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Hitting the Sample Sales

Friday 7 November 2014
Pierre Herme macarons
pierre herme macarons 3

Earlier this week, I figured that since I was in London for press day to view the new Spring/Summer 2015 collections, I might as well kill two birds with a stone and hit the sample sales too. You might be wondering the lack of photos of the sample sales....... The security is so tight around the manic sales these days that I would appear too conspicuous trying to sneak a photo, lest I risk being bodily thrown out by burly security guards (I've seen a lady being picked up and chucked out by 3 security guards at a Burberry sample sale once!).

The first on my list was The Kooples which was by invitation only. It was held in an obscure warehouse-like location, a 10 minute walk from Liverpool St tube station (unless you have NO sense of direction like me and managed to go the opposite direction while eyeballing Google map on the phone.....it took triple that time). By the time I got there, it was nearly 1.30pm. The place was filled to the brim with racks and clothes, jam packed into a large space with more staff than customers. Prices were........high. Coats were £195, jackets £150, sweaters £55 etc......  The cash registers were eerily silent. I was tempted by a black woolen/cashmere blend coat but £195 wasn't enough of a bargain so I left empty handed.

After dodging many fellow commuters, I managed to make it out of the Underground maze alive. The Matches Fashion sample sale was at the Music Room on South Molton St, a popular destination for most designer brands. Again, coats, bags and anything that could possibly hold an item the size of a guinea pig was stripped off all unsuspecting bargain hunters. This time, I was prepared. I arrived with my Chanel WOC which wasn't even big enough to stuff a pint sized Stuart Little.

The racks and tables were picked clean by vultures bargain hunters. All that was left were dozens of Issey Miyake garments with discounted price tags that made my eye watered. Regardless, I must've missed an awesome sale seeing how the queue at the checkout snaked around the room.

Feeling somewhat dejected by my lack of success (shopping wise), I hopped over to Selfridges to try out the DRKSHDW range by Rick Owens The affable sales associate couldn't find what I wanted in the stock room. Yes, apparently, Rick Owens has a cult following.......and his clothes fly out the shelves as soon as they're unpacked. Sigh.

See those Pierre Hermé macarons? You're probably wondering why there are photos of macarons instead of clothes. They're a consolation prize for my lack of success during my short stint at bargain hunting. If shopping becomes a pain, there's always macarons...........

For those of you who live in the U.K, here's a list of upcoming sample sales this month. My favorites are Maje, Chinti & Parker as well as Nicholas Kirkwood. Have you had any success at sample sales lately? Do tell.

9 comments:

  1. Like you say there are always macarons.

    If only I lived nearer to London - I quite fancy the Bella Freud sample sale.

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  2. God that Matches sample sale sounds absolutely mad! It's always good to go and check them out though even if you come away empty handed - and well, macarons are a pretty good consolation prize :)

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    1. It was mad. Either I missed a pretty darn good sale or everyone just scrambled around to buy anything.

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  3. I've not had much success in the last few years at sample sales either, however I am in London next week and near The Music Room one so was planning on popping in to that one, just in case. Shame the prices aren't what they should be x

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    1. Some of the other ones are actually held by a third party near Liverpool St. Not sure I'll bother to go to the next one.

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  4. I feel your frustration Marlene. Oh well hope You enjoyed the goodies x

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  5. Thank you for sharing these sample sales Marlene! It's my birthday this month so I might just *have* to head to the Maje and Sandro ones :)

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