SAMPLE CIRCUIT: The Y-3 Adidas Sample Sale Hits The Big Time

It has been a while since The Shophound has stumbled upon an Adidas Sample Sale. The last one we went to was years ago when it was a relatively quiet affair held in the brand's showroom above it's Broadway flagship in NoHo featuring the Yohji Yamamoto Y-3 collaboration alongside the now defunct SLVR collection. Well, things have changed, and Y-3 has surfed the streetwear boom into something way beyond cult status, while the Adidas label has spurred a host of other designer collaborations. They can all be found starting today at 260SampleSale's spacious Wooster Street outpost in SoHo. Look for a long line, even in today's wet weather. Last night's preview found a hungry crowd of Y-3 VIPs loading up on sneakers at $93 a pop ($123 for hi-tops) which typically retail between $280 and $400. That will give you a general idea of the deep discounts available at 260's largest venue. Downstairs the apparel racks ($33 to $123) were being ransacked so fans looking for fashion pieces should not dawdle waiting for possible additional reductions towards the end of the week. In addition, there was an abundance of accessories including some coveted logo festooned backpacks going for a rock bottom $73. They usually sell for up to $600.
But red-hot Y-3 was not the only Adidas collection on offer. While it dominated the merchandise selection, there was also plenty of the ongoing Stella McCartney collaboration available as well as footwear from the Wings + Horns team-up of a season or two ago, and a smaller selection of Alexander Wang styles. While Rick Owens' and Raf Simons' collaborations appeared on the price list, we saw none of these coveted labels inside, and we arrived as the doors opened. Still, there was plenty to be had including formerly pricey cleats from Adidas Football and several vintage inspired styles from the "Spezial" collection from the label's Originals Consortium division. The sale runs through Sunday, but don't sleep on it. While merchandise was already being restocked during the preview, we don't know how much —or which sizes— will be left as the week progresses.

Look after the jump for price lists and check below or our SALE ROLL at left for hours and other details.

SAMPLE CIRCUIT: Rebecca Minkoff, Helmut Lang, Jimmy Choo & Derek Lam Lead A Packed Sale Week

Yes, folks, the sample sale season has heated up. Last week we saw crowd packers like Herschel Supply and a triple hitter including S'well, Nest and Moleskine, and this week we have volume, volume volume with every venue full as designers and makers start clearing out inventory as cancellation dates take effect and space needs to be made for next season's goods. Here's a rundown by day of some of the week's highlights:

MONDAY MAY 7
Save up some line-standing time for REBECCA MINKOFF, making her reliable return to 260 Fifth Avenue with her reliable mix of well prices bags, shoes and contemporary fashion. the Men's Uri Minkoff label will also be featured but they will have to fight the faithful Minkoff ladies for entry.

TUESDAY MAY 8
HELMUT LANG is first on the docket for Tuesday now at 260SampleSale's Spring Street location. It's currently a label in flux, so it's hard to know exactly what will be there, but look for minimalistic looks and possibly some re-issued Lang classics.
CHRISTOFLE runs a close second with its seasonal visit to Soiffer Haskin through the weekend. It's an excellent place to grab a luxe Mothers' Day gift if your Mom's into silver tabletop and accessories items. It will share space with Italian jeweler PAOLO COSTAGLI.
Luxury hosiery fans will know to keep an eye out for WOLFORD's sale at its Seventh Avenue showroom running for three days through Thursday.

WEDNESDAY MAY 9
It's time for JIMMY CHOO as the designer shoe sample sales roll out this season. Three public shopping days at the Metropolitan Pavilion will feature discounts up to 80% on Women's and Men's shoes that can be reliably counted on to pull crowds. To manage them, the company is requiring an online RSVP. CLICK HERE and enter the code ROMY. We are told that they are strict.
After you have got your shoes, head to Bond Street for SELIMA OPTIQUE's seasonal sale featuring her quirky new and vintage eyewear, apparel and accessories
While you are downtown, DEREK LAM will be filling up 260SampleSale's third location on Wooster Street through the weekend with both his signature label and the 10 CROSBY diffusion collection.

