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When we arrived at today's 3.1 Phillip Lim sample sale preview, which opened to the public a bit before noon, we were greeted with a line of about about a dozen shoppers outside 151 Wooster Street who were no doubt clamoring to get their hands on this sale's big draw: Bags. And of all the 3.1 Phillip Lim sales this reporter has been to, this one had by far the largest selections of bags, including signature styles like the Pashli and the 31 Hour bag.
Of course, they were also by far the sale's most popular area, with the vast majority of shoppers cruising the sale with at least one option — and sometimes up to five or more — in hand. This section took up two large shelves, as well as several tables along the left-hand wall of the space (with the added bonus of one of the few mirrors in the sale).
Of these two signature styles, the 31 Hour was both less coveted and less available. We only spotted two of them, one black and white and one in olive, but both were returned to the stock tables after much deliberation.
As for the Pashlis, we definitely saw them but we're not sure how long they'll last. They were in such high demand that dedicated shoppers spent the entire sale just lingering in the handbag section to see if those who were lucky enough to grab them first may eventually relinquish them. We spotted a wide variety of styles (though almost no repeats of any particular colorway), including backpacks, large, regular, and mini sizes in shades like metallic bronze, holographic, blue/brown, and a blue geometric pattern.
Bag prices are as follows: large bags are selling for $450 (we particularly liked a non-Pashli taupe backpack), medium-sized styles for $300, and small styles for $200. That said — be advised! Regardless of size, all "signature" bags are priced at $450. We noticed that staff is constantly restocking in the handbag/small leather goods area at the moment, ever-so-often materializing from a back room with new styles or reaching into the bins under the tables for overstock. So despite the bag frenzy this morning, you could still have a good shot at a covetable style later in the day.
In non-bag news, shoppers seemed to be drawn primarily to outerwear, with lots of people trying on shearling and fur coats ($650). We really liked a baby blue option with black trim, as well as a patchwork fur coat. We also noticed some basic black leather jackets getting snapped up ($500), but for the more adventurous, there were also unusual metallic leather ponchos. In general, seasonally appropriate clothing reigned supreme, like leather skirts for $350, embellished sweatshirts for $300, and knits for $150.
As far as sizing, most of the clothes are 0 through 6, so smaller frames will do well here. In fact, the biggest size we spotted anywhere was an 8. Pricing on other items included fur vests for $350, coats for $400, trenches for $250, jackets for $175, embellished and long-sleeve tops for $150, other tops for $100, tees for $50, embellished sweaters for $300, other sweaters for $150, skirts for $100, pants/jeans/shorts for $75, evening dresses for $500, cocktail dresses for $400, and remaining dresses for $175 (price lists are posted throughout the sale space, so you don't have to commit this to memory).
All shoes are $100, but the inventory here is disappointing. Footwear is limited in sizes, and what's out is out. We saw lots and lots of sneakers, including reptilian print, black patterned, and high tops with buckles. We also noticed lots of pointed d'Orsay flats, including a holographic-looking print and polka dot, but very little in sizes above a 38 (most of what we saw were 37/37.5).
There is a decent amount of menswear at this sale, but the section was pretty minimally trafficked. Many of the men we saw were shopping mostly accessories, and more women than men were shopping in the men's section, likely on the prowl for oversized outerwear. As far as pricing in outerwear, shearling/fur is $700, leather/suede is $500, trenches are $400, wool is $300, cotton is $250, and denim is $200. Otherwise, you'll find pants for $100, shorts for $75, tops for $100, tees for $50, and sweaters for $150. Size-wise, we saw mostly mediums, but more generally extra-small through mediums dominated.
There is a good selection of glasses and sunglasses ($75) by the register, but they're not very popular. However, it's likely that the $75 pouches and $150 clutches will be among the first items to sell out — it looked like people were practically buying these in bulk.
A strict no-photo policy is enforced at this sale, but we've got approximations of what you'll find in the gallery above. If you're a big fan of Lim's bags, we suggest a trip out to this sale as soon as possible. Check out the Dealfeed below for more details.
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