Gilt City Warehouse Sale

We're Live Blogging the Gilt City Warehouse Sale!

by Jordan Wolf on November 12, 2011 at 07:01AM

© Jordan Wolf / MFb10:00 AM: It’s not every day that you see a throng of eager, well-dressed fashion types lined up along outside a warehouse on NE 4th court, but today is the day of the long-awaited Gilt City Miami Warehouse Sale, where shoppers duke it out over heavily discounted, fabulous designer goods. We had the privilege of shopping the sale last night at the preview party, where we swooned over racks upon racks of top designers – Pucci, Helmut Lang, Vera Wang, and Tracy Reese to name a few – and even took home a gorgeous pair of Marni shoes and a lusted-after Missoni dress for our own closet.

The doors just opened – here we go!

© Jordan Wolf / MFb11:20: We caught up with Monica amidst the chaos for a minute to talk about what she found – a purple Jil Sander blouse, some Helmut Lang tees, and this sunny yellow trench also from Jil Sander.

© Jordan Wolf / MFb11:50: Shoppers stand patiently (or not!) in the long lines at the check-out counter as the first wave comes to a close. Kim from Gilt says they consider the climate, culture, and clientele of the individual city when selecting pieces for the sale. What’s selling here in Miami? “As little as possible,” he says, by which he means light options like sundresses, tees, and teeny tiny triangle bikinis. But we’ve also spotted the occasional fur, for all of you travelling to cooler destinations.

© Jordan Wolf / MFb12:55: Glamorous Gilt City curator Lauren took some time out from her extremely busy day to chat with us about fall trends and how to wear some of the fab pieces here at the sale. She tells us that utilitarianism is a trend on her watch list, and plucks this studded Gryphon coat off the racks as an example. “This jacket is perfect for Miami – it’s lightweight, versatile, and water-resistant.”

© Jordan Wolf / MFbNext, we talk patterns, prints, and colors. From a glamorous Vera Wang evening jacket to a dreamy cantaloupe tunic from Tart, “it’s all about the bright, bold colors, and color-blocking.” About this impeccable Jil Sander blouse she says “it’s an investment piece. With Jil Sander, you know you’re getting quality.”

Across the way from the racks of ready-to-wear is a single rack of couture pieces, among them this fabulously structured Alexander McQueen dress, a few wildly-patterned Marni and Pringle of Scotland pieces, and a yellow Pucci frock that “can be dressed up or down - try it with a bib necklace or a blazer, some nice heels to polish it up.”

Clearly, there are still many fabulous things to be found here – these are just a few!

© Jordan Wolf / MFb© Jordan Wolf / MFb1:25: What did Rachel unearth from the rows of racks? A pair of must-have sandals, a sleek zippered shoulder bag, and sweet suede high-tops for her boyfriend. Chic and thoughtful! He’s one lucky dude.

© Jordan Wolf / MFb1:50: After the second wave of shoppers, the Gilt team pulls together to overhaul and organize the space before the next session starts. We’re still sitting pretty, cocktail in hand, watching the scene unfold.

© Jordan Wolf / MFb2:40: Upstairs, the shoe table gets a less-than-royal treatment from excited shoppers as they rifle through the boxes, searching for flats, stilettos, sandals, and boots to fit their mood (and their foot!)

3:10: Coming at you with a bird’s eye view of the accessories table in the center of the sale. We spy furry bags, Missoni bikinis, and great big sun hats. With Talking Heads on the stereo, the energy in the room is high and the sale is going strong. Shoppers of all ages and sizes peruse the racks, looking for the perfect score: an Elvis tee, curve-hugging dresses, and stacks of 7 For All Mankind jeans are just some of the things we see piled high in their arms. We also notice that more dudes have shown up for this time slot, eagerly plucking Raf Simmons and Diesel gear off the racks.

3:40: We’re now well into the third session of shoppers, and though the racks are looking a little leaner, there’s still plenty of goods to go around. We admired Jerlandine’s cool zebra tote from across the room – she loved it at first sight on the accessories table, but her shopping companion was doubtful: “It’s a baby bag, but she’s going to buy it anyway.” Despite the label, this OIOI bag looks like a modern messenger with bonus outside pockets that always come in handy when it comes to stashing grab-and-go items like your keys and cell phone. Forget what the label says; we’re all for creative re-purposing – this bold bag is a definite “do.”

4:00: Still a lot of treasure left to be found as we prepare for the fourth and final session of the day. Run your fingers along the racks and you’ll feel the quality of these pieces – silk, cashmere, and ultra-soft cotton set this stuff apart. It really is such a pleasure just to be around these clothes! Also, the Gilt crew is great – they’re all committed to making the sale the most pleasant shopping experience it can be. Sure, the crowds are frantic but the Gilt girls and guys are cool, calm, and collected. The cocktails sure don’t hurt, either.

4:30: We’re in the final hours of the Gilt City Miami Warehouse Sale, and shoppers are still perusing the racks, trying on sparkly lurex evening gowns, and having a good time. Upstairs, the dressing room is swamped and the Gilt team is busy keeping everyone happy and everything in order, right up until the end of the day.

5:25: So we’re into the last half-hour of the sale. We’d like to call this post: “What Fools Left Behind.” Amazing heels, an intricately embellished Matthew Williamson dress, cool menswear for your boy, and hordes of multi-colored furry earmuffs. But what exactly happens to all the great stuff that Miami passed over? Gilt tells us it goes on its merry way to other warehouse sales where fashionistas in other cities can have at it. Lucky them!

© Jordan Wolf / MFb6:00: We made it! As the last stragglers thumb the racks and the check-out line winds around the bend, we must admit that we’re a little sad to see Gilt go. But we had a great day at their Warehouse Sale; we shopped, talked, and took in a sale experience unlike any other. Thank you, Gilt, for inviting us to be a part of an incredible day!

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Comments

Lauren @

09:35AM on November 12, 2011

Looks like the place to be!