X
X


    The Lowdown On Shoe Sales: Manolo, Louboutin & Olympia

    November is turning out to be the trifecta in shoe sample sales. Manolo, Louboutin and Olypmia have have all planned to unload their overstock this coming month. Like any triathlon these sales will test your endurance and your loyalty to sample sales.

    In light of the current onset, we thought we would create an official survival guide. Anyone who is adverse to long lines or crowds is better waiting for a good markdown. Read on if you’re willing to take the plunge and play footsie with the big girls.

    Manolo Blanhik
    Tuesday, November 8
    Doors open to the public at 11am
    Warwick Hotel, 65 W 54th St. & 6th Ave, 2nd fl.

    Manolo Blanhik is one sale that treats its sample sale customers like, well, customers. Attendees are invited to take a number, in this case letter, and come back in a specified amount of time. Alterntivily, shoppers can wait in the ballroom.

    Most shoppers usually start arriving by 7am and watch the VIPs walk away with bags of loot. As you would expect, a morning of editors shopping with Andre Leon Talley can wipe out a lot of merchandise.

    Charlotte Olympia
    Thursday, November 17th
    11am—7pm
    Roosevelt Hotel, 45 E 45th St (btwn Vanderbilt & Madison Ave) Vanderbilt Suite

    Madison Avenue Boutique
    Harlene 347-307-0145

    We couldn’t be more excited to grab shoes from the quirky Brit. At the last sale, Kitty flats were $250 and more ornate style boots ran up to $600. The best styles get snatched up quickly. If you want the best selection we suggest you don’t hesitate– there isn’t any restocking.

    We are told that most of the selection will be from this past spring/summer season. There will also be bags and other great accessories.

    This sample sale will be quite busy and we expect there will be a bit of a wait. If that’s not your style, you can head to the Madison Avenue boutique starting November 7 and pre-saling fall styles priced at 50% off.

    Christian Louboutin
    Date: TBD
    Daily 9am to 5pm
    307 W. 38th St.

    The Christian Louboutin sale is the most difficult to infultrate. To break into this vault of red soles you’re going to have to leave the cyber world and make some real world friends. Lucky we have good friends who pass on the info.

    This sale is invitation only and invitees are not even allowed to bring a guest. We suggest that those who are clawing for an invite reach out to anyone they know who has a relationship with the company. That means Louboutin retailers or those at the top ranks of editorial.

    Lucky we have good friends who secretly pass along the details. We will be sure to post more information as soon as they become available. The sale usually takes place in November but last year, we were thrown a curveball with the December sale. Unfortunately, we were blacklisted from attending and aren’t able to help anyone (including ourselves) get into the sale.

    Prices at Louboutin usually start at the $225 mark go up to $550 for boots. There’s no restocking and by mid-week most sizes are almost completely sold out. Those who wear a size 6 or below or 9.5 and above usually can take adavantage of the most fuitful selection.

    1 Comment on The Lowdown On Shoe Sales: Manolo, Louboutin & Olympia

    Charlotte Olympia Launches #EmotiCats

    British luxury shoe and accessories designer Charlotte Olympia, is adding the ‘purrfect’ addition to her Kitty collection. #EmotiCats are the adorable combination of playful emoticons and the brand’s signature cat theme flats.

    Madison Avenue Spy readers are invited to celebrate the launch of the new capsule collection with Charlotte Olympia Dellal on Friday evening. The designer will be on hand to sign shoes and take pictures. So we suggest you get your SnapChat and Instastory emojis ready.

    The EmotiCats collection includes four different colors of light velvet flats: Antique Rose, Charcoal, Mink and Sky Blue. The price is $525. EmotiCats are available now and can be found on Net-a-Porter and charlotteolympia.com

    Please
    RSVP here     to attend the event.

    Charlotte Olympia #EmotiCats Launch
    Friday, October 28
    6pm to 8pm
    22 East 65th Street

    RSVP here

    Sponsored Post

    Leave a comment on Charlotte Olympia Launches #EmotiCats

    Intermix Fall Clearance Offers 70% Off

    Just in time for the weekend, we found a sale to motivate us to work through Friday. Today, Intermix started a fall clearance sale where discount merchandise is reduced an extra 40% off. The sale includes lots of items that can easily fit into your wear-now wardrobe.

    We found this pretty pink dress that comes to $190 from $530, Frame Le High-Rise Rip Skinny come to $100 from $240 and this v-neck sweater is $65 from almost $200. Cropped houndstooth pants ($143 from about $400) and a ruffled blouse ($60 from $218) are perfect to put aside for Thanksgiving.

    The sale is online and in stores. The Madison Avenue boutique has some of the sale items listed on the site but we always find that we have better luck Downtown. Overall,  shopping online is the easiest but, take note, all sale items aren’t returnable.

    Leave a comment on Intermix Fall Clearance Offers 70% Off

    Before You Go: The Row's Sample Sale

    After experiencing Hermes,  it’s nice to take it down a notch and enjoy the more quite luxury offered by The Row. As always, the ambiance at the VIP preview was considerably more mute and civilized that then anarchy that surrounds Hermes. This annual sample sale offered lots of timeless classics but, this season, there were some spots of disappointment.

    As in past years, clothing is discounted 70% and bags, accessories and sunglasses are 60%. This season, exotic items and fur are discounted only 40%. (Disappointment #1)  On the bright side, the sale had lots of bags, including backpacks, giant hobos, market bags and the multi-pouch shoulder bag. Sunglasses are normally priced between $430 and $510 and range from about $150 to $200 after the discount.

