Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.
The Costume National sample sale that was just announced this morning is happening in Soho, but only if you know where to find it. We stopped by 151 Wooster Street this morning and were a bit baffled to find JOHN VARVATOS SAMPLE SALE signs plastering the windows, and somewhere even more surprised to walk in and find the sale space indeed covered in John Varvatos. A sales associate had to direct us to the back corner of the room — that's where the Costume National sample sale is taking place.
For those of you with a good memory, you know that John Varvatos began a sample sale in December and announced right after Christmas that it would be ongoing — we just didn't realize that mean it'd be going on literally forever. Shoes take up a vast majority of its stock, and there are plenty of shirts and suiting options to browse. We've got snapshots of those, plus the most recent price lists, at the end of the gallery above. For a more in-depth look of what the clothes are like, check out our original report.
Anyway, back to Costume National, because this is why we're here. There are a few racks each for women and men, plus tables for shoes and a section for purses. Just like last year, everything is exactly 75% off whatever's on the tag, which still puts most items firmly in the "splurge" territory rather than "save."
You can get the best sense of what you'll find and how much you'll pay by scrolling through the gallery above, where everything is marked with original and sale prices in the captions. Favorite items included a sheer silk blouse with a black neck tie, a cozy men's sweater for $200, and a neoprene jacket with leather sleeves for $210.
If you're willing to drop serious change on a single item here, make it a handbag. The small self-service selection includes some gorgeous and very structural bags in neutral hues, like a burgundy bucket bag for $430 and an olive green trapezoidal style with thin gold handles.
There's a makeshift changing areas with a couple of mirrors in the opposite corner from Costume National. We didn't need to check our coats or bags when shopping this morning, as this venue typically requires, but be prepared to do so if you go at a busy time. We'd guess that there won't be any further restocking or markdowns here, but will let you know if we get word on either.
The sale runs through Sunday; check out the Dealfeed below for more information.