THURSDAY MAY 10
What started as an eco-socio-conscious denim and t-shirt line from Bono called EDUN has evolved into a more sophisticated designer collection, and it will be available at up to 90% off at its Grand Street showroom in SoHo for three days. Look for bargains form the Spring 2017 collection and more.

A look at our SALE ROLL sidebar at left will show even more sales, so be sure to check there for hours and locations.
Next week, even more heavy hitters come out as Paul Smith and Rag & Bone go head to head with much more to come.

SAMPLE CIRCUIT: Strong Shoe Sample Sales From Frye, Sarah Jessica Parker & Paul Andrew This Week + Desigual, BLK DNM & More

Image courtesy of FRYE

The real start of the Spring Sample Sale season is only weeks away, and things are starting to heat up. This week brings some popular favorite brands and one intriguing rescheduling, so lets get started.

Starting today, Tuesday the 28th, our friends at 260SampleSale have a pair of worthy sales that kind of go together. At its Fifth Avenue home base, heritage footwear brand FRYE (pictured above and below) will be filling the store with boots, bags and other wares at a promised 70% off retail. This might finally be the chance you have been waiting for to pick up a pair of those biker boots, and if you do, you can wear them with some jeans from the BLK DNM sale down in SoHo. Look for plenty of trendy denim, tees, leather jackets and other edgy basics. Both sales run-through Sunday the 2nd.

Also Starting on the 28th, ELIE TAHARI will be offering 70% off collections for women and men at it's Fifth Avenue outlet just below 42nd Street.

If you rushed to the Warwick Hotel a few weeks ago for the SJP by SARAH JESSICA PARKER sale you will have been disappointed  to discover that it had been postponed due to that week's snowstorm. Well, Parker has rescheduled, and the sale is now promised for tomorrow, March 29th at the same place with all the same details. As she shares a CEO with Manolo Blank, pro shoe sale shoppers should probably expect a similar sort-up for the one-day event as at that designer's sales, but possibly without the same level of rapacious shopping.

Also on Wednesday, Spanish contemporary chain DESIGUAL will be settling in for three days at its usual venue, Clothingline in the Garment District. Look for Savings up to 75% off all collections through Friday.

On Thursday the 30th, Tribeca Designer NILI LOTAN will be offering up to 80% off her collections at her Walker Street boutique through Saturday while London fashion legend VIVIENNE WESTWOOD will be offering savings on all of her collections for Women and Men in the Garment District through Sunday.

Finally, another shoe extravaganza will be taking place starting Thursday for two days. CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund winner and newly installed Ferragamo creative director PAUL ANDREW will be opening up his showroom. Andrew has been building faithful following over the past few years for his elegant and pricey shoes and boots, so this may be the one to line up early for, though be warned that selection may be limited for non-sample sized feet.

Keep an eye on our SALE ROLL sidebar at left for times and details as well as late breaking events.

Image courtesy of FRYE

SAMPLE CIRCUIT: Snowstorm Be Damned! Sample Sales March On With Milly, Ghurka, Spyder & Sarah Jessica Parker

There's little to stop a determined sample sale shopper. These are people who have been known to wait on the sidewalk for ridiculous amounts of time just for the chance to grab a coveted item at a discount, so, today's Winter Storm Stella will be just a minor inconvenience. While we don't have exact information on schedule changes due to the storm, 260SampleSale, a key promoter of such events has made it clear that they are open for business today which is a good thing since they are holding 2 notable sales this week.

Let's start however, with Clothingline in the Garment District where a big MILLY sale launched last night to run through Thursday. Expect the full range of Milly products, but don't dally. This label has a devoted cult customer.

Today, despite the sleet and ice, athletic label SPYDER (pictured above) will open its warehouse sale down at 260 Fifth Avenue. It's fitting, since performance ski and snowboarding gear is this brand's specialty. Fans and customers shouldn't be daunted by a bit of winter weather, and should be shopping through the weekend

Down at 260's SoHo location, the JIL SANDER NAVY diffusion collection is also launching its sale today featuring discounts on the luxury label's more affordable women's collection. Early reports have deep discounts putting most items well under $100 including accessories and shoes. Shop through the weekend.

