hrg full price gitu jg masi mahal siy utk ukuran gue, mendingan ntah beli ke outlets, ke sample sale kaya skrg atau ga ke dept stores (spt loehmann’s, century21, mashalls, filene’s basement, tj maxx etc) yg suka jual brg2 sample lemparan dr dept store lain (buangan dr neiman, nordstrom, bergdorf, etc..).. ebay jg suka dpt yg murah2 tp harus pinter skrg siy di ebay byk yg counterfeit items yah
ya wisss uda panjang niyyyy reply nya
buka lapak? hehe usul yg bagus juga tu..hanya postings gw di forum sptnya blm qualified..
*cries* i wish i could go to RM and Botkier sales…