For four decades, the POSH sale has kicked off every spring. This time, New York City’s top fashion fundraiser is taking place at a new location… The Plaza Hotel. The sale is a treasure trove of new and gently worn designer clothing, accessories and footwear for women, men and children at 50 to 80 percent off the retail price. Designers include Alexander McQueen, Asprey, Bill Blass, Burberry, Carolina Herrera, Chanel, Christian Dior, Hermes, Jimmy Choo, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Prada and the list goes on…
We attended last night’s preview. As with previous sales, the merchandise is well organized in separate sections/rooms in the lower level of the Plaza (vintage, contemporary and designer for the well-dressed lady and the dapper gent). Many of the shoppers have been coming to this sale for years and so they knew what they were looking for. A room towards the back that contained all the high-end designer merchandise (including furs) is where we spent most of our time. That’s also where I spotted the fashion icon, Iris Apfel, looking through the racks of designer wares (just like everyone else there) and hoping to find something that catches her eye.
There’s tons of merchandise and if you spent a little time, you’re bound to find something. Here’s what we spotted: a Prada dress for $500, a Carolina Herrera silk top for $250, an Asprey skirt for $250, a Hermes coat for $1,650. As for handbags, a turquoise Miu Miu leather shoulder bag was going for $800, Jimmy Choo handbag was $895, a Michael Kors medium-sized brown leather bag was $695, a vintage Versace was $400, and a really stunning red Fendi evening bag was $500. I also liked a Chanel logo lucite black cuff ($500). As for shoes, there were Chanel sling-backs for $250, Dior platforms for $195, Jimmy Choo pumps for $200 and Manolos for $250. If these prices are too pricey for you, there’s plenty of other bargains in the other sections. The only problem I had was with sizing… most of the clothing was size 6 and up.
If you’re headed for the Manolo sale at the Warwick Hotel… you should stroll over to the Plaza afterwards and check out POSH. Afterall, it’s for a worthy cause. All the proceeds to Lighthouse International, which provides education, research and other services to enable the blind and vision-impaired to lead independent, productive lives. Tickets are $10 to shop for a day or $30 for the entire four days. You can buy the ticket at the door or online.
Where/When: The Plaza Hotel, 1 W. 58th St., b/t Fifth & Sixth Aves. May 12 to 15, Thurs – Sat (9-6p); Sun, (11-5p).
I’m a longtime supporter and participant in the Lighthouse for the Blind’s annual POSH SALE. But despite this year’s venue at the Plaza being a more glamorous one, both the layout and lighting were not conducive for shoppers. Racks were so tightly positioned, that they were barely wide enough for one person to fit through, let alone scan for clothing. And so dimly lit, that the volunteers were continually apologizing to the shoppers for the conditions. A good cause, but they need improvements for a better experience next year.