    There is nothing to be found of the newly launched shoe line. (Disappointment #2) There are also no leather pants. (Disappointment #3)

    Most of the accessories and clothing seem to be from last winter’s collection. We found a few items that are in stores now, like this shearling lined leather jacket that comes to about $2700 from $5590.  The sale also included lots of sweaters and blouses. The Row’s sweaters normally run from $850 to $1100 and blouses are usually priced between $750 and $1100. So prices are almost semi-affordable after you account for the discount.

    Despite some disappointments there is still a large enough assortment to keep a fan of the brand satisfied. We are especially looking forward to the new Madison Avenue store’s end-of-season sale. We heard that last season, the West Coast store offered discounts of 70% and we hope to we can take advantage of a similar discount opportunity.

    The Row Sample Sale
    Thursday, October 27th through Saturday, October 29th
    Thurs 12pm-7pm, Fri 9am-7pm, Sat 9am~5pm
    123 W. 18th St., 5th FL (btw 6th & 7th)

    2 Comments on Before You Go: The Row's Sample Sale

    The Met Gala Inspired Comme des Garçons

    This Spring, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute will pay homage to Rei Kawakubo, the founder of Comme des Garçons, in an exhibit titled the Art of the In-Between. The exhibit will not be a traditional retrospective. This is the first time since the 80s that the Institute will showcase a living designer.

    Comme des Garçons is well known for challenging conventional notions of beauty, good taste, and, ultimately, fashionability. The exhibit will feature about 120 Comme des Garçons womenswear designs by Kawakubo, dating back to the label’s first runway collection in 1981, all the way to her most recent shows.

    “Rei Kawakubo is one of the most important and influential designers of the past forty years,” said the Costume Institute’s curator in charge, Andrew Bolton. “By inviting us to rethink fashion as a site of constant creation, recreation, and hybridity, she has defined the aesthetics of our time.”

    The exhibit pre-opening party, better known as the Met Gala, always takes place on the first Monday in May. This year, it’s May 1. You can bet that the red carpet will be almost entirely dressed in black. After all, the brand’s all-black Paris debut was dubbed “Hiroshima chic”.

    With only seven months to prepare, we thought we would begin a running CDG (Comme des Garcons) collection that includes a variety of vintage and new items. We will continue to keep the selection updated and hopefully you will be fully armed and inspired by the time May comes around.

    Leave a comment on The Met Gala Inspired Comme des Garçons

    Annabelle Sale is Fur Real

    As much as we dream of endless Summer, we would be lying if we didn’t admit how much we love the change of season. Dipping temperatures are a wardrobe opportunity. As the mercury slides south we add layers and top it all off with the most amazing fur we can find. The best part is that we  know exactly where to shop for the most fabulous fur.

    Starting tomorrow, Annabelle will be hosting its annual three-day fur sale. Prices will be at wholesale and below on a selection of real and faux fur coats, jackets, vests, hats, gloves and other cold winter accessories. There will also be real production samples available at fur-tactic discounts. Prices start at just $50.

    Once you’re geared-up and looking great, it won’t matter if it’s cold, cold, freezing.

    Annabelle Sample Sale
    Wednesday, October 26- Friday, October 28
    10am-5pm
    247 West 30th St, 2nd Floor

    4 Comments on Annabelle Sale is Fur Real

    A Quiet Hermès Sale: Manhasset, NY

    If you followed our advice, you made sure to stay far away from the Hermès sale at Soiffer Haskin. At last count, we were told that the line spanned more than 900 people. The worst part is that there wasn’t any jewelry or any leather goods.

    If you’re looking for discounts on Hermes, our friend Jim Shi, says that the Americana Manhasset Hermes boutique has opened a pop-up shop a few miles away . Everything at the Wheatley Plaza store is discounted 50% off retail.

    There are no handbags but there are lots of enamel bracelets and a great selection of clothing and shoes from prior seasons. Jim tells us, there are lots of Collier de Chien and Kelly Dog bracelets, cashmere blankets and a great assortment of home goods.

    The Manhasset sale is open to the public through Friday, October 28. There are no purchasing limits. This isn’t the first time we’ve uncovered this outside-of-Manhattan sale. Here is our coverage about the of the sale in 2013. It would be great help if anyone attending the sale added details in the comment section below.

    7 Comments on A Quiet Hermès Sale: Manhasset, NY

    Neiman Marcus: Extra 25% Off Clearance

    Neiman Marcus started an online promotion where many sale items are reduced an extra 25% off. The big surprise is that the online clearance section was recently updated with a full assortment of amazing designer items.

    Upon browsing, we found lots of Derek Lam from this past summer’s collection. Here’s a print tunic that’s reduced close to 80% off and this fur and leather trim coat that rings in under $1500 from $6000. It’s is just too good to resist.

    Among the clothing, we found lots of Carolina Herrera that comes to about 70% off retail. Check out this dramatic tweed ball skirt that is about $1400 from $5000 and a black and white water-print column gown is $1500 from $6000.  Heading to a  different designer, we found this Emilio Pucci zig-zag leather miniskirt that’s a must-have for $480 from $2130.

    Among the shoes we found lots of styles priced along the lines of what you would find at a super sample sale. The size options on these Aquazzura wedges are limited but if you’re lucky you can take them home for under $150 from $700. Gianvito Rossi velvet pumps are only about $200 from nearly $900. and we are having a hard time resisting these suede Alexandrew Birman low boots that come to $288 from $1280.

    In the case you ever questioned the success of the Kendall & Kylie collection, we found lots of items reduced over 90% off. That’s before the promotional markdown. This crop top is $75 from nearly $1000. Here’s another priced exactly the same. It might be worth buying just for the laughs.

    The promotion runs through Tuesday. Neiman Marcus doesn’t do these extra 25% off sales very often. We suggest you take advantage while the opportunity presents itself– or you’ll  be sooooorry.

    Sponsored Post
    1 Comment on Neiman Marcus: Extra 25% Off Clearance