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Update: There's been more markdowns! See our most recent sale report here.
Bring a friend with you to the latest Helmut Lang and Theory sample sale—you'll need all the help you can get to cover the extensive selection of merchandise. We received an early preview of the sale this morning, but hung around until the floodgates doors opened to see shoppers go nuts over what's essentially damaged goods.
You'll find only samples and slight irregulars on the floor, and the sale host is quick to point that out with yellow signs dotting the floor instructing a thorough examination of each garment. To identify the irregulars, look for pieces bearing a red "damaged" sign indicating the problem. Broken zippers and make-up on the collars are the two biggest culprits, and luckily those are easily fixable. Broken holes in knit dresses and singed leather on collars, however, are not.
That being said, prices have been greatly reduced to accommodate the damages. Take a look at the final sale prices below:
Theory and Helmut Lang (Women's):
Tanks, tees, tops, and sweaters - $50
Skirts - $50
Shorts and pants - $55
Dresses and jumpsuits -$70
Blazers, zip up sweatshirts, and vests - $90
Theory (Men's):
Tees and shirts - $50
Sweaters - $65
Shorts and pants - $55
Blazers, vests, and zip up sweatshirts - $100
Outerwear - $135
The only difference in pricing between Helmut Lang and Theory women's lies in outerwear. Helmut Lang pieces are going for $155, while Theory pieces are just $100.
If you're heading over to 261 West 36th Street today, expect to find pieces like light and dark wash denim jackets from Theory for $100, leather mini skirts from Helmut Lang for $50, and work-appropriate blouses for $50. If you want to think ahead to winter, go straight for outerwear pieces ($155), where you'll see fur-lined coats and puffer jackets.
Men can expect a large selection of pants (mostly in khaki) and polo shirts. We saw an outerwear selection of roughly ten pieces and a large selection of blazers, as well.
Sizing, both for women and men is extremely limiting. The majority of women's tops are either extra small or small, while bottoms run from 0 through 4. Men's pants are mostly sizes 32 through 34. Men will find more size diversity in shirts, where they are more likely to find medium and large sizes.
When browsing the selection, be sure to round up only ten items at a time if you are planning on trying them on—you'll be sternly reminded by the staff if you don't abide by the fitting room limit otherwise. The sale is running daily from 11am to 7pm through Thursday.