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The Cesare Paciotti sample sale opened to the public today at 10am on 12 West 57th street. When we first arrived around 9:20, there were only about eight other people waiting on line. By the time the sale opened, the line grew to about 40 with an even mix of men and women.
Once the clock struck 10, the staff opened the doors for about six people at a time, blaming the tiny showroom size. There is a mandatory coat and bag check, but once you take care of that, straight into the sale you will go. Full details are after the jump; images with pricing details are in the gallery above.
The showroom is indeed small, but the stock is laid out neatly, with women's merchandise in the front, and men's in a small alcove in the back. Being that there were only ten other people inside, the shopping experience was extremely pleasant, with an incredibly helpful staff there to assist you. You might forget that you are even at a sample sale; it feels just like shopping the Cesare Paciotti boutique, with nice background music and pretty chairs set up for trying on. However you are quickly reminded that this is indeed a sale when you begin to look at prices.
Everything is at least 70% off, with some stuff discounted at 80% off or more. The back wall contained a good amount of Spring 2012 heels and flats that were all 70% off. Expect to pay around $250 for a pair of stiletto sandals or crystal encrusted flats from last summer. This is where most of the stock—and crowd—lies.
The fall/winter 2011 collection is also on the smaller side, with not too many sizes left, but you might find something to your liking. The highlight here are the furry boots made for Prince. Those will run you $450, and they come in black or white. There is also a pile of winter boots from the Paciotti 4US line for 70% off.
There is a small selection of actual sample shoes, sized between 37 and 40. The prices are good, but there isn't much there. We spotted one pair of the infamous Amy pumps left for a hundred bucks.
A table displaying accessories includes sunnies for $40-$50. Wallets are $30 to $60.
The selection of bags pretty good, with a lot of the inventory marked down lower than 80% off. We found an exotic skin clutch marked at $250, and a suede hobo bag for $350. There are even some bags left that are only $65. Not too many people seemed to be focusing on bags, so if your plan was to scoop up a nice evening clutch, your chances are still pretty good.
As for the men's selection, there was a decent amount of stock, and we were told that there would be another men's shipment arriving. There were only two guys shopping while we were there, so the sale is a good bet for the gentlemen.
In a nutshell, the sale is a pleasant shopping experience, but there is a chance you could walk out with nothing due to the limited inventory.—Claudia Saide
· Dealfeed: Cesare Paciotti [Racked NY]
· What to Expect at Tomorrow's Cesare Paciotti Sample Sale [Racked NY]
· Ten Shoes We Hope to See at Tomorrow's Cesare Paciotti Sample Sale [Racked NY]
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