Lineblogging: Waiting for the Manolos

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When last we saw fearless Racked correspondent Fawnia Soo Hoo, she was inside the Warwick Hotel at 54th and Sixth, waiting with about 70 other shoppers for access to the Manolo Blahnik sample sale. Non-VIPs were given red tickets and told that they would be allowed in at 10am. Below, the adventure continues.

8:45am: The Queen Bee staffer just announced that the space is getting too crowded, so anyone with a red ticket must move to another meeting room.

8:48am: There's no chilled water in this room! Boo! What happened to the democratization of fashion?

8:50am: I think the blue tickets (VIPs) are going in now.

8:52am: A staffer just came in to announce that there is no coat check but only person bags are allowed inside. No additional totes, plastic bags, large suitcases I assume (sorry, Suitcase Guy.)

9:00am: It looks like the first of the two males here (not Mr. Suitcase) might be solo. Braving the crowds for a wife/girlfriend! That's dedication.

9:05am: They're setting up water in here now! Yay! I no longer feel like such a second class citizen.

9:16am: The first group of blues is headed in now—I've witnessed it and confirmed with a staffer guarding the "red" door.

9:22am: A lady up front is getting antsy. "It's 9:22! We gotta get going!" Male #3 is here, accompanying two women. Must be their backup.

9:23am: Head staffer Blair just came in to announce that it'll be about 10-20 minutes more for us reds. She also reiterated that no large shopping bags are allowed in. The reason: They want to prevent people scooping shoes into bags and hoarding them.

9:25am: They'll have a makeshift bag check at the front now for people with large bags. They're really on top of things.

9:30am: This year, the sale is in one large room, as opposed to two different rooms separated by size.

9:35am: Word on the street is that the blues inside are taking their time perusing and not buying. I guess the recession affects everyone, even the blues.

9:40am: Lots of blues inside, so we should be in soon.

9:47am: And we're in!

For the full sale report, including a photo of the price list, head this way.