Century 21 Opens Annex of Fanciness, Sells Birkins

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Looks like Century 21 is bracing itself for the upcoming influx of Financial District competitors—Saks, Saks Off Fifth, (possibly) Nordstrom—in a very fancy way. Tomorrow, the discount department store will unveil C21 Edition, a three-level glass-and-concrete annex filled with off-price luxury goods.

The 3,100-square-foot space—which has its own entrance at 21 Dey Street, but can also be accessed through the main Century 21 building—will eventually host designer collaborations, private sales, and events (there's a roof deck that overlooks the World Trade Center). There's also talk of opening the annex up to sample sales, which isn't a bad idea considering its wealth of dressing rooms (and proximity to Conde Nast).

But from now through the end of the year, C21 Edition is home to designer bags, scarves, ties, and jewelry from LXR & CO., a Montreal-based firm that retails and wholesales vintage luxury. The bulk of the prices are in line with Century 21, just scaled up. Gucci, Cartier, and Louis Vuitton purses (including Stephen Sprouse styles we haven't seen in the wild since the early aughts) are 50% to 70% off, while Hermes Birkins still skew high ($9,000 is the starting point). The pieces look to be in never-taken-out-of-the-dust-bag condition, so if you've been dreaming about denim LV logo baguettes since 2001, now's your time to strike.

· Financial District [Racked NY]
· J&R, Century 21 Bonded Over Pioneering Post-9/11 Retail [Racked NY]