This afternoon I got the following voice mail message:
Hi this is a message for Lila. This is Charles from Yves Saint Laurent. I’m calling you because we are going on sale. So give me a call when you get a chance. The number here is 212-980-2901.
I call back to get the scoop but Charles was with a custmer. So I asked the sales assocaite who answered the phone, “Can you tell me the current markdown.”
The associate replies, “There’s no markdown. Everything is still full price. We don’t go on sale until June.”
I respond, “Then why did Charles just leave me a voice mail about a sale.”
She answers, “Oh the private sale. I’ll have to put you through to Charle’s mailbox.”
I leave Charles a message and he calls me back a bit later and says, “Oh Lila, would you believe all ready-to-wear is 50% off and shoes and bags are 40% and 50% off.”
And that’s the way it all goes down in the boiler room of luxury fashion.Oh and just an FYI, markdowns at ysl.com are already live.
Tune in tomorrow for a transcript of a conversation with Gucci.