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    Hot Designer Duds for Cool Charity Prices

    By ManhattanMataHari

    Sometimes shopping opens the door to lots of spending money guilt but that all seems to go to the wayside when you know you’re shopping for a good cause. The POSH Pop Up Shop charity sale is a great example of guilt free designer shopping. The sale is filled with wonderful designer merchandise and all the money raised benefits the Jewish Community Project Downtown. We just couldn’t resist.

    Both new and used designer items ranges from 50% to 95% off retail prices. Some items are still pricey but sale organizers have already started to take additional markdowns. Highlights include a number of brand new heels still in their boxes. We spied Alexander Wang Tasha boots for $437.50, black leather lace-up Givenchy booties for $562.50, Chanel black suede slingback pumps for $100 and Chanel linen wedges with a cream camellia flower for $225. In addition, there is an assortment of gently loved to designer shoes. Fans of Manolos will be pleasantly surprised to find a great selection in the $150 and under price range.There was even a pair of Manolo “Timberland” style boots for just $20. We also spotted gently used Christian Louboutin wedges, Lanvin flats and Hermes slides for all under $200.

    The sale’s notable accessories were a Chanel pearl belt (or necklace) for $450, a metallic brown Fendi Spy bag for $550, a small green Goyard tote for $500 and a new Alaia black patent corset belt still in its box for $500. A Christian Louboutin raffia clutch was $100, a well worn Marc Jacobs black quilted purse is $500 and a vintage Hermes classic belt kit in gold was priced at $525.

    There were some great ready to wear towards the left of the shop. A cream silk Balenciaga dress is just $265, while a red chiffon Valentino number is $450. There was one lone Herve Leger bandage dress currently marked at $495 and a brand new (with the $3050 retail tag still attached) Dolce & Gabbana jewel wasted black evening dress is $1000. There are lots of Marni, assorted Stella McCartney, Prada and Miu Miu clothing in addtion to good amount of contemporary brands. T

    Overall the new designer stock is dwindling fast but further markdowns are on the horizon. We suggest browsing the sale Thursday afternoon or Friday. After all, who doesn’t love shopping for a good cause and getting a great deal?

    POSH Pop Up Shop
    64 N Moore St (Between Hudson and Greenwich)
    Thursday, May 26 9am -9pm
    Friday, May 27 9am – 4pm

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    Searching for Barney’s Castoffs

    By ManhattanMataHari

    Ever wonder about the destiny of the unsold merchandise from the Barney’s warehouse sale? Well, we did a little digging and found the final resting place for the department store’s castoffs. Filene’s Basement, in Union square and the Upper West Side, are the main beneficiaries while many shoes are diverted to the Park Avenue Syms. One way to quickly spot the Barney’s merchandise is to look for tags with red stars.

    With this knowledge, we set out looking for great deals on Barney’s less than window worthy wares. For the best selection and shopping environment we suggest the Union Square Filene’s Basement where they have an entire area dedicated to designer apparel. Here, you will find racks full of colorful Missoni knits that range in price from $99.99 for t-shirts to $199.99 for dresses. In addition, there are several racks dedicated to Piazza Sempione, Marina Rinaldi and Dolce and Gabbana.

    White D&G linen blazers are currently $219.99, while a cute blue fabric bustier style dress is a steal at $139.99. We also spotted, dresses by Marni, Lanvin, and Balenciaga for $299.99, $399.99 and $599.99, respectively. Vena Cava, Tocca, and Marc Jacobs dresses were also substantially discounted and range in price from $59.9 to $99.99. If you are looking for slacks and shorts, brands include Miu Miu, Balenciaga, Marni, Jil Sander, Lanvin, The Row, and Celine range in price from $39.99 for Marni white capris to $179.99 for Lanvin tuxedo pants.

    Whatever you do, don’t overlook the glass display cases. We found Tom Ford belts for $199.99 and Ferragamo scarves for $99.99. The highlight, however, Yves Saint Laurent leather satchel for $599.99.

    At the Upper West Filene’s Basement we found most of the merchandise to be similar to Union Square, although the assortment was smaller. Some standout items that were a Chanel black and white tweed camellia flower for $249.99, black dresses by Balenciaga priced under $400, black Proenza Schouler jeans for $69.99 and $100 Ports 1961 dresses.

    Fellow shoe-addicts will want to check out Syms on Park Avenue. Here you will find a great selection of Dolce & Gabbana shoes for $199.99 to $219.99. While browsing the shoe department we also found Marc Jacobs pumps ($149.99), Chloe flats ($99.99) and Pierre Hardy heels ($159.99).

