The Shophound

SAMPLE SALE PREVIEW: The New And Improved GANT Sample Sale Starts Today

To be honest, The Shophound was a little bit concerned that the GANT Sample Sale was going to happen while we were gallivanting around Los Angeles last week, but we were happy to discover that the sale would be taking place the week after we came home ...and spent all our money on vacation. Oh well... It opens to the public today.

This seasonal sale has become such a sleeper hit, that the folks at Gant have finally moved it out of their midtown showroom and into the popular facility at 260 Fifth Avenue that most seasoned New York sample sale shoppers will be very familiar with. Yesterday, there was a mid-afternoon VIP preview, but the folks at Gant kindly asked us not to encourage non-invitees to try their luck at early entry because there was, in fact a strictly enforced guest list, this season. At a quarter to three, there was already a sizable line outside in the light drizzle (above), but we got inside quickly ince the doors opened at three o'clock, and here's what we can report about the new version of the sale —mostly pros, and a few cons.

PRICES: You can click on the list below to see that the prices are a little bit higher than in past seasons (boo!) but not by much (yay!). The days of all pants for $20 each may be over, but $35 is still a pretty damn good deal for pants that start at around $100 and go up from there at retail. You can still take home a pretty sizable haul for a fraction of what you would pay at full price. And there are some steals to be had, particularly in accessories like belts for $20 including handmade pieces from Sweden's Tärnsjö Tannery that retail for $175.
Click below to enlarge as clear a shot as we could get of the price list.

SAMPLES: As regular shoppers of this sale know, the sale really consists almost entirely of vast amounts of showroom samples. That has usually meant only trimly cut Mediums from the Rugger and Gant by Michael Bastian labels and more generous fitting Mediums and Larges from the main Gant brand. This season, however, shopper will find a bit more STOCK (yay!) from previous seasons. That means there are a few styles in full size runs, particularly in outerwear from Rugger and Bastian. If you are a Small, XL or even an XXL who has been shut out of previous Gant sales, you may be in luck.

SELECTION: It's the same as you have come to remember: a TON of shirts, sweaters and pants. This time, thanks to more space, almost everything is hanging on racks, and there are now attendants behind some of the tables to help you rummage through cartons of accessories and boxes of shoes. Somehow, this makes it both easier and harder to shop, since sizes were almost instantly jumbled, and some of the racks were so crammed that it was difficult to see the merchandise, so have some patience, and hone your sixth shopping sense. The arrangement is somewhat random as well, with some jackets over here and some over there, etc. Thoroughness counts here, especially since all three labels are mixed in together.

All things considered, this is the Gant sale you have come to know and love, just in a more convenient location with more space. Will prices get slashed to Walmart levels on the last day? Are they ever not? Just remember, this season the last day is on Saturday instead of Friday, but if you had your heart set on grabbing a pair of the Michael Bastian Watermelon Camo cut-off cargo shorts, don't get your hopes up. We got what we're pretty sure was the only pair.
Sorry.

The GANT Sample Sale through May 19th at 260 Fifth Avenue between 28th & 29th Streets, Midtown.
Tuesday through Friday: 10 AM - 8PM
Saturday: 10 AM - 5 PM

THIS WEEK ONLINE: L'Wren Scott, Nina Ricci, Giuseppe Zanotti, Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino, Frette, Helmut Lang, Stella McCartney, Proenza Schouler, Céline

Here is your weekly sampling of some of the brands you can expect to find on the bigger online Flash Sale Sites this week. You should click over to the sites themselves for a full schedule of events, and be sure to check for the correct start time for each sale. Happy clicking!

