SAMPLE CIRCUIT: Rag & Bone Arrives + A Surprise Jean Paul Gaultier Finale

As if by request, shortly after we mentioned that the RAG & BONE sample sale had been MIA so far this season, it was announced to be beginning today at its usual Chelsea Market location. In fact this is around the same time it happened last year —even a bit earlier than last year. The Shophound stopped by yesterday afternoon for the preview day (which experienced R&B sale shoppers know is only loosely restricted) and found everything pretty much as expected, which is generally what is to be loved or not about the brand in general (pictured above). The long denim table was exactly where it always is. Mostly everything we saw fell into the black, brown, olive green or gray color category. There are plenty of great vintage or military inspired shirts (pictured below), knits and coats, with a particular abundance of men's pea-coats and a bit more of the kind of sports performance inspired separates in keeping with current trends. As of yesterday afternoon, the sale was still in the late stages of set-up mode, so there may have been more merchandise to bring out. Without going into granular detail, prices seemed to be around 60% to 75% off retail depending on the item's original retail price, so Rag & Bone on sale costs perhaps just slightly more than J.Crew at full price. Fans of the brand should make haste to get themselves down to Chelsea. The first day is generally a madhouse.
While KIKI de MONTPARNASSE will continue its warehouse sale through the weekend, the only other sale of note we discovered this week is  what is being billed as a JEAN PAUL GAULTIER Farewell To Ready-To-Wear sale which is beginning tomorrow at Century 21's Upper West Side location in Lincoln Square through Sunday the 17th. This is a new venue for Century 21's recent foray into sample sales, and it promises vintage and collectors' pieces from the celebrated French designer who recently ended his prêt-à-porter line in favor of concentrating on his Haute Couture and fragrance businesses. We are not quite sure what to expect from this sale, but it sounds like an intriguing option especially with few other sale events  happening.

Be sure to check our SALE ROLL sidebar at left for details, locations and any late breaking sales.
Next week, SEIZE sur VINGT's popular sportswear and haberdashery sale begins with an online preview starting on Tuesday.