Sample sales are the fashion industry's best-kept secret

Speaking of fashion and in particular of shopping, to the point where it becomes compulsive, it's impossible not to mention a film that explains its relevance already from its title. Amid a few exaggerations and inevitable stereotypes, Confessions of a Shopaholic potrays in an unimpeachable, almost documentary-like way a ritual that fashion enthusiasts and insiders know all too well: sample sales. The discounted and usually temporary sales are a chance for great bargains and stand out as the perfect sum of the spirit that animates the fashion industry. 

More than a decade after the movie's release inspired by Sophie Kinsella's novels, sample sales have never been more popular. The proof comes from TikTok where there are many creators, scattered across New York, LA, and London, showing off purchases made at these sales, sometimes feeling kind and good-natured enough to share the address and dates of the sale. Mile-long queues, codes to get in, a guarded and at times riotous attitude toward those who dare to even look at the products you've set aside: the atmosphere is not exactly one of the most peaceful and friendly (and partly reminds of that of Supreme's drops in the heyday). In less than a minute, @sayjayjohnson recounts the madness inside Jimmy Choo's big sale, where it's crucial to make a wide selection of what you want, try it on in a corner, and pay as fast as you can. @emmarogue has shed a light on Vivienne Westwood's sample sale, taking home wallets, handbags, pants, and corsets at bargain prices. The most sought-after and exclusive private sale, at least in New York, however, remains Balenciaga's, to which only Kering employees and their guests are admitted. 

In Milan, the situation is not that different. Between Instagram and Whatsapp go around, jealously guarded, screenshots and addresses of upcoming sales, to be shared only with a select group of contacts. For those new to this activity what strikes immediately is the quality and level of the garments on sale: in addition to the inevitable flawed, stained, or unsold pieces, one can find real gems, investment pieces, and even looks from the runway. In addition to making it clear how pointless and even silly buying at total price is, sample sales are a great exercise in bringing out the braver, more fierce side of yourself. If the situation in front of you, however, involves a hanger full of clothes and a woman doing a live Instagram infomercial, better leave it alone (and don't touch anything). 

In addition to Sample Lover, which puts together online sales for limited periods of time, in Milan, the trend has also gained ground on a more mainstream level thanks to Moscova District Market, a private sale heavily sponsored on Instagram for which it's mandatory to join a sort of club to receive info and updates about events and sales. In the Olympus of the most anticipated sample sales, Prada's undoubtedly triumphs, accessible through a password more sought-after than Harry Styles tour tickets. The sale in which to do real bargains is that of The Row, while to buy Margiela at half price you will have to leave Milan... 

In the account of this collective ritual, there's a recurring leitmotif, that of the private club, of exclusivity, of belonging to a well-defined circle, the slogan of which could be 'you can't sit with us.' Sample sales are the most glaring and common example of a problem that has always characterized the fashion world: gatekeeping. I know a place where you can buy designer clothes and bags even at 75 percent off but I won't tell you about it: nothing sums up the spirit of the fashion system better. Sample sales also expose all its contradictions: why spend 500 euros more for a pair of shoes when they will be available for a fifth of their original price in a few months? Because what matters is the newness, the viral purchase, the Instagram trend, you need to have and show everything right away, online or at events, even if it means spending a paycheck. On the other hand, for those who are really passionate about fashion but see it as a distant and inaccessible universe, sample sales can be a kind of bridge to enter that world, looking at it from another perspective.  It comes off as a rather bleak portrait, but if like Becky Bloomwood you *must* have those Pucci boots, you'll have to suck it up and enter the magical world of sample rooms.