Since Richard Chai shares an address with Ted Baker, we almost walked into the wrong sale at 107 Grand Street yesterday afternoon. But a quick buzz into the right building and elevator ride to the 7th floor will get you to the designer's showroom and sale area (while a quick glance at the other side of the room will give you a view of their dress forms, where the clothes on offer were designed). We were greeted by a friendly salesperson, and found only one other person browsing the racks, making for a rare and relaxing shopping experience. And! Not only were there shoes in addition to the tops and pants arranged neatly on the racks, but many of those shoes happen to be Manolo Blahniks—ones that were previously worn on the runway.
The Manolo flats and heels, as well as Chai's shoes, ran from $150 to $250 (up to $400 for boots), while practical tops and pants ranged from $100 to $150. Simple grey cotton dresses went for $100, and the least expensive items at the sale were skirts and shorts starting at $90. There was a limited selection of each item, but then again, there didn't seem to be anyone making a mad dash at the sale. Maybe that's for the best, since it means shoppers can browse and slip into models' Manolos at peace.—Daniella Lavian