GILT GROUPE

Cut 25, L'Wren Scott/Nina Ricci, Pink Tartan, Ella Moss, Giuseppe Zanotti, Doves Fine Jewelry, The Cue, Dolce & Gabbana, Theory, Jean-Michel Cazabat, Marchesa Handbags, Gryphon, Blush Lingerie, Sachin + Babi, Kelsi Dagger, Theyskens' Theory, L.A.M.B., Milly, Seychelles, Laundry by Shelli Segal, Ali Ro, Nanette Lepore, Tahari Outerwear, Calvin Klein Underwear —join HERE

GILT MAN

Hyden Yoo, Berge Belts, Mason's, WeSC, NUMBER:Lab, New Balance Apparel, Dolce & Gabbana, Theory, Valentino, Titan Luggage, Tretorn, Scott James, Burkman Bros & Save Khaki, GANT Rugger/GANT Eyewear, Vaishing Elephant, Incotex, Duchamp, Hickey Freeman —join HERE

GILT HOME & CHILDREN

Frette, Pasadena Bath, Emile Henry and Duralex, Vioski Furniture Launch, Mirror Image, Donna Karan Home, Alex Hampton, Little Artist: Alex Toys, Design History Dresses & More, Keep Shoes, Wonder Forge, Fancy Nancy + More, Pez D'or Maternity Swimwear —join HERE

RUE LA LA

BCBG Max Azria, Buffalo David Bitton, Momeni Rugs, Nixon Watches, Helmut Lang, Judith Leiber, John Varvatos, Butter, SFERRA 1891, Karma Living, Stella McCartney, Raymond Weil, Lucky Brand, Max and Cleo, Bougainvillea, Arche Shoes, Tom Ford Sunglasses —join HERE

BELLE & CLIVE

Proenza Schouler, Pour La Victoire, T Bags, Just A Cheap Shirt, Givenchy, Chan Luu, Gucci, Kenneth Cole, Jimmy Choo, Rebecca Minkoff, Céline, TODS, Armani, Miu Miu, Matt Bernson, Members Only, Projek Raw —join HERE

IDEELI

Cosabella, Enzo Angiolini, Gianfranco Ferré, Jones New York, Lucky Brand, Dolce Vita, Amourette, Emilio Pucci, Spode, Alex and Ani, Diane von Furstenberg, Gucci, Hello Kitty, Tahari —join HERE

ONE KINGS LANE

Evergreen, BonJour Cookware, APF Munn Mirrors, Parvez Taj, Candice Olson, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, Haute Papier, David Hicks & Jack Larsen Rugs, Belle Meade Furniture, Cuisinart, Bashian Rugs, Arteriors —join HERE

MY HABIT

Rick Owens DRKSHDW & LILIES, Mezlan Shoes, Cerruti Men's Accessories, TailorByrd, Antony Morato, Tom Ford Sunglasses, O'Neill Lifestyle Apparel for Boys, ORG Bedding, Carrera Sunglasses, New Balance, Ivanka Trump, Tommy Bahama Bedding, Cruciani, Elie Tahari, Michael Kors Sunglasses, Andre Assous —join HERE

VENTE PRIVEE

Santoni, Just Cavalli, UMI Shoes, Elle Macpherson Intimates —join HERE

FAB.com

Angela Adams, Umbra, The Quality Mending Co., ZutGlazz, FLüD Watches, The Bungaloo, Escali Scales, Kidrobot, Core Bamboo, FLOR, Integral Designs —join HERE

GLAM NETWORK SPONSORED POST: It's Prints This Summer From AG Adriano Goldschmeid

JON CARAMANICA GOES SHOPPING: French Convenience Edition

Today's Thursday Styles features Critical Shopper Jon Caramanica's visit to New York's latest French import, Maison Kitsuné in the NoMad Hotel on the edge of what he charitably calls "the Perfume District" (or what we like to call the Cheap Wig, Perfume and Sunglasses District). Our shopper is unexpectedly enchanted by the brand's refined, super slim versions of classic men's clothes, and sees it as the follow up to that other French favorite A.P.C., which has been sullied by having the nerve to expand its retail network and wholesale its products to other stores to meet demand (Kitsuné is also sold at Barneys and online through Mr. Porter as well as in other boutiques in New York).

