L.A.M.B and Harajuku Lovers Handbag Sample Sale

This morning I got up freakishly early to meet my friend Alison at the Savvy NYC loft for the l.a.m.b handbag sample sale. I’d received an email a few weeks back about the sale, and the prices listed were just too good to pass up. I don’t usually go to sales that start so early, but today I made it right before before the 8am start time. Which was lucky, because a long line had already formed down the street, and only 5 people were being let in at a time.

After waiting about ten minutes, we were allowed in to the sale. The ten shoppers ahead of me all were gathered around a sales girl setting out wallets, so I made a quick dash around the room and grabbed four of the handbags that I liked best. The kid robot section went pretty much ignored by most of the shoppers, but seemed to have a lot of selection. Harajuku Lovers bags were also plentiful, with designs from past and current seasons available. I was sad that very few current season lamb bags were out (about ten designs, compared to the past sales many more), no laptop bags were available, and none that appeared to be “samples” (I bought an amazing unreleased bullseye lamb bag last summer, and would have liked another rarity). Most were overstock, or Nordstrom returns. But the selection was huge, with bags ranging from the first season rasta signature print bags, to fall ’09 neon graffiti print bags.

L.a.m.b Price List.

Lambseye bags!

Fall ’09 bag.

Like most well priced sales, this one was not with out it’s resellers and hoarders. One woman bought FIFTY nylon wallets. And about twenty more leather and canvas lamb wallets, and a handful of bags. I also recognized a girl from the l.a.m.b forums, who was hoarding a dozen or more bags and grabbed about fifteen wallets, while her male friend did the same.

The decimated pile of wallets. All that was left was a few damaged coin purses, and some large clutches.

People have the right to buy whatever they want, but it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth when you see them hoarding items that other people might have liked to buy. I can’t think of a single reason one person would need to own twenty or more wallets. I was going to buy one wallet for myself and one or two as gifts, and I know Alison and her mother were pretty disappointed with the wallet hoarding as well.

The woman purchasing 50+ wallets

The leather & canvas wallets she also bought.

The Harajuku Lovers selection:

Cute wall art!

The lonely Kidrobot section:

There was plenty of room to sit and think about what you wanted to buy:

A shopper sorting her potential purchases.

Clutches.

The massive pile of stock.

I know it’s impossible to prevent resellers and hoarders, so despite a few greedy customers, I like the way that Savvy runs their sales. It’s great knowing the prices ahead of time. And the staff was (and always is) very helpful and nice. They seem genuinely excited about what they are selling. This was my third l.a.m.b bag sale in the past 2 1/2 years, and probably the best one so far. The sale was never crowded with probably 25 or so people being allowed in the room at one time. That might not have been favorable to the crowd waiting outside in the cold, but it made for an extra pleasant shopping experience. I never felt rushed or crowded (except while trying to view the wallets).

The L.a.m.b, Harajuku Lovers, and Kidrobot sale runs until December 3rd.
42 Greene Street – 2nd Floor
Btwn Grand & Broome
When: December 1st – 3rd
Tuesday 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Wednesday 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Thursday 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
More info at Savvy NYC.

All photos ®2009 The Greyest Ghost