    While the shoe department here is quite organized, you are going to have to do some digging to find worthwhile clothing. Downstairs is where you will find the best selection of designer clothing and accessories. We spied Prada and D&G belts for $99.99 to $129.99, Vena Cava dresses for $59.99 to $79.99, a Bottega Veneta dress for $479.99 and black chiffon Givenchy gown for $799.99.

    Obviously the atmosphere of these stores are a world away from Barney’s but if you don’t mind sorting through a few racks you might find some amazing deals

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    Madison Avenue Markdowns- Round I

    Memorial Day weekend is just days away, which means that boutiques all along the Avenue are starting their sales and presales. For the uninitiated, presales are when top customers are given first dibs on sale merchandise. Usually a sales associate puts the merchandise aside and rings it up once the sale officially begins.

    Chanel
    The Chanel sales always take place during the second week of June. Prices on clothing, shoes and accessories will be discounted 40%. Leather bags are almost never marked down but keep your eyes open for seasonal styles, which are occasionally discounted.
    Amy* 212-535-5505
    *This is a good contact to keep. Amy oversees all the NYC Chanel boutiques.

    Chloe
    The sale has not “officially” started but customers can take their discounted merchandise anyway. The markdown is 40% on ready-to-wear, shoes and select bags.
    Incus* 212-717-8220
    *He can can have an icy attitude but has been with the boutique for years and knows his customers and merchandise. If he’s being evasive, tell him Lila said to play nice.

    Lanvin
    The sale started today and spring and summer merchandise have been marked down 30%. We hear there is still a great variety of sizes and styles. Prices may still be expensive even after the discount. That is why we usually wait until later in the season, when the discount gets steeper, to make our purchases.
    Christopher* 646-439-0381
    *Helpful and not pushy or too stuck up.

    Prada
    Presale usually begins right about now with the sale officially starting the first week of June. Last season, however, Prada cut out their presales and became a lot less generous with their markdowns. You can expect a 30% discount in the next two weeks just don’t expect a sales associate to secure your purchases before then.
    Betty* 212-327-4200
    *Madison Ave shoe specialist. She is sweet and very talkative. She makes shopping fun.

    Marni
    The sale starts VERY soon, right after Memorial Day. It hasn’t officially started BUT the main collection is (oops, will be) 40% off and the Addition Collection and Resort are 30%
    Dana* 212-257-6907
    *Always willing to help a girl out, when she can.

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    Sample Sale News: DVF & Tibi

    We’ve been getting email and comments all season long asking about the DVF sample sale. We finally have the information and you still have a few weeks to start panning your strategy. The sale will officially take place from Tuesday, June 7 to Friday, June 10. (Monday is reserved for press and friends and family but don’t let anyone know we told you.)

    Prices usually run about 40% to 70% off. You can see last year’s full price list here. Lines can run long on the first day and the wait for the common area fitting room can be tortuous. We suggest waiting until later into the sale if you don’t have your heart set on a specific item. Prices usually drop Wednesday afternoon and again Friday morning.

    Diane von Furstenberg Sample Sale
    Tuesday, June 7 to Friday, June 10
    Tues 9am to 6:30pm, Wed 10am to 8pm, Thurs 10am to 7pm, Fri 9am to 3pm
    260 5th Avenue @ 28th Street

    If you’re looking for bright flirty prints now you may want to consider hitting the Tibi sample sale, which starts Tuesday. Prices aren’t usually amazing– about $100 to $100 for dresses– and this space can get uber crowded. If possible, we suggest heading over early and getting a head start.

    Tibi Sample Sale
    Tuesday, May 24 to Thursday, May 26
    Tues 12pm to 7pm, Wed 10am to 7pm, Thurs 10am to 7pm
    Happy Monkey Studio
    348 West 36th Street, Ground Floor

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    Saks First Markdown Presale

    Saks has already started sales in many of their contemporary departments. Unfortunately, the prices of most of their high end designer merchandise — we are referring the the third floor–has remained unchanged. Until now, that is…

    Shoppers can now work with a sales associate to put their choice merchandise aside in preparation for the first markdown. We hear the discount should be 40% off clothing and 30% off shoes and accessories.

    We imagine the markdown will officially begin on Wednesday so that shoppers can take all their new summer purchases with them to their long-weekend vacation destination. Most boutiques should begin first markdown at about the same time. Keep an eye on the Spy for updated markdown information.

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    Opening: HomeGoods

    Move over West Elm and Ikea, New Yorkers now have a new destination to shop for the home. HomeGoods, the housewares and home furnishing arm of TJ Maxx and Marshalls, is opening on Sunday, in Columbus Square, on the Upper West Side.