In the end, he has given into more than just the allure of the clothes,

Taken all together, this adds up to a uniform. And the Kitsuné concept of uniformity encompasses more than the body. More than a clothing company, it’s a full-service lifestyle-improvement enterprise: clothes for the body, music for the ears (the “Kitsuné America” compilation was just released), maybe someday low-key inspirational speeches for the mind, accompanied by cheek kisses and some grimy hair gel.

Sounds like a cult. Tread lightly.

Critical Shopper: Invisibility, All in Good Taste By Jon Caramanica (NYTimes)
Maison Kitsuné 1170 Broadway at 28th Street, Madison Square-ish

COLLABORATION ANTICIPATION: ODIN Meets Target This September

A couple of days ago we heard about Kirna Zabête's selection as one of the next retailers for the Shops at Target program, and today brings the news that one of The Shophound's favorite men's stores, ODIN will also be featured along with San Francisco's The Curiosity Shoppe.

Odin founders Eddy Chai and Paul Birardi (pictured above with images from their store, not the upcoming collection) have created an exclusive line of sweaters, henleys, button-downs, pants, shoes and accessories that reflect their store's singular aesthetic. Target tells us that the line is meant to appeal to "both the sartorially savvy and the guy who’s worn the same pair of jeans his whole life". The line will appear in Target stores and online on September 9th along with collections from the other two stores and and more retailer to be announced on Thursday, so stay tuned.

It’s a Man’s World: Introducing Odin at Target (A Bullseye View/Target.com)
ODIN New York (Official Site)
Previously:
Scents In Space: ODIN Creates A Pop-Up Environment For Its Fragrances

POP-UP ALERT: Herman Miller Launches Its New Collection With A SoHo Pop-Up

The Shophound is still traipsing around Los Angeles right now, but we couldn't help noticing that back home in New York, Herman Miller, the legendary furniture and design brand is opening a Pop-Up store in SoHo today to introduce the Herman Miller Collection, the company's current portfolio of modern furniture designs from contemporary designers, iconic figures like Charles and Ray Eames, Isamu Noguchi and important designers of the past whose names may be less well known like Ward Bennett, whose striking scissor chair is pictured on the left in the image above. PSFK tells us that the Pop-Up will run during New York Design Week and through the month of July, and will include artwork from galleries in the area as well as a curated accessory area with items chosen specifically to coordinate with Herman Miller's distinctive modernist design aesthetic.

Herman Miller Pop Up Shop, May 9th through July 1st at 68 Wooster Street between Spring & Broome Streets, Soho
Herman Miller New York Popup Shop Can Furnish An Entire Home Art And All (PSFK)

THE SHOPHOUND ON THE ROAD: Can L.A.'s Fred Segal Be Replicated In New York ...Or Anywhere Else?

How convenient that just as The Shophound arrived in sunny Los Angeles, WWD announced that Fred Segal, the quintessential California retailer, had sold the rights to its name, intellectual property and brand extensions to New York based company called Sandow Media. The new steward of the brand promised new product lines, a revamped web presence (much needed) and an international expansion program including new stores in New York, Miami, Las Vegas and the shopping capitals of Europe and Asia.

More Fred Segal could only be a good thing, right? Over the past month we have asked many of the industry professional we cross paths with which stores we should be seeking out on our trip to L.A., and among the many they recommended, every one said, "You're going to Fred Segal, right?".

Hey, give us some credit. We have always held the store in high regard since our first visit in the late 1990s, but we have to admit that we were really only familiar with the West Hollywood branch that is mostly taken over by Ron Herman's renowned boutique. For anyone not familiar with the way Fred Segal's business concept works, it is not the kind of luxury boutique we are used to with a leading merchant and singular point of view, but rather an amalgam of separate departments each run independently by what WWD calls "employee-owners" that range from couture to cafes to beauty boutiques to home furnishings and a yoga studio all under the same roof with many incorporating the Fred Segal name into their stores. There is Fred Segal Trend, Fred Segal Man, Fred Segal Finery, The Parliament at Fred Segal and so on and so forth, each a separate business with what appears to be an unwritten rule that no vendor will be repeated from one department to the next in the same location. Ron Herman is the rare exception who has other locations outside of the Fred Segal umbrella. Most of the operators seem happy to trade on their landlord/partner's name and benefit from its legendary draw.

