The upcoming Martin Luther King holiday weekend has come to represent the end of the end. Most stores are taking their final markdowns so that sales people can concentrate on selling the high-margin current season merchandise. The same happens at outlets where the inexpensive becomes a bargain.
On Monday, we will be heading out to Woodbury Common for our annual Martin Luther King holiday shopping spree. Yes, it’s been nine consecutive years that the Spy team has headed to Harriman, N.Y. for what we believe to be the best shopping week of the year. To prepare for our pilgrimage North, we called some of our favorite stores to get a preview of what’s in stock.
Look for us on Twitter [LilaDelilah] on Monday. We’ll leave you a verbal trail of our shopping trappings.
Bottega Veneta:
There is no MLK discount but bags are an additional 30% or 60% off depending on the style and season. Ready-to-wear is an additional 75% off outlet prices but the sales person warned that the pickings are slim. In stock now: a shopper tote from winter ’08, in green red for $680, including all discounts. There are also some exotic bags like a python draw string tote for $2400ish or a Sloane bag in pink python, which is under $1300.
845-928-4563
Chloe
Bags are currently 10% to 50% off outlet prices. Clothing is discounted an additional 50%. The ready-to-wear at Chloe can go down as far as 90% but most of the merchandise left by that time isn’t even worth that. The store currently has four “good” racks, according to a sales person, but we are still dubious.
845-928-6260
Dolce & Gabbana:
Most of the inventory in the store is from Fall 2008 (is that considered vintage?) and is reduced an additional 60% off. “There’s a lot here,” says the shopgirl and we can’t wait to see.
845-928-5221
Giuseppe Zanotti:
You always have to be careful when shopping at outlets because sometimes times the prices are more expensive than a normal boutique sale. Giuseppe is one of those boutiques. We are told the outlet has a $99 and $150 section of shoes. (Those are good prices.) Other shoes are 50% off retail. (Not a buy-worthy markdown.)
845-928-4828
Prada:
The sales at the Prada outlet have been a bit sketchy these days. It almost seems as if the brand is having a bit of an identity crisis. We discount, we don’t discount. Who can figure it out? Well, the outlet is running a “promo” on ready-to-wear where dresses, skirts and pants are an additional 40% off and all other clothing is 20% off. Normal outlet prices are 40% off retail.We are anticipating prices to range from 50% to 65% retail. Not particularly newsworthy considering the last markdown in boutiques is usually 70% off.
845-928-3706
YSL:
On Saturday, the YSL boutique will have a one day sale where all clothing will be an additional 50% off. Unfortunately, that won’t be much use to us on Monday. If there’s an item you have in mind, however, the YSL salesman told me they will presell it on Friday.
845-928-2169
