Inside the Helmut Lang Sale: Leather Trenches, White Dresses

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• Miscellaneous denim and leggings, $95
• Puffer vest with fur, $425
• Leather trench, $475
• Green printed pants, $135
• White embellished dress, $195
• Dress, $195

We swung by the Helmut Lang sample sale yesterday afternoon to survey the first day carnage, and were neither impressed nor surprised by what we found. The line for entry was about fifteen people deep, but the lines inside for the dressing room and checkout were much deeper.

The inventory, organized by size, was solid but not all that exciting. Staples of the brand dominated: lots of taupe leather, embellished white cocktail dresses, drape-y casual dresses, and neutral-colored denim leggings. But leather outerwear with fur was completely gone, and the selection of knits left a lot to be desired.

Here's a rundown of what is left:

1) Colored denim: There's a good selection of forest green, taupe, cream, and red denim and micro-corduroy left, priced at $95, and in a full size range. 25s are going fast, but other sizes seemed to be in good supply, so if you're looking for drainpipe denim, you're in luck.

2) Embellished white cocktail dresses: There are several styles of party dresses perfect for those who are willing to wear white or cream to winter parties. At $195 they are still a bit pricy, but great finds for brand devotees.

3) Puffer vests with fur: If you are looking to score some fur, your best bet is the puffer vest with fur trim on the hood for $425. The red vest is available in a full size range, but we only spied the black vest in size 6 and above. We did not see any fur with leather items, despite their presence on the price list. They must have been wiped out early.

4) Taupe leather trenches: If you happen to be in the market for a knee-length leather trench in a light color, this sale has you covered. They are available in all sizes and are the same price as a cropped leather jacket ($475),which means more for your money! The selection of leather jackets is slim; the most prolific style is the same taupe leather as the trench. There are a few cream leather blazers to be found, but they are few and far between and seemed to be going very fast.

We also spied some tan leather leggings, silk cropped pants, jersey and silk drape-y maxi dresses, and black leather skirts that looked interesting, but they were mostly in sizes 6 and up. The $55 knits behind the table by the entryway were pretty sad-looking—necklines were already stretched out, and the fabrics looked worn compared to the items on the racks, many of which were still in plastic. And if you were hoping to get your hands on that black wool and viscose leather-trimmed blazer that we featured in our preview post, you'll find it in size 4 and up.

As for the question of restocking: We couldn't get an answer out of the staff, as they were very busy replacing all the merchandise coming out of the dressing room. The sale is open until 7pm today and runs through Wednesday; consult the dealfeed below for more details.
· Dealfeed: Helmut Lang [Racked NY]
· What You'll Be Able to Buy at Next Week's Helmut Lang Sale [Racked NY]
· Your Guide to December's Sixty Sample Sales [Racked NY]