So after yesterday's
fail, I decided to try again - this morning. I arrived around 9:50am and thought - hey this ain't too bad (about 40 or so people in front of me). Turns out I ended up waiting in line for 80 minutes to get in....in the rain! The sale only lets in a few people at a time as shoppers exit so even though the line outside might look tame - it moves at a snail's pace. Fear not though - there are some SERIOUS deals going on inside. I'm talking 85% off RTW (mens and womens), 85% off all shoes, and 80% all accessories (bags, belts, etc.).
After finally making my way up to the sale and checking in my wet bag and coat, I was surprised to notice that the sale is actually quite tame compared to other behemath sample sales. There's room for you to move around and a few mirrors set up around the showroom for you to try on items (no changing rooms/areas). At the front of the space are men's shoes - there's not too many styles and sizing is fairly random (39-42), but there's definitely deals to be had. Just to give you a ballpark figure, shoes priced at $450 are going for $67.50! It's sort of hit or miss but if you find something you like in your size, it's amazing.
As with most sales, womenswear dominates - but there's a few solid racks of menswear pieces including trenches, dress pants, button ups, and a couple tables of knits and T's. Accessories are at the back of the showroom.
Sizing for men is available but quickly depleting. With dress shirts coming up around $55 a piece, they're getting picked up pretty quickly. Smaller sizes seemed to be the scarcest, with everything else following in close pursuit.
I spotted a lone menswear bag which I loved. It's a messenger style with gold hardware and pebbled leather (from the fall 2010 collection) - and at 80% off it will set you back about $400 (originally around $2,000). Men's basic V-neck T's are amazingly priced at $14.25 a pop (down from $95). Black and navy were almost non-existent but if you're looking for a white or beige T, there's plenty left in an assortment of sizes. There were some great knitwear pieces including a grey striped tonal V-neck going for $68 (down from about $450).
Women's shoes are located in the middle of the room - literally all over the middle. As with the mens shoes, there are some amazing deals to be had, but this requires more digging due to women and their affinity for shoes.
By the time I was checking out, the sale seemed a bit more cramped than when I first entered but overall it's still very managable and sane. My only gripe is that they ask you to leave your umbrella on the first floor by the elevator - but by the time I went down to pick it up, someone had already swiped it....
Overall, this is one of those sales that's totally worth the all the madness that comes with sample sales and I'm so glad that I gave it a second chance after yesterday! If you're a fan of Jil Sander's aestheic (designed by Raf Simons), then it's definitely worth checking out. Even though this is supposedly an invite only sale, no one checked for anyone's invite in the morning so you shouldn't have a problem getting in!
Who: Jil Sander Sample Sale
What: 85% off menswear, womenswear and shoes, 80% off accessories.
When: Oct 18-22, 2011. 10am-6pm
Where: 8 Crosby Street, 4th Floor. 212-447-9200
