Men Frantic For Finds on Final Day: Hickey Freeman/Bobby Jones

An informant has shared intel on this sample sale. Men be forewarned - no official try on rooms. If you want to try on pants, head to the back of the big floor, where men have carved out  a space on the left where they can be slightly concealed from the crowds. Ladies - no peeping! Scoot over there before lunch if you can. What kind of breaks can you expect? A $1400 suit for $430. Second or third markdowns!   
317 West 33rd St.

/nancy brenner

Pre-View from the Front: Lafayette 148

While women are darting around the city chasing after samples sales touting the latest "it" darling of Fashion Week, tall, petite, plus size and regular ones (0-18) will line up early Thursday for Lafayette 148. Deals for leathers ($125 reduced from $998), novelty skirts selling for $45, originally $448, had women at the Friends and Family sale simply GLEEful about the prices and scope of selection. Even leather belts were $3, but don't get distracted. Lafayette 148 was just cited in Crain's NY Business as having successfully weathered the recession - no wonder - as they design for different shapes, sizes and height. Sold at Saks, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom. Wendy Williams is a fan. Need I say more? And fashionistas if you are job hunting - there are five openings - just think of the employee discounts.

148 Lafayette (between Howard and Grand)
9 am

/nancy brenner

Scene from McQueen: Report from Post Exhibit Party

Naomi Campbell rocked McQueen two nights in a row. Why not? The hottest designer worldwide celebrated the The Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibition "Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty" last night by raising money for Japan at their 14th Street store. While admiring the limited edition prints for sale, women wondered if the designer's scarlet slash shoulder pencil dress or oriental red and gold bell sleeve coat could turn them into a future Kate Middleton. As if. The best dressed and tressed men in New York were well represented.
 
/nancy brenner

May 9-27 (No Sundays): SHOWROOM SEVEN SAMPLE SALE

SHOWROOM SEVEN SAMPLE SALE

MONDAY, MAY 9th – FRIDAY, MAY 27th

10AM – 7PM • SAT. 11AM – 6PM

Happy Hour 5 - 7 • CLOSED SUNDAYS

263 11th AVENUE - 3RD FL (BTW. 27th & 28th St.), NYC

DESIGNER CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES MARKED-DOWN UP TO 80% OFF WHOLESALE FEATURING: ODD MOLLY \ ERICKSON BEAMON \ ORLA KIELY \ ISSA \ TONY COHEN \ ROCKSTAR JEANS \ CHARLOTTE RONSON \ BLOCH SHOES & MUCH MORE

VISA, MC, AMEX & CASH • FOR MORE INFO: 212 643 4810

***Showroom Seven preview photos taken by Nancy Brenner

Calypso St. Barth: Enter to Win $1,000 Summer Shopping Spree

Visit Calypso's webpage to enter and win a $1,000 summer shopping spree: http://www.calypsostbarth.com/
(see the small box on the left hand side underneath the page's main photo).

Paul Smith: Fashion Informant Edition

A close source snapped up a $1,900 suit for $350. It was a little "cuckoo," but worth it. Head downtown to 328 West Broadway ASAP. File away this intel that a cashier shared - there is a Paul Smith store in Williamsburg selling suits for 50% off retail that may be from a past season, but in a fashion pinch, dapper dudes can head to 280 Grand Street.

Thurs.-Sat. (11am-7pm)

382 W. Broadway (between Broome & Spring St.)

/nancy brenner

Report from the Front: Moschino, Alberta Ferretti

Die-hards should know better. Really. Checking your wallets at the coat check!?  People, you need lessons in protecting your assets. 

Mother-daughter duos abounded - one had to chasten her daughter that she was not going to buy her 20 Moschino tees - maybe only 10.  Another sign that the economy has rebounded - at least in some households - is that Aeffe did not need to offer an additional 20% discount off the lowest price as has been the custom at the last few sample sales.  Price for some of the goods, even Moschino Cheap and Chic, weren't all that cheap - I spotted and put down a sweater that was near the $400 range.  Some lines were only at 60% discount off of retail and buyers bragged of better bargains at Saks consolidation sales.  Check back on last day Saturday for mark downs.  The well-dressed crowd at 56th between Fifth and Sixth Avenues is polite and polished - check the racks for their leftovers. 

30 West 56th Street

/nancy brenner

May 5-8: Catherine Malandrino Sample Sale & Extra 10% Off!

WHAT: Sample Sale featuring CATHERINE MALANDRINO Spring/Summer styles and MALANDRINO Runway collection

WHERE: NEW LOCATION
155 Fifth Avenue
(21st - 22nd Sts)
Storefront

WHEN: May 5th – 8th
Thursday & Friday 8am - 8pm
Saturday & Sunday 10am - 7pm

WHY:
Blouses – were $395… now $95
Skirts – were $275… now $65
Dresses – were $525… now $155
Leather jackets – were $1,200… now $295

BONUS DISCOUNTS!!!
To receive an additional 10% off RSVP to http://blog.catherinemalandrino.com/uncategorized/springsummer-2011-sample-sale/

All credit cards and cash accepted

White + Warren: Gilt City or Samples-Only Sale?

Blake Lively and Angelina Jolie are fans of White + Warren. This week, for $75 you can pay for the privilege of shopping their pop-up (remember when a sample was just a sample sale, so 2008) on Tuesday or Wednesday through Gilt City. Of course, $75 means you are getting $150 worth of merch (a la Groupon), and it's a great buy if you are a die-hard fan and know you want to walk away with something. If not, hold out until Thursday, April 28 when they will have (leftovers?) at their samples-only sale - the prices are usually pinch-me, "I can't believe cashmere is cheaper than H&M sweaters."
Either way, the address is 80 West 40th St., and if you're in the market, now is the time to buy before commodity prices creep even higher. Cash Only. Final Sale.

/nancy brenner

Top Shop: It's Gotta be the Shoes

Mission: Nothing's Impossible (in NYC).

These tremendously cool shoes that hearken back to the days of the dandy highwaymen, or at least Adam and the Ants interpretation of them, were up for grabs at New York City's modern day version of Fiorucci, otherwise known as TOP SHOP.  Yes, it's a g*ddamned zoo in there, but my savvy guerilla friend convinced the affable salespeople that these were on the 20% off sale rack (we aren't sure if they were or not) and she pointed out a "smudge" for which they deducted another 10%.  So what would have/should have cost $150, ended up running a cool $86 and change. 

Just don't, step on her blue suede shoes.