Since the SJP by SARAH JESSICA PARKER shoe line shares a president with Manolo Blahnik, it's not surprising that the entrepreneurial actress is mimicking the celebrated shoe maestro's sample sale scheme. Her sale will be a one-day-only affair on Wednesday the 15th at the Warwick Hotel, so Manolo sale veterans should expect a similar set-up but perhaps without such rabid crowds. Parker's elegant shoes are something of a sleeper line, however, so plan ahead, and don't expect to simply sail in and out.

Finally, heritage leathergoods label GHURKA has switched its sample sale promoter to Soiffer Haskin which is where its rates sale will open tomorrow for three days through Friday the 17th. Look for savings up to 75% off including luggage as well as bags and accessories for men and women.

Keep an eye on our SALE ROLL sidebar at left for all details and any late-breaking events. Next week, look for events from Reiss, Berretta and more.

SNEAKER WARS II: Nike Finally Finds its Fifth Avenue Home

A look inside the recently opened Nike SoHo store expected to inform the concept of the upcoming Nike Fifth Avenue flagship

It's hard to know it Nike deliberately chose the day Adidas opened its shiny new brand palace to make the announcement, but yesterday the sneaker giant announced that its long search for a follow up to its 57th Street Niketown store is over. The new Nike store will eventually open in a whopping 70,000 square feet at 650 Fifth Avenue in a space that includes not only the building's entire previous retail component, but some extra office floors that will be converted as well to make a seven-floor superstore. Essentially it will be a Nike department store on Fifth Avenue.
It has not been announced that Niketown will be closing at the end of its lease which has been extended to 2022 while the company continued to search for its successor space, but it is hard to imagine even Nike sustaining two large flagships in such close proximity. Nike execs have also been candid that the once innovative design of that store has aged, and needs to be updated in favor of the more open format of the recently unveiled Nike SoHo store (pictured above). Look for the brand to expand on the concepts in that store including areas for customers to try out athletic gear on the selling floor in basketball and soccer cages, a concept also appearing at Adidas' new flagship. In any event, there may be little overlap between the unveiling of Nike's new store and the old Niketown. It will take some time to gut and rebuild the retail space at 650 Fifth which for the past couple of decades has been the home to several brands formerly owned by Liz Claiborne including the namesake labels, Mexx and, most recently, Juicy Couture. It has been one of Fifth Avenue's biggest white elephants, having stood empty for the past couple of years except for housing a few brief pop-up stores. It is likely that Nike will institute a major redesign of the late 1970s-era facade on the lower levels to create a more imposing brand signature. That could take a while, so while Nike's new store is definitely something to look forward to, it will probably be a something of a wait to see it come to fruition.

(WWD)

SNEAKER WARS: Adidas Answers The Flagship Challenge With A Fifth Avenue Brand Palace

The new Adidas NYC Flagship at 46th Street and Fifth Avenue. Photo courtesy of Adidas

Forget about politics. They are too nauseating to follow right now anyway. Lets talk about something really important: sneakers.
There has been a bit of retail activity regarding the perennial rivalry between Adidas and Nike. A couple of months ago, Adidas debuted its newly updated Adidas Originals store on Spring Street in SoHo featuring its burgeoning fashion line including heritage models and collaboration collections. Then, a couple of weeks ago, Nike opened its follow up to the Niketown retail concept when the new Nike SoHo store at Broadway and Spring Street finally opened after a weeklong halt and neighborhood and city government protests. Not to be outdone, Adidas is opening its largest New York store ever today on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 46th street (pictured above) . At over 45,000 square feet, the  four level superstore featuring every single product category the brand offers in a high-school stadium-inspired store —if, that is, your high school stadium consisted of concrete and chain link fencing.