Over the weekend, we made it a point to finally take a look at the original Santa Monica Fred Segal complex on two corners of Broadway and 5th Street. We were expecting something similar to the Melrose Avenue store that we were familiar with, but instead found a deceptively sprawling complex not unlike the city of Los Angeles itself with one shop/neighborhood leading into another with a similar but slightly different character and each presenting a carefully curated mix of familiar and independent brands formulated to make a its own fashion statement. It is also marked by excellent sales staffs. When one skilled associated expressed interest in the Burkman Brothers shirt we were wearing, he smoothly led us over to another made by a Japanese brand we had never seen before that he thought we would appreciate, and had we been in a free-spending mood, we would have instantly snapped it up and asked him to show us everything else he thought we might like. He had a laid-back, but sharply observant style of selling that fits Southern California well and offers a welcome contrast to the kind of over-eager, in-your-face attention we find all too often even in some of New York's more rarefied stores.

THIS WEEK ONLINE: Valentino, Calypso St. Barth, Giambattista Valli, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Jay Godfrey, Richard Chai, Derek Lam, Marni, Sabre, YSL

Here is your weekly sampling of some of the brands you can expect to find on the bigger online Flash Sale Sites this week. You should click over to the sites themselves for a full schedule of events, and be sure to check for the correct start time for each sale. Happy clicking!

GILT CITY

THE GILT GROUPE WAREHOUSE SALE happens for Gilt members on Saturday, May 19th at The Altman Building in Chelsea with a late Friday Night Preview available while tickets last. This is almost always a great seasonal sale if you can get there as early as possible. Four strict, ticketed shopping sessions are scheduled from Friday evening to Saturday Afternoon priced from $20 to $10. Even the later sessions have proven to be worthwhile shopping at a reduced ticket price. —join HERE

GILT GROUPE

Karen Zambos Vintage Couture, Calypso St. Barth, Miha, ViZ Swimwear, SmashBox, RED Valentino, Addison Story, Alexandre Birman, Giambattista Valli, 3.1 Phillip Lim/Ports 1961, Calvin Klein Underwear, Jay Godfrey, Roberto Coin, Butter, Shoshanna, Pour La Victoire, Earnest Sewn, Torn by Ronny Kobo, Zoe & Sam, Ava & Aiden, Beyond Yoga —join HERE

GILT MAN

Raf Simons, PF Flyers, Richard Chai, Morgenthal Fredericks, A. Testoni, Rogue, C/89, Calvin Klein Suiting, Titan Luggage, Black Tie Luxury, Just Cavalli, John Varvatos, Ted Baker, Spitfire Sunglasses, Weekend Wear —join HERE

GILT HOME & CHILDREN

Blissliving, Michael Aram India, Moroccan Style featuring Rugs and Poufs, Kartell, Bohemian Chic Space, Flurescent Palace, Hotel Bedding, Odegard Rugs, Addie & Ella Girls' Apparel, Pacific Playtents, Pippa & Julie Dresses and more, Project Nursery: A Modern Fairytale, NUKA Maternity, Miniclasix, Hippopotamus Boy + Girl Apparel, L'Amour & Angel, Get Ready For Camp!, We Love Color —join HERE

RUE LA LA

Frette, Final Sales for Men, Women, Kids & Home, Guildmaster, Gottex, LAGOS, Tommy Hilfiger Home, Espalma, Daniblack —join HERE

