Barneys' End-of-Season Pre-Sale Has Already Begun

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The season has just begun, but Barneys New York is already signaling the beginning of the end. Madison Avenue Spy is reporting that the department store has begun its pre-sale, and lots of fall collections are 40% off across all categories — men, women, bags, shoes, what have you. Pre-sales are a little tricky, because you typically need to have a good relationship with a brand's sales associate (read: you buy a lot of it full-price) to take advantage. But as the shopping blog explains, first-timers are able to grab these deals now with a little smart maneuvering.

So what can you get for close to half-off right now? It might be easier to list what you can't get. The Spy writes that the sale currently includes bags from Saint Laurent, Fendi, and Givenchy, plus shoes from what reads like a celebrity's very organized closet: Manolo Blahnik, Valentino, Aquazzara ,and "select styles of Christian Louboutin."

If you're not keen on fishing for the discount just yet, expect it to go public on December 1st. But if you don't need your present to arrive under the tree, hold out until after Christmas, when discounts will drop to 60% off and eventually up to 75% off in the new year.