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This morning, LA-based trade show Brand Assembly began its New York City sample sale, following last year's collaboration with Lord & Taylor that marked its increasing East Coast presence. A lot of these brands are new, upcoming lines, which we hoped would translate to heavy discounts, true samples, and a whole lot of style — and luckily, we were not disappointed.
First off, know that this isn't your typical sample sale. Brand Assembly's Flatiron showroom is bright and airy, and designers are walking around checking out the other brands while you're shopping. If you have any questions, they're happy to help — not sure if the shoulders fit quite right? Ask the person who made it! The sale is neatly organized by the different lines available, and we suggest you make a beeline to the Nikki Chasin and Vincetta for the best selection and deals.
A member of the Racked Young Guns class of 2014, Nikki Chasin has one of the largest selections at the sale and is offering everything at steep discounts. It's all organized by color scheme, so be on the lookout for deep reds and azures. In particular, we fell in love with a textured multi-shade red bomber jacket, plus a deep blue Turks and Caicos-ready tasseled top going for $250 (from $650); check them both out in the gallery above. A lot of the items are made in sets, so make sure you don't miss an opportunity to get a ready-made outfit.
Directly across the Nikki Chasin racks is another large assortment of unique and discounted pieces from the Brooklyn-based Samantha Pleet, filled with vintage inspiration and whimsical detailing. While the markdowns weren't too high, with a dress going for $209 (from $299) and a printed crop top for $120 (from $199) there are some hidden steals, like a dress that's just $60.. While you're over there, make sure to look down — there are boxes of more $60 surprises on the floor. We found a tweed dress for $60 and eyed a lot of casual separates.
Next up, Vincetta. The label is pretty new, and the racks here do not disappoint. If you're looking for super-fashionable and highly structured wear-everyday clothing in muted tones, this is where you're meant to be. What's even better is that the selections has some of the highest discounts: We found a boyfriend-cut wool blazer with leather detailing going for just $50 (retailing for $450), while a silk blouse with a plunging neckline was $30.
Next we wandered over to Harare's bright racks. While most of the clothing over here is more spring- and summer-oriented (think lots of color, bold prints and lighter fabrics), the low prices make up having to wait a little bit to debut your new purchases. Nearby, Morgan Carper's line of tribal inspired clothing in deep jewel tones also caught our eye. A leather jacket with tribal-inspried accents was $160 (from $616), and a fringe dress was $90 (from $633).
While the sale is pretty apparel-heavy, New York-based jewelry line Phyllis + Rosie is there to break up the clothes party with delicate gold and silver pieces. We spotted some tiny gold heart posts for a mere $10, wile other perfectly stackable baubles are $50—$80. And right near the elevators are the two labels Custommade and ROI. Custommade's leather jackets are going for $300, while sweaters and dresses are $100 and tees are $50, and ROI has a selection of airy spun sweaters (we liked a $130 cutout gray one) and a selection of silky tank tops.
The sale runs through tomorrow. For more information check out the Dealfeed below.
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