Now’s Your Chance to Hit Upscale Shops for Big Markdowns
If you’ve ever been tempted to shop in the city’s high-end stores, now is the time. At this point in the after-holiday frenzy of markdowns and end-of-season clearances it takes a bit of hunting, but some great buys can still be had. They range from clothes so expensive that they’re out of bounds even at 50% off to reductions that out-Loehmann Loehmann’s.
Remember all those Versace ads with model Christy Turlington in the S&M; bondage dress? It’s now $1,900, half the original price. And the leopard-print silk ball gown that reigned in the window of Valentino? At 40% off, it’s a mere $4,805. A pair of Ferragamo pumps will be a bargain at $129 when the store’s sale begins Sunday.
Department stores including I. Magnin, Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus ran big markdowns (25% or 30% on top of the sale price) last weekend, so they’ve been picked over by now. But the astute shopper can ferret out a few great finds.
I. Magnin had an impressive selection of dresses and sportswear on the couture floor marked 60% to 70% off, and that sale continues. A red wool Chanel dress was $1,044, down from $2,610, while YSL’s cashmere cardigans were similarly reduced. At Neiman’s, the bargain hunting hits a fever pitch Jan. 18. That’s the date of Last Call, the granddaddy of all sales, when everything is reduced as much as 65%. While you may still find the Christian Lacroix, Gianfranco Ferre or Geoffrey Beene suits and dresses upstairs, the shoe department will probably be the best bet. Look for Chanel, Walter Steiger, Charles Jourdan, Manolo Blahnik, Bottega Veneta and Cole Haan.
While most department stores are at the end of their sales, the boutiques are just getting started. Some have discreet signs in their windows announcing sales. Others, such as Fred Hayman Beverly Hills and Madeleine Gallay, put up big signs--a no-no in better years. Still others avoid banners or slashed hang tags altogether.
At Valentino, the fall/winter clothes are 30% to 40% off. But you wouldn’t know by looking. “No, it’s not marked,” says one salesperson. “That’s why we’re here to help you.” In the shop’s sportier (and much cheaper) Olivier section, everything is half price. A good buy: a double-breasted wool blazer in bright solid colors that was originally $835.
Bargains are relative, of course; the woman who had her eye on that $10,000 crocodile bag at Gucci might be delighted to see it for $5,000. Those who don’t want to pay the price of a small car should try the room to the left, where leather bags are 40% to 50% off, in the $250 to $450 range.
Ferragamo will mark 30% to 40% off its fall bags, scarves and clothes in its big sale beginning Sunday. Spectator pumps once costing $265 will be $169, and suede loafers will go for $220 to $149. The men’s side has equivalent markdowns in shoes and clothing, including the intricate signature ties, which are $49 (formerly $85).
Down the street, Fred Hayman’s shoe department, a treasure box of innovative shoes, has been looted. But there are still great finds if you’re not a 7 1/2 or 8--or looking for platforms, which sold out at full price. You can find Thierry Mugler’s cut-out sling shoes 30% off (now $290 and $315), and Karl Lagerfeld’s hippie boots for $560 (down from $800).
One of the best shoe stops is Madeleine Gallay, where Manolo Blahnik shoes are 50% off. The beautiful and exotic sculptured gold leather mule with beading, for example, was $850 and is now $425.
The sale at Charles Gallay, across the street, starts today. While not a big one, it has some beauties: Some of its unusual Missoni knits are marked down 40% to 50%; Montana’s wool suits are down 40% (that means about $1,200 instead of around $2,000) and all the seasonal shoes are marked down 50%.
At Jennifer Joanou, on La Brea, there were long, high-waisted, black wool boucle skirts at $220 (now $110) and a few long silk dresses ($390 marked down to $195). All sportswear and dresses are marked down 50%.
Those who love black should make a beeline for Ice, where the black fall/winter separates are being cleared out to make way for the cream and other light colors of spring clothes. The sale begins today and everything is half price.
Chanel lovers will want to visit the store Saturday, when selected sportswear and jewelry are marked down 30%. But if you have your eye on a Chanel handbag, forget it. That’s one item that never goes on sale.
