What's Left After Day One of the Barneys Warehouse Sale

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The Barney's Warehouse Sale got plenty of favorable reviews in preview form, but what about once it opened to the masses? We popped by late yesterday afternoon to see how much damage was done in the first day. Despite the relatively calm scene—it would be another hour before the after-work crowd set in—it was clear that the early birds really did get the worm this time around.

The shoes were obviously thinned—no more $79 Louboutins, for starters. The Proenza Schouler and Nicholas Kirkwood gems were left only in very small sizes. For anyone a size 8.5 or up, there were still some beautiful options (Walter Steiger lace-up patent leather flats, for example) but they run in the $300 range. For those who wear a 9.5 or higher, there are some nice boots and flat sandals left.

The bag bins had also been predictably cleaned out. No designer duds were left in anything larger than a small clutch. There were some bags hidden at the bottom of the discard boxes in the women's communal dressing room, so for those willing to dig, the dressing rooms seemed to be the better bet than the actual bag bins. In fact, we unearthed a slightly damaged Lanvin bag (dysfunctional clasp) for $300—a rare find for anyone who didn't stand in line.

More than the bags or the shoes, though, the women's clothing seemed to be the biggest casualty of the morning shoppers. The contemporary section was, frankly, pretty dismal. Pieces were ripped, stained, and stepped on, to the point that we'd think the sale had been going on for months, rather than the length of an average workday. The designer racks had been thoroughly stripped of anything wearable, leaving a selection of furry coats, impossible dresses, and oddly-cut wool slacks on the racks. Our eyes lit up when we spied a few colorful 10 Crosby by Derek Lam dresses on the damages rack (broken zippers and/or small tears at the seams), and upon further inspection, we found that those looked pristine in comparison to what we found on the regular racks.

So the accessories endure as the star of the Barney's Warehouse Sale. Check it out for yourself—the sale runs through Monday, September 3, and you can find hours and other details right here.—Mallory Farrugia
· Dealfed: Barneys Warehouse Sale [Racked NY]
· All Barneys Warehouse Sale coverage [Racked NY]