The Manolo Blahnik Sample Sale Has Great Prices, Zero Line

Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.

Grid View

Expand

The one-day, previously unnanounced Manolo Blahnik sample sale kicked off at 11am today on the Warwick Hotel's second floor, and in the surprise of the century (no, for real) there was no line. We repeat: The Manolo Blahnik sample sale is line-less.

The less-great part, however, is that it's cash only. But wait! There's a holding table where shoppers could leave shoes for up to an hour and return after their ATM runs.

After receiving your ticket at the front, you'll enter what appears to be one of the most civilized sales you've ever been to—though admittedly, by the time we left around 12:15pm, shoppers were becoming exceedingly more protective over their hauls, which could be large—we spotted at least three girls dropping nearly $900 (in cash!) on shoes.

The selection was mostly summery, with tons of sandals and open-toed pumps in light colors (a.k.a., perfect if you're stocking up for summer wedding shoes). Boots and other winter-friendly shoes were rare, and about twice the price.

Prices are posted clearly on sheets of paper around the sale (see the gallery above). "Plain shoes" (ballet flats, loaders, satin, suede and leather heels) are $100, while those with embellishments like chains, glitter, and rhinestones are $163. Alliagator shoes (we didn't see very many) run from $272 to $435.

Boots are priced by length, with below-the-ankle starting at $217, ankle at $272, midcalf at $326, to-the-knee $381, and above-the-knee $435.

Judging by the quality of the shoes—which, all in all, wasn't bad—they were definitely true samples. In general, everything looked like it had been worn at least once, though the soles were only mildly dirty in most cases.

If you're debating whether or not to take a "long lunch" today, take note: If you're normally a size 6 through 8, don't bother. Middle and smaller sizes were mostly picked through by the time we arrived at 11:30am. The shoes ran extremely small as well, so be prepared to go up an entire size. However, if you're a size 9 and up, the sale is definitely worth your time—almost no one was tending to the mountains of larger sizes, which is where most of the best shoes were.

And if you plan to go, go early—as it's only one day (and likely ending in the late afternoon, based on past sales), there will be no restocking.

· Salewire: Manolo Blahnik [Racked NY]
· Sample Sales [Racked NY]