Why This Jimmy Choo Sample Sale Is a Must-Shop

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Despite reports to the contrary, the Jimmy Choo sample sale is opening to the public tomorrow morning at Metropolitan Pavilion — but that didn't stop dozens of shoppers from lining up on West 18th Street in the rain this morning, when the doors opened to just VIP shoppers. We went up to the event space's 4th floor to check out what's on offer this time around and were happy to find that there was a greater variety in shoe styles (read: more than just sky-high stilettos) this time around.

Shoes are grouped by size on and around tables lining the walls and bound together by zip ties, which both indicate a pair's price and also make them fairly difficult to try on. And don't ask sales associates to remove them — signs indicating that they can't be cut are just as frequent as pricing lists.

Here's what you'll pay: Women's shoes start at $200 and go up to $375, save for the special collection pairs in plastic bags next to the small leather goods that go for $500, and we noticed that most pairs were going for either $250 or $325. Meanwhile, men's shoes are $250 and boots are $325.

Handbag prices start at $250 for small ones and go up to $450 for the largest styles, with a $200 surcharge if it's made with exotic skins. There was plenty of minaudieres going around for $350, too. Finally, small leather goods like card holders and jewelry trays start at $75.

Taking a quick scan through the huge shoe piles (so many 37s and 37.5s!), we noticed more sneakers, flats, and sandals with chunky heels than in years past, making this sale even more of a temptation than it usually is because you'll get more mileage — literally — out of a pair that doesn't require balancing practice to wear. And as far as damages go, we noticed more wear-and-tear on the handbags than on the shoes.

A sales associate told us that thousands of items were pulled from its warehouses for this event, which is running for three days total this year instead of its usual two. In other words, it's a pretty safe bet that VIPs didn't wipe out everything for themselves today.

If you're looking for a new pair of shoes, the brand is opening its doors at an office-friendly 8am tomorrow morning to help beat the inevitable crowds — check out more details on when you can stop by in the Dealfeed below.