New York Bargains

The Great ‘Scape

colette — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 10:00:18 +0000

The sky’s the limit when dealing with the latest trend in cityscape décor. Take your pick from the Paris, Stockholm, Helsinki, or Toyko skylines which inspired designer Elina Aalto to create her black perforated Better Views roller blinds with cut outs made to mimic the city’s nighttime appearance.

The subtle illusion comes with a hefty $470 sticker though so you may want to opt for woven View from Brooklyn shades ($345) for which the price tag for a view of Manhattan is easier to swallow when you reason that the shades double as anti-UV ray screens.

But why limit yourself when you can go for a wider statement and take to the walls with decals.

No need to splurge for Wall Slicks’ skyline sticky ($120) when you can glue down the same look for a third the price on Etsy.

And for the little kiddies, blik offers their City by Boodalee graphics ($55) which come with a cartoon cityscape complete with bridges and double-decker buses.

Landscaping never sounded quite as easy!

-Wendy

Sample Sales and Warehouse Sales

BOSS — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:05:24 +0000

What are “Sample Sales”? The term could mean several things and is used frequently these days, often inaccurately. The original term meant just that, a designer getting rid of whatever samples they had in the showroom. The sample sales were used to preview a line, they were used just for show and they didn’t come in all sizes. However, our constant desire to score good bargains has created a market and the retail business has decided to use the term to also discard excess merchandise.

What are “Warehouse Sales”? Warehouse Sales are organized by agencies of a brand or department stores to get rid of previous season(s) overstock or things they overproduced. The term comes from the location of the sale, traditionally a warehouse. One of the most popular warehouse sales is organized by Barney’s which draws long lines for bargain seeking stylish New Yorkers.
What is the difference between a sample sale and a warehouse sale? The difference between a sample sale and a warehouse sale is that at sample sales, the clothes might be worn already and unless you are a perfect size TWO they might not be your size. Warehouse sales have a larger stock and although some clothes might have been tried on before at a warehouse sale as well, you will find some brand new ones as well. The chance to get a more recent model increases at a true sample sale as show rooms need to be emptied at the end of a season, while a warehouse sale will most likely have items from a season or more ago.

What are the new trends in the “Sample Sales” field? Increasingly popular, especially in New York and LA, a “Sample Sale” has become a generic term for sales events for designer merchandise. They are organized by designers, PR agencies for designers, agencies or just third party companies who are in the business of organizing “sample sales”. There are venues in New York dedicated to this kind of sale event and websites dedicated to informing people of them. It is important to understand what kind of sale you intend to visit, who is organizing it and to check for reviews for previous events for that brand/designer/agency to find out before you make the trip if it’s worth it.

Madoff sufferers sell off heirloom jewelry.

colette — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:03:53 +0000

[New Yorker] Madoff’s big Ponzi Scheme has greatly changed the jewelry market. Those who lost their funds in Madoff’s scheme are now resorting to selling off heirlooms, vintage and one of a kind jewelry with the hopes that collectors will buy their items allowing them to get back tiny pieces of the life they used to live. [New Yorker]

L’Occitane En Organic!

colette — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 21:45:10 +0000

[WWD] L’Occitane en Provence for decades has been producing natural skin products is launching in the Spring its first collection of organic facial skin care products; Organic Olive Oil Cream Based Care. The French line will also introduce an antiaging, organic skin care item called Imortelle, in February. [WWD]

Showroom Seven theft in the city of angels.

colette — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 21:37:02 +0000

[WWD] Showroom Seven’s Los Angeles office has unexpected vistors the early morning of January 1st; burglars. Fashion savvy theives managed to steal around $300,000 worth of merchandise from the showroom at the Cooper Design Space. [WWD]

Louis Vuitton to transform Soho store; Sprouse style!

colette — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 21:33:40 +0000

[WWD] Louis Vuitton’s new collection by artist designer Steven Sprouse will have a home of its own; Soho. The Louis Vuitton boutique on Soho’s Greene Street will be transformed [WWD]

Calypso founder to open new store.

colette — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 21:26:12 +0000

[WWD] Calypso founder Christian Celle is back on the retail scene with Clic Bookstore & Gallery. Never having the time to spend on her love of photography & art books, with the purchase of a large majority of stock in Calpyso by Solera Capital LLC, Celle is now able to focus on her passion. [WWD]

Best for Furnishings for your Home: BoConcept

colette — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 21:10:46 +0000

BoConcept

NYC Locations
144 W 18th Street Telephone: 646 336 8188
105 Madison Avenue Telephone: 212 686 8188
69 Greene Street Telephone: 212 966 8188
220 East 57th Street Telephone: 212 355 8188

Find great furniture that suits everyone’s taste!

Best Orignial Lighting: Artemide

colette — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:56:03 +0000

Artemide

The USA National Headquarters
1980 New Highway
Farmingdale, New York 11735
Telephone: 631 694 9292

Distinctive lighting fixtures!

Best Rare & Original Carpets: Odegard

colette — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:50:32 +0000

Odegard
200 Lexington Avenue Suite 1206
New York, NY 10016
Telephone: 212 545 0069

Rare carpets to make your home truly unique!