    In addition to home furnishings, HomeGoods is also stocked with accessories for the kitchen and diningroom, bedding and bath, kids décor, toys, pet and storage. Unlike many of the products in West Elm and Ikea, however, many of the products from HomeGoods are high quality and very well priced.

    It might seem a little provincial but we must admit we are over-excited for the opening of this store. Perhaps some product and price examples we got from an early walk through of the store will give you a better understanding. You know those really cool over sized mirrors you can lean against a wall and usually cost hundreds of dollars? Well, HomeGoods has many styles that are just $80. Table lamps usually cost several hundred dollars each but here they were just $29, $39 and $59 and the styles were really sophisticated– even Baker worthy.

    In the children’s and baby department we spotted Maclaren Triumph strollers for $99 from $170 and the double strollers were $179 from $320. Plush beach towels are $10 from a suggested retail price of $16. We even scoped out $1100 Pratesi sheet sets for just $499. A full assortment of All-Clad pots and pans are priced at about 50% off retail. We also found an exquisite Italian urn that looks as if the paint is still wet from Venice for $2000 from $4000.

    Did we mention that there’s also an amazing gourmet food section? Hard to find Campanini Risotto is just $4 and we can’t imagine the price for the same product at Eataly. Black truffle oil is $12 from a suggested retail price of $20. (We are sure Eli’s is several times more than the retail price.) Across the street, at Whole Foods, Madhava Agave is $10 but is priced at just $6 at HomeGoods. Are you getting the picture?

    We are told that the buyers from HomeGoods are given the ability to travel the world to curate the incredible assortment of brand name and non-brandname merchandise that fills the store. That’s how you get vases from Africa, tureens from Portugal and wall hangings from Africa.

    Worried about over shopping and getting your haul home? Don’t worry. HomeGoods will deliver five bags of merchandise for just $17. That’s less expensive than most cab rides. Unfortunately, furniture deliveries are a bit more complicated and expensive to sort out.

    HomeGoods
    Opens: Sunday, May 22nd @ 8:00 a.m.
    795 Columbus Avenue (@99th Street)

    Photo credit: Paige Turner
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    Weekend Sales: Best & Co and Jonathan Adler

    We have recieved word of two very good sample sales that you should consider adding to your weekend shopping calender:

    Best & Co.
    260 5th Avenue @ 28st
    Saturday, May 21st to Saturday, May 28th
    May 21st 9am to 5pm, May 22-27th 10am to 6pm, May 28th 9am to 4pm

    The children’s brand, Best & Co. announced last year it was filing for bankrupsy and closed their Greenwhich, CT store and their boutique withing Bergdorfs. We’ve heard from two independant sources that the liqudation inventory is HUGE. Classic girls and boys clothing from 6 months to 12 years of age will be on sale at discounts of 50% to 75% off original retail prices. Don’t worry if you love Best & Co., we hear the brand was purchased and is relaunching in 2012.

    Jonathan Adler
    Friday, May 20 Sunday, May 22
    Fri 10am to 7pm, Sat 10am to 5pm, Sun 10am to 2pm
    513 Irving Avenue, Bushwick, Brooklyn

    Lifestyle guru, Jonathan Adler is hosting a three-day warehouse sale featuring brand-new merchandise including furniture, rugs, lighting, pillows, and accessories at discounts of up to 70% off retail prices. Parking is free and delivery is available at an additional price. Saving and service might make the trip to Brooklyn worthwhile. Full details can be found on his site here.

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    Closing: Sonia Rykiel

    The Queen of Knits, Sonia Rykiel, is saying good-bye to Madison Avenue. Saturday will be the last day the boutique is open. Until then, all merchandise is being cleared out at a 50% discount.

    Rykiel fans lined up the first days of the sale to snag spring merchandise at a deep discount. The store is starting to look a bit bare but there is still a nice assortment of sweaters, which normally retail between $600 and $900. We also spotted a few dresses on sale for about $550 from $1100 and tees from $250 to $175.

    Sonia Rykiel is best known for her knits, exposed seams and wild red hair. She started designing in 1964. Her collection was first picked up by Bloomingdale’s more than 35-years ago. Fortunately, the department store will still continue to carry her collection along with the Boston Sonia Rykiel boutique.

    Sullen sales associates say the designer is looking for a new retail location but we happen to think the brand needs a full resurrection first. Unfortunately, Sonia Rykiel isn’t adored as much by the cool crowed of 2011 as it was by those who embraced her “braless” dress in 1964.

    Sonia Rykiel Closing Sale
    Last Day: Saturday, May 21
    849 Madison Avenue @ 71st Street
    212-396-3060

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