The miadidas Studio custom shop at the Adidas NYC Flagship. Photo courtesy of Adidas

The industrial look, however makes an excellent backdrop for the brand's sprawling product lines. At the press preview on Tuesday night, most of the action migrated to the top floor which was devoted to an even larger presentation of the Originals division featuring, at the center, the city's first miadidas Studio (above)  allowing customers to create their own versions of Originals styles. Other exclusives include the print shop on the men's athletic level in the basement, treadmills and turf cages for customers to test out products right in the store, along with refreshment kiosks, concierge services and same-day hotel delivery. The gleaming new store is poised to make the most of New York's teeming hordes of tourists who should be devouring new product as you read this, but it is also a chance for Adidas to even the scales a bit with its main rival. In midtown, where Niketown made an innovative statement in the mid '90s, Adidas is now challenging with a huge flagship of its own, and a newer one as even Nike execs have recently admitted that the high-school gymnasium concept at the 57th street store has gotten tired, and the atrium centered store layout is difficult to navigate. Look for a new Niketown announcement soon, however as the store known to be looking for a new location. In other parts of the city, however, Nike still has an edge with Nike Running shops in Flatiron and on the Upper East Side, but in SoHo, the brands are in a head to head battle. Adidas' Houston and Broadway flagship (currently undergoing a revamp) and Originals stores are now being challenged by the correspondingly edgy NikeLab store on Mercer Street and the New Nike SoHo flagship, now giving both companies a strong foothold to fight for those precious sneaker loving customers. Must we speak of these two brands as if they are in an endless pitched battle for market dominance? Well, probably not. After all some of us mix Adidas and Nike in our sneaker wardrobes, even with the occasional dash of Puma. The upshot is we now have a suddenly dramatic increase in the offerings from both of these sneaker giants, so go get yourselves some new sneakers.

More looks inside the new Adidas NYC Flagship. Photos courtesy of Adidas

STORE INTERRUPTED: There's A Huge Nike Store In SoHo Just Itching' To Get Open

SoHo's Nike Store on November 11th, 2016, the day it was to have opened

Real estate in New York City is a pretty ruthless business. There are fights between developers and cummunity boards and local politicians all the time, but it is unusual for the opening of a 55,000 square foot retail flagship to have its grand opening legally halted just hours before the doors were to be unlocked. That, however is what has happened to the new Nike store that was to open last Friday on the corner of Broadway and Spring Street in SoHo.
In a feud pitting Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, Community Board 2 and various other local officials against the Department of Buildings, the long awaited Nike store sits fully stocked and presumably staffed with its opening indefinitely postponed. The complaint concerns building regulations about the size of the store allowed in the space and the permits issued to redevelop 529 Broadway, the building that contains it. The protesters want Nike's certificate of occupancy recinded because, the company and the developer allegedly did not apply for the special permit required for stores over the 10,000 square foot limit imposed by the area's zoning rules. In addition, it is alleged that the DOB issued an alteration permit to build the building rather than demolition one. All of these discrepancies require greater public and oversight. Brewer and her cohorts allege that they were denied their rightful input by the DOB's arbitrary permit granting policies which allegedly favor developers over community input. Further arguments include details about party walls and how much of the original building on the site was retained that fall into the category of real estate arcana. The upshot is that Brewer and company have chosen the Nike Store to make their stand against the DOB. Now eager sneakerheads who were erroneously lined up outside the store on Friday morning will be waiting indefinitely until an agreement between all parties can be reached to grant Nike the temporary certificate of occupancy it needs to open its doors.
Brewer and company probably feel that a huge multibillion dollar corporation and presumably greedy developers are easy and suitably high-profile targets for their cause, but perhaps they shouldn't have waited until hours before the store was to open to throw a wrench into everyone's gears. The building has been under construction for years. Nike's plans for the store were also not a secret. Did they really need to wait until the last minute to protest improprieties? Now, there are not only eager customers waiting to shop at a major new store from one of America's most popular brands, but also a whole staff of workers for the multilevel store who expected that their jobs would start last Friday. It is not known how long Nike will be willing to pay managers, sales and stock staff for a store that is not being allowed to open and isn't selling anything. The company has already had to cancel at least one of the new product launches that bring customers streaming to their stores. Hopefully, the parties will be able to resolve their dispute in a timely manner. It seems unlikely Nike will actually have to pack up its big new store and find it another home, but now wonders if the city is really doing itself any favors by forcing it to sit idle right at the point it was ready to open.

