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Fashion

High-End Fashion Treasure Hunt: Wholesale and Off-Price Shopping in the Valley...and Beyond
By Buffy Visick

A great wardrobe comes a piece at a time, and wholesale and off-price shopping is a great way to build it without spending the rent money on clothes. The Valley and Los Angeles are dripping with talented designers and fashionistas, and with that comes ample opportunity to find high-end pieces for rock-bottom prices. Be warned, while the coveted prize of a high-end wardrobe piece might be glamorous, wholesale shopping is not-the experience is most often likened to a bazaar. Clothing is rarely sorted by size, sometimes not even sorted by type, and occasionally piled on the floor. Dressing rooms are often communal or non-existent (plan your undergarments accordingly). Crowds can be unruly, and sometimes the location is a bit (or a lot) out of the way of more traditional shopping centers. It's a classic treasure hunt, and for those who live for such things, the greater the adventure the more satisfying the prize.

The first step, of course, is finding the site of the potential treasure. Fashion insider blogs such as Daily Candy (www.dailycandy.com) and Thrillist (www.thrillist.com) feature regular notices for sample and warehouse sales in the greater Los Angeles area (they also feature other metropolitan areas). For a very local resource, check out Suzanne O'Connor's Bargains LA (www.bargainsla.com). "Zannee" has the local's advantage for information on every sale and wholesaler location within a 250 mile radius, and her reviews and tips are solid and fun to read. All these websites have the option to sign up for automatic updates, so you'll always be in the loop.

Though there are several options for "off-price" shopping in the Valley...should you venture over the hills to downtown, you'll find the best selection at the best prices at the sample sales near or in the California Market Center. Not all the goods featured are samples-designers and showrooms also offer their unsold merchandise here, sometimes for less than wholesale, before passing them on to the off-price retailers. If you happen to be one of the lucky ones who fit the sample size, you can find beautiful pieces starting as low as $5.

Though many sample sales have started taking credit cards, cash will usually get you the best deal. Come early, move fast, and if you find something you like, hold onto it until you're absolutely sure you can put it down, or else run the risk of having it snatched away from you.

If the sample sales sound a bit overwhelming, Loehmann's in Reseda (19373 Victory Blvd., (818) 345-7063) and Burbank (851 N. San Fernando Rd., (818) 842-0061) features first-quality women's, men's, and children's apparel from high-end and luxury designers. Be warned: There's plenty of not-so-great, and not-quite-right, and not-so-affordable...but when you find a score, you really score. My niece recently found an adorable $2500 leather Moschino Cheap and Chic baby suede jacket for the incredible price of $89. While you won't hit every time, that one time you do will be well worth it. Another option is a consignment/resale shop like Crossroads Trading Co. in Studio City (12300 Ventura Blvd., (818) 761-6200). These shops often feature new merchandise along with their used and vintage stock, for wholesale or below. Then there's Nordstrom Rack, of course; however, the selection is less high-end and often picked over. The shoes are worth at least a quick look, it's true.

If you really want to score some great shoes, and you're up for traveling a little further outside the 818 than even downtown, Piller's is a family-run Los Angeles legend. Located for years in Eagle Rock before (sigh) moving southwest to Torrance (1421 Marcelina Ave., (310) 212-5152), at Piller's you will actually find excellent service and organized merchandise, and you'll save even more than you would at the off-price chains. They feature apparel in addition to shoes and their fans are legion and loyal.

You could also just stay home, it's true, and log on to Bluefly.com or check the offerings on eBay. They both feature some great styles and labels and are worth a regular visit, Especially if you are after a particular designer. But with so many chances to get the first crack at some great luxury fashion so close to home, do your wardrobe a favor, be bold, and check out what the Valley and the parts not-so-beyond it have to offer.

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