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The Thom Browne sample sale kicked off in the designer's West Chelsea showroom this morning, and we know what you're wondering: Yes, the walk from the subway is pretty unbearable in this heat, so much so that we'd maybe recommend skipping it unless you're a big fan of the brand and are willing to drop a few hundred bucks. However, the plus side is that this is a sample sale made almost entirely of actual samples—samples that also happen to be in great shape. So it makes sense that when we arrived around 11:30am, there was a short line of people waiting to get in.
Most shoppers went straight to the men's racks, which included colorful blazers in floral, plaid, and seersucker prints—some with corresponding shorts—for $300 to $400. On the other end, there's outerwear in the $500 to $700 range, including letterman jackets, wool coats, and a particularly spiffy patent leather jacket for $500. Men's shoes include saddle shoes ($275), boat shoes ($100), and oxfords ($275), and there are about six or so giant cardboard boxes full of men's dress shirts ($100) that shoppers seemed to be interested in. iPhone cases, ties, and belts, of which there are plenty, are $50.
Onto the women's section: Shoes, which include embellished pumps, booties, and sandals are all samples in mostly decent shape (and heavy on size 39s) and are available for the relatively reasonable price of $125. The clothing is where the pricing gets trickier, with certain items under $100 (we spotted a silky green top for $75 and a mod plaid pencil skirt for $50) but others nearing quadruple digits. In general, most dresses, tops, and pants are around $300, with certain items (fur and leather, for instance) going up to $900. While there were a few dresses in larger sizes, most veer small. Notable here: clown-striped blazers and dresses ($200 to $500), tons of velvet, and a flower-embellished long red vest for $450.
TLDR: You'll be sweaty when you get there, and you might have to wait to get in (and you'll definitely have to wait to check out). There are no mirrors or fitting rooms, and prices can be expensive—but! Samples are in great shape, and the merchandise is spectacular. You've got until 7pm today and 11am to 7pm tomorrow to check it out.