Barneys Warehouse Sale – Busted Bargains with a Side of Hidden Gems

In this week’s Don’t Miss, we reported that the upcoming Barneys Warehouse Sale would be the last of its kind. Today, the Warehouse’s very pleasant and helpful manager clarified our speculations. He informed us that yes, this would be the final sale within their 255 West 17^th Street space. But starting with their end of summer Warehouse Sale in August/September, they would move a block away. Additionally, Barneys is also relocating their Co-Op store, which closed earlier this month, to a to be determined location. The newly located Warehouse Sale will still feature the classic set-up of past sales we are all used to, but in a slimmer, more condensed fashion as many of their sale stock will be first offered on their permanent sale website: Barneyswarehouse.com. This could potentially mean that the best of the best will be purchased by e-shoppers before making it to the Warehouse. It’s your prerogative from here on out shoppers. To continue on with the tradition of religiously visiting Barneys Warehouse Sale or not is the question. You may be better off stalking the website in order to catch a hot deal before anyone else has a chance, but that will so be determined with a little trial and error.

Today was the first day of the two week long Barneys Warehouse Sale, kicking off with a not so thrilling start. As usual, browsers were buzzing about the shoe and purse section as the Warehouse’s very polite and organized staff tidied up behind them and provided excited shoppers with tote bags to lighten their load.

The trends of the shoe section were platforms, suede, and Greek sandals. A pair of Proenza Schouler Wood Wedge Black Leather Platforms ($629, orig. $1,580, Size 9, pictured) were a stand out, as were the Rick Owens Ankle Wrap Platforms in Bronze and Black ($709, orig. $1,770, pictured), the Derek Lam Black Leather Platforms ($279, orig. $690), Derek Lam Brown Suede Chelsea Peep Toe Heels ($399, orig. $990, pictured) and the wide variety of Greek Sandals by both Barneys CoOp and Ancient Greek Sandals ($100). Be aware that many of these shoes appear weathered, so do be sure to do a careful inspection before charging the designer shoes to your trusty credit card.

A small selection of damaged shoes was on hand on a bleak looking shelf. Here, there was a pair of Manolos for $250 and a pair of Prada heels for $150, but stained and tattered nonetheless.

Typically, the denim section at the Barneys Warehouse Sale is meticulously organized. At past sales, neatly folded denim and cords were arranged according to size and furiously folded by staffers after a shopper’s examination. This time, however, jeans were stacked in boxes, making for messy sorting and frustrating digging. Staffers were still furiously folding, but it made for a much harder task. The denim selection seemed to be a repeat from last year’s sale. I noticed the same colored jeans and corduroys. The stands out in this messy pile included Brown Current Elliott Skinny Jeans ($99), Helmut Lang Bell Bottoms ($159), Coral colored James Jeans ($99), and Rag & Bone Skinny Cords ($105). Note that most, if not all, of the white and beige colored pants appeared dirty.

In the purse section, shoppers were scooping up Marc by Marc Jacobs leather handbags and wallets. Although no great bargain, these bags were indeed cute and worth your consideration. Colored Marc by Marc Jacobs Wallets were $130 and a Magenta Marc by Marc Jacobs handbag was $378, while his adorable Teal Backpack ran for $300, down only $70 from its retail price. For this merchandise, it may be worth waiting for the additional markdowns Barneys will provide in the coming days.

Another change up within Barneys Warehouse Sale was the fact that designer and contemporary wear was intermixed. The less than exciting ready to wear collection featured ripped dresses and pulled sweaters, so again, be sure to launch a full-scale inspection before purchasing. Some highlights of the clothing section included a Band of Outsiders Crochet Dress ($149, orig. $495, pictured), an ALC Peach Jumpsuit ($319, orig. $794, pictured), an interesting Madison Marcus Beige Cocktail Dress ($235, orig. $363), and an Elizabeth & James Mint Blazer ($239, orig. $395, pictured). 3.1 Phillip Lim offered exciting finds, including his Navy Blue Blazer w/ Shoulder Tie ($269, orig. $675, pictured) and a gorgeous Black Cropped Jacket ($339). Also, for those who favor comfort, be sure to sneak a peek at Barneys Jersey Knit Dresses. These are featured in the “blue star” section, indicating an additional 75% off tag prices, making these incredibly soft yet flattering dresses only $20.

The accessory section was dismal. You won’t find much there aside from $2,000 hand painted chairs and Marc by Marc Jacobs iPhone cases.

All in all, although damaged and stained merchandise overpower the true blue steals of the sale, the Barneys Warehouse Sale is always worth a walk through. Even though it may be worth it to focus your attention on their online sect in the future, the Barneys Warehouse Sale is still a staple in a New York City shopper’s life.

WHEN: 2/14 – 2/24;
2/14 – 2/15; Th-F (8-9)
2/16 – 2/17; Sat-Sun (9-8)
2/18 – 2/22; M-F (10-9)
2/23 – 2/24; Sat-Sun (9-8)

WHERE: 255 West 17th Street
(between 7th and 8th Avenues)
New York, NY 10011
212-450-8400.

By Caitlin Colford

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Posted by Caitlin Colford at 09:25 PM
Opinions , SALES , Sample Sale Reviews |