Rounding Up Deals Along Rodeo Drive
Although retailers traditionally waited until July to hold sales on spring and summer merchandise, June has become price-slashing month at some of the city’s most exclusive clothing stores.
Charles Gallay is one of the few holdouts: He’s waiting until a week after Independence Day to offer markdowns at his Alaia Chez Gallay and two Gallay locations. Doing anything earlier, he maintains, is like “dumping grain at the lowest price.”
Indeed, Gallay says he is still receiving summer merchandise for which customers are paying full price. “And they’re thrilled to have it,” he adds.
In contrast, the summer sales at the Calvin Klein and Barney’s stores in South Coast Plaza are in their dwindling last days.
At many stores on Rodeo Drive, however, sales began just this week and will continue through the month, even though some retailers will never deign to put a “Sale” sign in their windows. (Regular customers receive a postcard notifying them of sale dates, but anyone can walk in.)
* Armani is offering discounts of up to 50% on last fall’s merchandise, 40% on cruise wear and 30% on clothes from the current season. That means a woman’s skirted tuxedo suit, which could last a lifetime, is half off $5,345. Silk blouses, both stripes and solids--also in the keep-forever category--range from $680 to $895, less 30%. And although skirts and trousers are not in abundance, separate jackets are--in a range of cuts, colors and fabrics. A teal silk blazer originally priced at $1,870 is now $1,309.
* Chanel has an abundance of seriously frivolous items, including their famous black-toed ballet flats in colored denim or suede (and in lots of colors) for $203 (previously $290), classic Chanel jackets in terry cloth with grosgrain piping for $1,055 (once $1,760), and strapless ballerina tulle gowns in pastel shades for $2,695 (down from $3,850).
The cheapest wardrobe fixes at Chanel are the cotton pareus in a handbag print to tie over leggings, bicycle shorts or a swimsuit for $55, half off their original price.
* At Valentino, it’s possible to walk out looking like Ivana Trump in last month’s Vanity Fair. The poof-skirted strapless cotton pique dress is $973 (reduced from $1,390). On the more practical side are lightweight wool cardigans from Valentino’s moderately priced Oliver collection in a rainbow of colors--yellow, navy, black, coral, tangerine and lime for $172 (once $245).