BELLE & CLIVE

Stella McCartney, Vince Camuto, Report Collection, Tom Ford, Monika chiang, Prada, Kenneth Cole, Y-3, Chloé, Beyond Rings, ADAM, Gucci, Paul Smith, Hermès, Wyatt, Scott James, Lords of Liverpool —join HERE

IDEELI

Bric's, Baby Aspen, Carolee, Charles Jourdan, Juicy Couture, Scala/BG Haute, Sharagano, Smitten, Aidan Mattox, London Fog, Matisse/Coconuts, Muse, Waterford, Marika, Wink, Badgley Mischka/Adrienne Maloof, Timberland, Vince Camuto, W118 by Walter Baker —join HERE

ONE KINGS LANE

Divne Designs, Charleston Forge Furniture, Modern Nomad Rugs, William Stafford Prints, Kassatex, Rita Wilson AM/FM, Designers Guild, Mehraban Rugs, The Lamp Boutique, Zentique, Trevor James Vintage, Kinetic Rugs, Core Bamboo, Peacock Alley, Victoria & Richard Tabletop, Hutton Home, Jiun Ho Inc. Jaipur Rugs, John Robshaw, Madera —join HERE

HAUTE LOOK

7 For All Mankind, Muuba, Matiko, Pixi & Pop, Core Bamboo, Judith Leiber Sunglasses, Kid Robot, Ona Ehrlich, Converse, Alternative Apparel, VIVIENNE Vivienne Tam, Orla Kiely, Kelsi Dagger, Rachel Pally, BCBGeneration, Kenneth Cole, Yoon, MIA, Sebago, Amrita Singh —join HERE

MY HABIT

Luciano Barbera, Fremont, Akiko, Z Spoke Handbags, Babo Botanicals, Sabre, KitchenAid, Bikkembergs Sunglasses, Chaiken and Capone, L.A.M.B, JJ Cole, Yves Saint Laurent, Incase, Doo.Ri, Marni, Derek Lam, Bruno Magli, Dr. Brandt —join HERE

VENTE PRIVEE

Wolford, Calvin Klein Collection, Primigi, Bric's, Tretorn —join HERE

FAB.com

Leah Singh Jewelry, Ten Strawberry Street, Anna Shoes, Random House, Nambé, Walls 360, Bookman, Lambretta Watches, Housefish, Smart Planet, Planet Flops, Blue Q, Chive —join HERE

THE SHOPHOUND ON THE ROAD: Coast To Coast

The Shophound is in transit today, on our way to sunny Los Angeles, California for a week. We have a long list of stores to check out in L.A. so look out for some reports on West Coast shopping next week, and if you have any suggestions, be sure to send them to us HERE.

COLLABORATION ANTICIPATION: Anna Dello Russo Makes Her Retail Debut This Fall With H&M

The tireless folks at H&M have just announced its first Fashion Editor collaboration collection with the sparkly, walking Christmas Tree known as Anna Dello Russo (pictured at right). The Fashion Director at Large and Creative Consultant at Vogue Nippon (Japan) will launch a line of accessories (pictured above) this October 4th which apears to include everything from shoes to handbags to jewelry and sunglasses, none of it minimalist in any sense. In the press release, Dello Russo says, "I wanted to create precious accessories that are impossible to find," and the line will be available in only 140 of H&M's stores worldwide. So far, there's no price range announced, but, it's H&M, so we expect things to be generally affordable.

The chain released a promotional video (embedded below), and it's worth watching if only for the glimpse into Dello Russo's meticulously organized pantyhose drawer, as well as the rest of her house, which basically appears to be one giant closet. Watch her say "Everything precious. Everything sparkly," and while holding up a clanking charm bracelet, "They make-a sound bling bling." It's kind of hilarious, but it changed The Shophound's opinion of her from tiresome costumed attention-hog to generally loopy eccentric (that's an upgrade). We have to give her some kind of credit for specifically identifying herself a fashion victim, not a fashion icon.
Points for self awareness.