SAMPLE CIRCUIT: Shop Fivestory's Blowout, Dennis Basso's Fur Frenzy, Aquatalia's Footwear Feast & More This Weekend

The Sample Sale Schedule is rolling along this week as the big designers have finished their seasonal clearances, the more independent brands now step in.

For example, classic accessory designer ERNEST ALEXANDER has been holding his latest sale in NoMad this week through Friday featuring savings of up to 70% off accessories as well as his apparel lines.

In a similar vein, custom shirtmaker PROPER CLOTH will continue its sale through Saturday in SoHo featuring racks and racks of shirts in a myriad of fabrics as well as a small selection of furnishings and some very well priced cashmere sweaters (if you can still get one).

America's oldest shoemaker, FRYE is sharing its sample sale in NoMad with AQUATALIA's high-tech Italian-made, waterproof footwear for men and women. While the sale is an efficient, streamlined affair with limited offerings, enough merchandise is available that secondary markdowns have already been taken. The duo's sale runs through Sunday.

Fans of the higher end of high fashion have already been flocking to FIVESTORY's seasonal off-site final clearance. The posh Upper East Side boutique is taking 60% to 80% off a lavish if a bit hit-or-miss assortment of American and European designer finery including a healthy offering of extravagant heels through Sunday the 28th.

Finally, New York's cult furrier DENNIS BASSO has landed once again at Soiffer-Haskin with a selection of fur outerwear of nearly every configuration including selections in shearling for those less inclined to sporting the more lavish pelts. Alongside the furs, Basso's equally opulent ready-to-wear collection will also be available at significant discount through Sunday.

Be sure to keep an eye on our SALE ROLL sidebar at left for additional sales as well as late breaking events and updated hours and locations. Next week, luxe ready-to-wear returns with HERVE LEGER and MORGANE Le FAY plus a cosmetics blowout and more.

COLLABORATION ANTICIPATION: The Next Uniqlo U Collection Arrives Online Tomorrow & In Stores Friday

Images via Uniqlo.com

It is a bit of a challenge keeping up with all of Uniqlo's rolling collaboration collections, but the first of the season arrives this week when the next UNIQLO U collection designed by Christophe Lemaire and his exclusive team becomes available. As has been the mega-chain's custom, the collection will be purchasable online tomorrow evening the 25th at 9 PM Eastern Standard time. It will appear in selected stores the next morning for in-person shopping. As usual, the store distribution will be limited, but all three of New York's Flagships, Fifth Avenue, SoHo and 34th Street, will have it along with Chicago's Michigan Avenue store, L.A.'s Beverly Center and San Francisco's Union Square.
And what will select shoppers find in their curated locations? More of what we have come to expect from the chain's "deluxe" label, which, in this case is basics with an advanced Euro-style edge, so the khakis are now full and billowing instead the slim and tapered silhouette that has fully captured the mainstream aesthetic. T-Shirts in heavier-gauge cotton are now also full and boxy in more directional colors, and if the new, edgier silhouettes are too much to carry off all at once there are enough appealing outerwear pieces and clean-lined separates to ease into the new proportions one piece at a time, at a much more affordable price than what comes of Europe's runways. Tees start at $9.90, with special outerwear pieces topping out at $99.90. Typically, some things sell out fast, and others linger, but sometimes it's hard to figure out which will be which, so we usually recommend jumping on the the things that make the strongest impression quickly. See the lookbook HERE, and make your choices accordingly.

SAMPLE CIRCUIT: Winter Sales March On With Jason Wu, Theory, Helmut Lang & More

Well, Shophounders, we have had a nice Winter Break, and we are back to remind you that just because the Holidays are over, that doesn't;t mean that the Sample Sale schedule has just gone completely dark. In fact, you can't call the season finished if there are still THEORY and HELMUT LANG sales on the calendar, and it just so happens that starting today, Tuesday, the sibling brands will be holding their seasonal joint sample and irregular sale event through Friday at Clothingline in the Garment District. Be warned that everything in the sale is sold "as is", and a full size range of anything may not be available, but, seasoned shoppers will tell you that these are the places where some of the biggest bargains can be found.

For something a bit more luxe, today also marks the start of the JASON WU sample sale on Greene Street in SoHo through Sunday. The former FLOTUS fave is offering his full assortment of collections from the main ready-to-wear line to shoes, accessories, handbags and the GREY Jason Wu diffusion line as well as his collaboration with athletic brand Fila.

Anyone looking for new duds before they hit the ski slopes is likely to be heading to NoMad for the SPYDER Warehouse Sale which also starts today. Savings start at 60% off performance athletic wear and accessories for Men and Women.

It has been an exceptionally cold winter so far, and while they are not for anyone, there are few things that protect fend off the bitter cold as well as furs. One of the city's biggest furriers, FREDRICK GELB will be opening its showroom to the public starting today. Expect classic coats as well as more discreet reversible and fur-lined coats and vests. Shop through the end of the month.

Finally, The designer best known for the glitzy Baby Phat line has long since moved on, and her more refined KIMORA LEE SIMMONS collection will be available for two days starting on Wednesday the 17th. Look for Fall samples starting as low as $40 and previous season's merchandise at 50% off in Chelsea.

Be sure to check our SALE ROLL sidebar for times, locations and late breaking additions to the schedule. Next week, get ready for a cavalcade for shoes from Frye, Aquatalia, Schutz, Butter, Golo and more plus more fur from Dennis Basso and Uptown boutique Fivestory's seasonal clearance blowout.