How to Score the Best Designer Sales

It’s no secret that designer fashion typically doesn’t come cheap. You’ve heard the expression, “She’s got expensive taste,” right? If you’re one of those people who always wants the latest and the greatest in terms of designer fashion - the newest Prada, Gucci, or Louis Vuitton - YOU’RE the one with expensive taste, and you better have several full-time jobs and a few years worth of serious savings set aside! Most people, though, just aren’t that lucky.

Just because your budget doesn’t quite allow you to fill your closet with all of the newest Prada bags, Valentino shoes, or Burberry jackets, doesn’t mean you can’t still have some gorgeous designer brand items in your wardrobe! In fact, knowing a little something about how branding works, as well as where to score some of the best deals on designer brands, will allow you to build up your wardrobe with some of the hottest designer brands for super cheap. With a little bit of knowledge, some resources, and these tips, you’ll be well on your way to grabbing your favorite designer brands without the outrageous price tags attached.

Shop flash sale websites and closeout websites.

Source: HauteLook

Flash sale websites offer a selection of designer pieces for much cheaper than the normal retail price. Examples of these sites are Zulily and HauteLook. The designer items are shipped in bulk to the flash retailer and then shipped from the flash retailer to you. As you can imagine, this saves the designer brand a ton of money on packaging and shipping, which allows you to receive a significant discount. Keep in mind that the items are limited and tend to sell out quickly, so you may want to consider subscribing to updates from your favorite brands through these flash sale websites. Closeout websites sell specific items that are no longer sold by the original retailer, and are therefore offered at a much lower price. 6pm and The Outnet are two favorite closeout websites.

Buy from consignment stores.

Source: Popsugar

As long as you don’t mind buying secondhand items, consignment stores are perfect for buying designer goods, as they are typically sold for less than half of their original price! Furthermore, since consignment stores purchase their products from various owners who receive a portion of the profit, the items sold in consignment shops are typically of very high-quality.

Shop under the same umbrella of companies.

One important piece of knowledge that you might not have been aware of is that most fashion brands have a number of brands beneath them, that are under the same umbrella. For example, there is typically the high-end designer brand, and then there are several other brands under that high-end designer brand, including lower-cost brands, bridge lines, and capsule collections.

• Lower-cost brands can be found right in your local department store. These are brands that aren’t quite the same as your favorite designer brands, but they are very similar, in that they are simply lower-cost versions of the main brand. Popular examples of these are REDValentino by Valentino and Marc by Marc Jacobs. 
• Bridge lines are collaborations between high-end designers and lower-priced retailers, in which the high-end designer creates a collection of pieces and the lower-priced retailer manufactures it more cheaply so that it can be sold at a more reasonable price. An example of this is Marc Jacobs working with Target. Although this is a great way to get your hands on some staple items that your favorite brands have designed, keep in mind that the quality of the item may not be as high, as the designers have little to do with the manufacturing process.
• Capsule collections are made up of just a few main items that best showcase a designer’s work. Because the collection only has a few pieces in it, the brand is able to mass manufacture the items so they are more affordable. In this case, you are getting the brand name and similar quality, but spending much less.

Shop during the off-seasons.

Source: Ocean Terminal

If you’re shopping for a swimsuit, try looking in the fall. If you’re looking for a jacket, try shopping around in the spring or summer. This is considered shopping during the off-season, when retailers are trying to make room for new in-season merchandise by pushing out their out-of-season goods. Although you may have to wait a few months before you can wear your new buy, it’s totally worth all the pennies you’re saving!

Borrow or rent designer items.

Source: New York Racked

If you’re only looking for a designer item for a short period of time for a special occasion, such as a prom, wedding, date, or corporate event, there’s really no need to purchase the item for an extremely high price. Rather, you can rent the items that you need from various sites, such as Bag Borrow or Steal and Rent the Runway. With sites like these, you choose your item and date, and then simply pay to rent the item for an extremely lower price than the retail price. For example, with Rent the Runway, you are able to rent a $700 Badgley Mischka gown for only $70! You can’t beat that!

Designer goods are absolutely beautiful and even more importantly, they are made with such high-quality, it’s really no wonder they are desired by so many people. By retaining the knowledge that we’ve provided you with here and considering these tips when shopping around, it’s easier than you might think to track down those desirable designer brands for an even more desirable price!