In this morning's Thurday Styles, Mike Albo gives us the umpteenth review of the new John Varvatos store inhabiting the former CBGB's space on the Bowery. The crux of the article was that poor Mike was, literally, poor Mike and not in the position to make any purchases on the day he visited the store.
We certainly hope Mike is savvy enough to know that the big John Varvatos Sample Sale started today, which should solve his problem, and includes every label bearing the designer's name including his main collection, as well as the more casual one known as ⿿ U.S.A., and the line he makes for Converse.
Here's the good news, and there's lots of it:
Changes have been made from seasons past, and the sale has moved from its usual location in a storefront on lower Fifth Avenue to a much more spacious Flatiron district loft, complete with the poky freight elevator ride to the ninth floor. This is how we like it, with no curious passersby from the sidewalk getting in our way.
At noontime, things were exceedingly well organized, with small office rooms devoted to accessories or sweaters or dress shirts, each attended by a helpful staffer who may or may not have been regular Varvatos employees. Actual production and runway samples were sequestered in their own room with their own, lower price structure so as not to mix in with the regular stock that made up most of the merchandise. Prices appeared to be just a it below wholesale, and shoppers were given an extensive price list upon entry, an unusual but welcome touch that even included a sizing guide. For example, suits in the main line were $495, down from a retail of around $1,300 or more. Varvartos' tags usually have an MSRP printed, making it easy to gauge savings. There was a general abundance of goods, especially men's shoes, and the entire back section of the room was piled with carefully organized boxed. Shoes went for $100, and boots for $200, very good prices for one of the designer's most popular categories. Overall, it's well worth going out of your way if you're a guy. Women's was limited to a small selection of Converse items, and there was little crowd allowing for peaceful shopping.
Here's the bad news:
There's not much bad, but if you need a suit, the pickings are slim. Also, one of the drawbacks is that the designer's style is so consistent that if one is not intimately familiar with the latest collection, it's often hard to tell exactly how current the merchandise is.
John Varvatos Sample & Stock Sale through Saturday May 10, 26 West 17th Street, Freight Elevator to 9th Floor, Flatiron District

After the jump: Adam by Adam Lippes

We had been waiting anxiously for the Adam by Adam Lippes sale, mainly because last year we picked up bunches of his superior Pima cotton tee shirts for practically next to nothing, so this morning we were heading to the Chelsea Market with a purpose: more tee shirts.
This would have been great if we were a lady, for whom there were many tee shirts available among lots of women's goods in general. The resort line, for example was marked at 85% off retail, just in time for the Hamptons summer season.
Again, the rapacious throngs of vicious customers had not yet arrived, so it was easy to breeze in and out, and the best bargain, if you were lucky enough to be the right size, was a selection of Manolo Blahnik boots for about $150. They were clearly the steal of the sale. As for menswear, there was very little, and much of it looked like it was the same that we saw last year. At least it was priced extremely low, but though we searched and searched, we could find none of those tee shirts for men.
Somehow, we think we will manage to find something to wear anyway.
Adam by Adam Lippes Sample Sale through Saturday May 10, Chelsea Market, Chelsea