ATHLEISURE BASH: Adidas Originals Upgrades Its SoHo Lodgings

The New Adidas Originals store in SoHo. Photo courtesy of Adidas

A few flashes of lightning in the sky weren't enough to keep VIP sneaker heads away from the opening party at the new Adidas Originals store last night. This sub brand of the athletic wear giant made waves several years ago when it debuted its previous store on Wooster Street with an open air storefront and an abundance of those nostalgic sneaker styles we all remember from our collective youth. The brand —the one with the original Adidas trefoil insignia— has evolved quite a bit since then, and while still able to wield enough promotional power to launch a full-scale revival of its classic Stan Smith tennis shoe a couple of years ago, it has grown to encompass more modern cutting edge design as well as exclusive collaborations with influential stores, designers and, yes, pop stars. Having outgrown its SoHo showplace, Adidas has finally opened a new one on Spring Street with much more room to show off its latest revivals –the "Gazelle" is the vintage model du jour now— as well as hot collaborations and vastly enlarged wall of shoes (pictured above) to peruse.

Guests at the opening party for the new Adidas Originals store. Photo courtesy of Adidas

It's a lot more store for Adidas lovers to shop, and that's saying something significant these days when every retailer is seriously reviewing the returns on its square footage. Standouts from last night's opening included graphic womenswear from Rita Ora's ongoing collaboration with the label as well as our personal fave, the White Mountaineering x Adidas collection (pictured below), a team up with the influential Japanese men's label.
Last night's party centered around a short film made in collaboration with rapper Joey Bada$$, and Adidas hung on to its old store just enough to usher guests there for a private concert but the hip hop performer and his crew before it gets turned over to a new tenant —kind of like throwing one last blowout party in your old apartment before you move out.
Hopefully Adidas will get their deposit back.
Well, maybe they don't care.

 Adidas Originals now open at 115 Spring Street between Mercer & Greene Streets, SoHo

The White Mountaineering x Adidas collection at the new Adidas Originals store. Photo courtesy of Adidas

SALE ALERTS: Surprise Herschel Supply One Day Sale Hits Today Along With Atelier New York's Clearance

Two sales of note have come to our attention at the last minute, but we didn't want any readers to miss out.
The most pressing event is HERSCHEL SUPPLY CO.'s surprise one day pop-up sale in midtown starting at 10 AM. Herschel's backpack sales have been known to spark block-long lines, so this is a must for fans. They will be sharing space on West 39th street with NATIVE SHOES offering innovative, contemporary footwear for men and women at up to 50% off.

Also starting today, elusive designer boutique ATELIER NEW YORK is kicking off its clearance sale with 70% off its directional designer collections including labels like Maison Margiela, Ann Demeulemeester, Balmain, Rick Owens, the coveted Vetements, and more. Once known as an avant-garde men's store, Atelier has recently added womenswear as well, so it should be great opportunity for late-summer savings for everybody.

Be sure to check our SALE ROLL sidebar at left for hours, locations and other details, and good shopping luck!

COLLABORATION ANTICIPATION: Adidas Said To Be Preparing Major Team-Up With Alexander Wang

An Alexander Wang look from Spring 2015 inspired by Adidas Stan Smith and Rod Laver sneakers

We're not sure if there is an official name for Alexander Wang fans (Wang-heads? That seems wrong.) but, according to WWD, they should start getting excited about now because a collaboration with Adidas is reportedly in the works. The collaboration would presumably be announced right after the designer's Spring 2017 show on September 10. Details of the rumored line are not yet available, and the principals are remaining mum at the time, but it is said to be conceived along the lines of the athletic-wear company's long running collaborations like the ones it continues to produce with Stella McCartney, Raf Simons, Rick Owens, Pharrell Williams, Yohji Yamamoto and, of course, Kanye West, whose brand concept has just recently been fully fleshed out. Whether or not it will be under the main Alexander Wang, T by Alexander Wang or another newly created moniker remains to be seen, but it is guaranteed to leap to the top of the designer collaboration list whenever it materializes. Look for confirmation in the coming weeks, and think about what the designer who once created dresses that pay tribute to the iconic Stan Smith and Rod Laver tennis shoes (pictured at right) could do with a full collaboration line at Adidas.

Alexander Wang Said to Be Adidas’ Next Fashion Collaborator (WWD)