Aug 25, 2011

*SALE HUNT* Barneys Warehouse Sale Returns

After much controversy on whether the iconic Barneys Warehouse Sale would remain a staple of New York shopping, I was glad to see that everything was back on track and fully prepared for today's opening. Bargain shoppers lined up bright and early this morning (some as early as 6am) in Chelsea for some pre-work shopping, and you could tell some of them had sale jitters in their stomachs. On a side note, I heard people voice a bit of skepticism about the Barneys Warehouse Sale after finding disappointing deals and merchandise from the previous sales. Since today's sale is the third time Mizhattan is covering this event, perhaps the third time will be a charm? So, let's find out if it was, shall we?

A few changes to be aware of from the last Barneys Warehouse sale. Women's wear is now back on the ground floor & the bags section had improved significantly. In the bags section, I was able to dig through a wide range of leather hobos, shoulder bags, and beach straw bags. Most brands I spotted were from the Barneys Co–Op label with a few Nina Ricci hobos ($559 & $799), Devi Kroell python hobos ($995), Lanvin purses priced ($899), and Marc by Marc Jacobs shoulder bags ($309) mixed in.

My second stop, the shoe section, was completely swarming with hoarding shoppers. The shoe aisles are infamous for being cramped, and full of pushing & shoving shoppers. I'm happy (or is that unhappy(??)) to report that today was no different. Aisles were nearly impossible to pass with shoppers jostling to get a better look at the merchandise. Still, I was able to wedge myself in and can report that this year's shoes section was not that impressive--rather anemic compared to previous events. I could see that there was far less high–end designer labels than ever before. But the silver lining is that if you like Lanvin, today is your lucky day. There were tons of Lanvins! From jeweled flat sandals ($799 & 2nd photo below) to summer platforms, they had a wide range of styles to chose from. While digging around, I also spotted a few Manolos. The leopard print d'Orsays I found were $289 (originally $715 & 1st photo below). My new shoe obsession, Gianvito Rossi, was also available. His python wedges for Altuzarra were $459, while strap sandals were $399 (originally $995). A pair of sexy Alaïa black string leather sandals were $729 (originally $1,830 & 3rd photo below). Other than these designer labels, I couldn't find anything that I liked. Oh! If you are a Louboutin fan, I'm sorry to tell you that I could not find any (boo~). Now, let's head over to the RTW section.

Just like the previous sales, tons of luxury brands were tightly hung on racks. But this time around, Barneys chose to organize by SIZE, not brand--which meant gridlock in the size 2, 4, and 6 aisles. Here is what I found: a seductive strapless animal print dress from Giambattista Valli was $1,129 (originally $4,500 & 12th photo below), a classic tench coat from Stella McCartney was $719 (13th photo below), a flirty eyelet dress in peach from Nina Ricci was $639 (originally $1,000 & 16th photo below ), and a vibrant Proenza Schouler sequin top was $809 (originally $3,250 & 11th photo below). In the contemporary section, I found a Carven beaded collar shirt, and Alexander Wang tuxedo inspired vest for $239. Other brands included Band of Outsiders, Theory, and Rag & Bone. In addition, a wide array of denims were also at hand. I saw labels like Current/Elliot, J Brand, and Seven all priced around the $100 mark. Finally, there was one separate rack dedicated to "imperfections". I suggest you don't waste your time here as prices were way too expensive. I saw a damaged silk blouse that was priced $678 (wow!) and a misshapen $595 Rag & Bone blazer.

This time around, the Barneys Warehouse sale is only 10 days long. Make sure to drop by as often as possible, as more items will be shipped in and price reductions are expected.

Related Posts with Thumbnails