You know what time it is. Thursday through Sunday, 5/19-5/22, Steven Alan‘s hosting his famed semiannual sample sale featuring up to 75% off F/W stock, along with various annex offerings from Loomstate, Sophomore, Relwen, Gilded Age, Bentley Cravats ties, Rogan, Loomstate, Hyden Yoo, Generic Surplus, … As you can see here and here, the success of the last event was quite debatable. Pre-sale, tonight? You didn’t hear it from us…
Steven Alan Sample Sale – 87 Franklin St btwn Broadway & Church – 212-343-0692 – Thurs-Fri 8:30am-8pm, Sat 11pm-7pm, Sun 11pm-5pm – Map
32 Comments
If i were to hear from some-source-no-way-associated-with-this-site what time tonight’s pre-sale were to start, what would i have heard?
4 PM to 8 PM
just got back…went at 5pm and there was NO LINE…maybe 3 people checking in their bags…even as i left 20 minutes later, there was no line at the door.
my take? a whole lot of nothing. i can speak with authority about the XS and Small sizes. downstairs, TONS of steven alan button downs…now $78 for long sleeves! lots and lots of old and lame patterns…and nearly all reverse seam. if reverse seam is yr thing, its a good sale.
lots of jackets…the large and extra large had some decent options…one style of barbour jackets going for $150. lots of lee jeans, lots of steven alan for dockers (shocker). lots of pajamas for $55, small selection of spring court, common projects, superga sneakers…very small selection. some other one off pants and jackets from garbstore, woolrich woolen mills, engineered garments.
upstairs is the other designer stuff…hyden yoo, relwen, operation…all lame all shit and lots of it.
generic surplus sneakers for $25 were the only thing i walked out with.
This, unfortunately, is a terrible sale.
Sam hit it on the head, $80 for a Chinese-made button down is no bargain. Especially if you have to get the sides tapered down to create a relatively modern fit.
I find you get better selection and similar prices for this stuff shopping at SA store events. Cheaper yet if you hit up places like Barneys and Scoop.
The prices across the board were ridiculous, even the ties are now $35 each.
Upstairs you’ll find oddball brands that reaffirm Steven’s aging aesthetic. Generic Surplus kicks seemed to be the only good deal in the house.
Come on, it’s not that bad. Lots of those button downs are actually made in the USA. Agreed, you can get better prices on the shirts at the BWS, although the workshirts at that price are not bad. Some outerwear-including this season’s bomber jacket–for about $95, as well as this season’s double breasted blazer in both khaki and striped pattern for $95 were probably the best deal (t-shirts for $35 were the biggest WTF, IMHO). I came away with a pair of shorts for $35 and a short sleeved shirt-$70. No regrets.
yeah, the shorts seemed like a decent deal but the selection was scant. i have no problem with the button downs if they were single needle and with good patterns. they are mostly all made in the USA if im not mistaken.
i just think that the sample sale has gotten so big that steven alan has taken advantage is the amount of visitors by upping the prices and lowering the amount of quality for sale.
Sam–You are correct. There were some really junky shirts, in the middle rack, probably made in China. I also prefer the single needle style.
To the dude trying on pants wearing boxers,
Not cool to have your c@ck slip out!
Gross! Check yourself before dropping ur pants
Near other dudes.
Shirts were Spring 2010 and some Fall 2010.
Steven Alan Nikes were $75 for the ugly clunky ones.
Shorts were nice at $35 & Generic surplus shoes
For $19
Prices on the Steven Alan stuff definitely higher than last year and well above what can be found elsewhere with a little bit of patience. This sale never really does it for me but it is a great place to load up on generic surplus sneakers.
Everything seemed to be about 50% off retail which is no big deal, that’s easy to be found anywhere. This in no way shape or form should be called a sample sale, its an overstock sale of the pieces that were not big hits. Nothing to get excited about. The Steven Allen vision which seemed so right-on a couple of years ago feels sadly outdated now. Why bother
Hopefully it’s a good sign that quality is back in style. He lost me when he tried to sell me something at full price (literally) at his last “sample sale”. Don’t appreciate having to sew back on buttons on his shirts either.
They do usually drop prices further in, don’t they?
Harris–They usually do. In general, does it seem to anyone else that men’s fashion is entering a rut–that everything that seemed fresh three years ago–Steven Alan, Rag and Bone, Engineered Garments, Band of Outsiders, etc. feels over-familiar? What is the next big (or at least interesting) thing?
@Steve, agreed. I think Band of Outsiders might be an exception, since the fit alone is still pretty familiar. But for the most part, designs at SA have trickled down, and the signature plaid is everywhere. As for the next big thing, I’d be a (future) billionaire if I knew…
More relevant: anyone been up to SA Outpost recently? Prices are higher but stock is generally better.
ive been wearing steven alan since 2001 or so…ive learned that the best time to get steven alan stuff is at the end of the season at the stores or at the UWS warehouse.
that being said, i only get their shirts due to the fit and patterns. they have produced so much over the years that there are tons of product in all sorts of places…im surprised we havent seen it at century 21.
i disagree with steve though. the labels you mentioned have hit a wall so to speak but there are tons of other british, french, danish, swedish, and even american designers taking the torch and pushing things forward. not wildly creative fits or anything but great quality clothing.
any further price reductions today?
This sale was a JOKE. Went today at 1 PM and shirts were still $68 and the racks were full. My girlfriend and I looked around for 10 mIns and then bounced.
Weird when I went Sunday shirts were down to $60 or 3 for $150.
Got some great new stock in Sunday morning
Went on Saturday, great sale, got a few shirts, some wool cardigans and a great waxed jacket, and even got to meet Steven Alan himself, he was there on Saturday helping out his staff and marking items down..i even asked him if he had the sweaters i eventually purchased in another size that wasn’t on the floor and he went and got them from the stock room..all in all it was a good sale..
Cashmere hats and (american made) boxers for $10 was a great deal.
Also got a pair one Lee 101z dry denim for $69, not bad.
Cashmere hats and (american made) boxers for $10 was a great deal.
Also got a pair Lee 101z dry denim for $69, not bad.
I took home several pairs of Simon Miller M003 distressed dark wash soft selvedge jeans…
Less than two hours later they were ALL SOLD on eBay for a cool $100 profit on each pair. East coast guys with their rapidly-becoming-played-out fetish for raw-denim didn’t even look at them.
hmm, tried to find your auctions…to no avail. even searched the completed auctions. odd, huh?
LOL Scrod
In defense of RAW, it has been said that broken in denim is like broken in women…
can someone ban randy, please? good lord. what a chode.
Scrod you envious piece of shit,
Do you really want me to prove I just sold several pair of Simon Miller’s purchased from Steven Alan sale this past Sunday? Just ask and I will.
Someone should ban you.
nah, just link me to the autcions.
We could meet wherever you’d like, I’ll pull up my eBay listing history for you. Name the place hater.
no links. not surprising.
Scrod, your bitchassedness is unconscionable.
naylon, just post the link(s) to the auctions of these profit-generating jeans. what’s the problem? it’d be a pretty simple way to set the record straight, no?