Shopping

Adopt a Designer Ballgown!

payless 027.jpgI’d like to introduce you to some old friends.

I’ve known them for a while, but I still like to go visit them from time to time. They all live together in Soho, and they’re really chic. They only hang out with designers. They used to be on the runway but they haven’t been getting out much lately.

They’re the clothes on the basement sale rack at Kirna Zabete, the pioneering Soho boutique.

Let’s meet them:

There’s the Behnaz Sarafpour dress Natasha Poly wore down the runway in the Spring 2006 collection. Originally, $1645. Now: $412.

The dress Isabeli Fontana wore in the Spring 2005 Behnaz show: originally $1255, now $315.

The Lanvin tulle blouse from Fall 2005 that Ann Catherine Lacroix wore on the runway, marked down from $1665 to $166.

The yellow and white Nina Ricci gown, $5265 to $1317.

And my favorite twins:

The pumpkin colored silk bias cut dresses from Rodarte’s first collection (Spring 2006). Once, $1380, now $345.

There are others (the gaggle of Rick Owens sweaters, the Zac Posen family), but the pieces listed above have the most seniority and are thus closest to my heart. They’re so familiar. They’re always there… like for the last two years.

Why? Keep reading.

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS


Each has its own issues:

The Behnaz dresses and Lanvin blouse are both really identifiable as part of their respective collections, which is what’s kept me from adopting the blouse.

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The Nina Ricci gown was absurdly expensive and could only be worn to a really fancy benefit…which means that once it was a season old, it was unwearable.

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The Rodarte dresses are sized way up. The one I tried on should have been my size, but was so large on me that it allowed my entire right breast to be exposed.

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Lately, I’ve become concerned about the welfare of my friends.

How long can a piece of clothing really stay on a sale rack? Where will they go if Kirna Zabete finally realizes that no one will buy them? What happens to the clothing that no one wants to take home?

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Comments

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1

posted by Paola

Jun 28, 2007 3:46PM

pretty girl...

sad about the clothes...what does happen to the really expensive clothes that no one buys?

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2

posted by MH

Jun 28, 2007 3:53PM

Century 21. Live it, love it.

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3

posted by katie

Jun 28, 2007 3:58PM

You have great arms--I'm super thin but because I don't tan my arms sometimes look....well...marm-y. You seem not to have that problem.

Love the Nina Ricci dress. Too bad I live in L.A.

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4

posted by kim

Jun 28, 2007 4:31PM

the nina ricci looks great!
i spy some proenza schouler...

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5

posted by MH

Jun 28, 2007 5:44PM

Also, I sense some NYC high schoolers making mental notes for prom dresses...

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posted by guest

Jun 28, 2007 6:26PM

Kate and Laura Mulleavy aren't twins. The Behnaz dress is divine, and could easily be dressed up or down, so it's my favorite out of all of these.

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posted by Faran

Jun 28, 2007 6:46PM

Anna is actually referencing the dresses as her favorite twins; there are two identical Rodarte gowns in the store!

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8

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Jun 28, 2007 10:13PM

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9

posted by znw

Jun 29, 2007 2:05AM

I wish I was there. Unfortunately I'm in Australia. I'd snap up the Lanvin blouse in a heartbeat.

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posted by jack

Jun 29, 2007 7:53AM

Faran, what does happen to designer clothing that doesn't get sold? Especially in the stores themselves, I guess they must have a lot of dead stock which even the sale can't shift. Do they destroy it?

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posted by theovereducatedvalet

Jun 29, 2007 9:27AM

I didn't know Kirna Zabete had a sale section with some potentially-reasonable prices. I've never gone when I've been in New York because I prefer to spend my limited time there shopping in stores where I might actually be able to afford to buy something. Thanks for the heads-up.

I love that you have favorites that you go back to visit. I occasionally do the same thing with the really, really expensive pieces at (the original) Filene's Basement. They do seem to have personalities, don't they.

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posted by AFG

Jun 29, 2007 1:03PM

If you want the blouse, call KZ and see if they'll mail it you!

Their staff is very accommodating.

It would be great if it found a loving home (er, closet).

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posted by heather

Jun 29, 2007 11:03PM

From one fair-skinned girl to another, I don't think the pale yellow is making the most of your skin tone. The pumpkin color is more flattering.

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