The cold kept some away, but the devoted still came in droves to snap up this season's designer booty at the opening day of the Barneys Warehouse Sale,
With prime positioning at the entrance, the for-now overflowing shoe racks were the first to inspire the mayhem we know and love from the Barneys sale. Within the hour, the aisles were crammed, but women were still being polite to one another. (Wow!)
The jeans selection was great, with piles of rag & bone, Current/Elliott, J Brand, and lots more going for less than $100; a staffer even offered up search and style assistance. Outerwear was also in stock, with lots of leather by Prada, Mike & Chris, Rogan, and Wayne, and a spectacular full-length YSL formal evening coat slashed by about $1,000.
The orderly arrangement on the designer racks featured the typical first-day prices, with some beautiful Lanvin trousers and tons of dresses hovering in the $500 range, down from $2,000+. Balenciaga also abounded, and there were treasures from designers like Sophie Theallet, Juan Carlos Obando, Ann Demeulemeester, and Bottega Veneta. We spied some prime Marc Jacobs gowns and YSL cocktail dresses as well. Cashmere was still stacked high, but we didn't see many bags.
The men's section downstairs held a healthy, albeit somewhat calmer crowd - we were shocked when we showed up to find a 15-person line with more boys than girls - with an assortment heavy on the accessories.
As the sale marches on into the days of fashion week, it'd be best to take advantage of the cold to pop over while the crowds are still under control. But one never knows, the early birds are also the diehard shopper-soldiers, so it can be a warzone in there nonetheless.
Get more intel from our renegade shopper-blogger friends:
