Greta Jenkins

Nanette Lepore Sample Sale Review

17 June 2015

The Nanette Lepore sale is not for the faint of heart. The racks of the designer’s West 35th Street showroom are stuffed to the brim with her bright, eclectic designs, as well as vintage pieces from her personal collection. If you aren’t afraid of bright colors, crowded showrooms, or navigating a confusing pricing system, this sale may be for you.

For those willing to dig around, you’ll find some real gems. The table of $45 shoes was popular, with women crowding around to try on funky, holographic heels. The clothing tended to be a size small, with a few mediums and extra smalls here and there. There is a communal fitting room, and shoppers were encouraged to try the shoes by walking around the showroom.

The prices are good—if you can figure out what they are. There are four different pricing systems: new production, old production, samples that look like new production, and samples that look like old production. The sale is only divided into two categories, however; if you find a sample dress, for example, you’ll need outside help determining whether it is $50 or $75.

Luckily, all the showroom attendants are clad in the same shade of neon yellow, so you’ll have no problem flagging one down to ask. In a few cases, however, I could not get a definitive answer until asking the cashier.

There are also a few sections of the sale with their own pricing. The vintage section boasted $10-$20 finds, but many were in less-than-optimal condition. There is also a rack of damaged pieces for dirt-cheap prices, and a rack of 4 for $10 slips.

Near the cash register there are some other bits and pieces: leather purses for $60, straw totes for $75, $10 belts, and $8 bracelets. There is also an assortment of more expensive, price-as-marked jewelry.

There will be no restocking, and the attendants were not certain about whether there would be further markdowns. The sale runs from 9am to 7am, through Thursday the 18th.