Christian Louboutin for L'Wren Scott at Dover Street Market's MARKET, reduced to £88.00,
When Jane and I hear the word SALE in relation to retail, we are often overwhelmed with a feeling of Sale Fatigue. Our years spent in the industry have made us deeply cynical of mark down values.
When it comes to discounts, an advert telling us there's a SALE on hardly makes an impact with us. Anyone offering a paltry 10 or 15% discount will receive a barely disguised snort of derision, as years spent marking stock down prior to a sale day has taught us that this is just a 'customer tempter 'for the truly naive, done to encourage more footfall through the door.
A discount of 20 -25% might makes us ask who the brand or retailer is, but it wont get us off our bums and out the door as we know the store will still be making money from us as the profit margin is calculated to expect this sort of reduction at the end of a season to clear stock.
30-40% off, and we're maybe starting to show interest, but really, we wont get out of our fashion armchairs for less than a 50% discount (check out Jane's coverage of Bicester Village for some good half price shopping)
So when the fabulously cool Dover Street Market announced that it was having only its second ever warehouse sale (being the coolest store in London they call it a MARKET rather than a sale) and that everything would be between 70% and 80% off, we were actually EXCITED.
The sale, sorry MARKET, is on for the Bank Holiday weekend, so through to Monday evening, with enough stock to last. We went to the preview yesterday to check it out and there are indeed racks of fabulous clothes, mostly from the Comme des Garcons ranges but there are also clothes by Lanvin, Yves Saint Laurent, Undercover, Manish Arora, Christopher Kane, Raf Simons, Givenchy and Martin Margiela. Everything by Comme is 70% off, everything else is 80% off, no messing about.
So, it would have been silly to go all the way over to east London (for research -we suffer for this blog, y'know) and not buy something at such stupendously great discounts. Espcially when I found a pair of shoes by Christian Louboutin for L'Wren Scott (who is almost my new best friend now I've shared a beach with her, right?) marked down from £440 to £88. I mean, who could resist?
To revive you after your purchasing, there are also some very tasty food stalls from London's best weekend markets set up in the forecourt, to make more of a day of it. If the weather is nice it could turn into a party.
Dover Street Market MARKET, only the second of its kind, is at
The Old Depot, 1-3 Wenlock Road, London N1 7SL
Nearest Tube Stations: Angel and Old Street.
Open from 10.00am to 7.00pm Sat, Sun and Mon. Expect (edgily dressed) queues.