185: Say yes to carbs

Plus Proenza's little red pouch lives, fashion takes Lunar New Year, and the Eileen Fisher sale we all need to just give in to.

Jan 10, 2024

Welcome back to the news + sales send, the bread and butter of Magasin. It’s so good to be addressing you from this vantage point—a return to form after a season’s worth of sale breakouts, holiday features, year-end retrospectives, and travel asides. If 2023 was any indication, 2024 is going to be a boom year for this newsletter (all because of you! thank you!), and while I can’t wait to see what it brings, I’m grateful to have this space be a constant that keeps us both plugged into just what’s happening in shopping.

So what’s brewing? This week, interestingly, there are still more sales to report than there is news to announce. That should shift by the next send or two, when the post-NYE markdown schedule (or whatever sale season this is alleged to be) makes way to more spring and pre-spring collection drops. Yikes! Yeah, already. Proenza’s among the earliest to offer its SS24 (on pre-sale), while Mansur Gavriel, with its original owners re-attached, swings at a comeback with PS24. The people’s The Row, Eileen Fisher, is way, way down in a 60% off sale, and I’m powerless against a rare Lauren Manoogian sale. Rachel Comey and Lisa Yang’s sales aren’t to be missed, either.

I also want to invite you to send me any shopping news or sales you think other readers of this newsletter might want to know of, whether you are working with a brand or just tapped into the ecomm scene. Would love to hear from you at any time! Reply to this email or drop your knowledge in the chat.

What’s new

When I got notice that Proenza’s SS24 collection had landed on site for pre-order, I was prompted to revisit my Future Shopper fashion week recap that I published last September. The suspense between the moment you see—and fall in love with—a look or item from the runway and the grand reveal of what’s actually been put into production is enough to drive a shopper to settling for a lesser, more immediate version. I didn’t need any reminders as to what struck me when first seeing the season, but upon confirming that my top three had made it past the elimination round, I was glad to look back and know I hadn’t settled for any alternatives. THE little red pouch would suffer no imitators. THE elegantly gorpy anorak could not be substituted by any mortal windbreaker. THE laser cut leather flats would be the ones on my feet come April—no other.
Mansur Gavriel lost its ‘It’ factor, in short, because of American fashion’s dubious instinct to scale above all else. Lauren Sherman recapped the whole ordeal flawlessly in her newsletter Line Sheet, with the news-you-can-use bottom line being that the founders Rachel Mansur and Floriana Gavriel are now back at the company. The brand’s PS24 collection was just released on the site, and I’m wondering if there’s been any palpable change—do I want it again? Mm, kind of. As always, the quenching tones (a vegan apple crossbody in '“Meta” and north-south hobo bag in “Citrus” are new this season) are so appealing, as is the expensive-looking ecomm photography. But I’m going to need a suite of new silhouettes for SS24 that prove the brand has a sense of the zeitgeist (let alonen lead it!) before I concede that Mansur Gavriel is back.
In honor of the Lunar New Year, Tory Burch released a capsule that hits upon what Loewe has so successfully harnessed with its more whimsical collaborations in the past few years—the interplay of sophisticated and special, as in a chain-strap purse with the Tory logo intertwined in a golden dragon or a cashmere pullover dotted with pixel-like clouds; festive enough for celebratory wearing but subtle enough to sport year-round, and the dragon stuffed animal-turned-bag is just adorable.
The fourth edition of Miu Miu’s upcycled collection is all denim and leather repurposed from past seasons’ looks, fashioned into sequined bra tops and patchwork top-handle bags with certificates of authenticity stored “on the blockchain.” Even the Miu Miu classic, an oversized hair clip, is done up in embellished denim. Every piece in the collection is eminently wearable in an everyday context—no micro miniskirts designed to go viral in sight.
The new homeware collection by artist and textile designer Élan Byrd for Lulu and Georgia is rich in texture, both on a macro level—floor lamps have shades that crest like waves and are stitched in leather at the edges—and a micro level, like with patchwork grasscloth wallpaper that gives the illusion of having been woven on a loom. Fans of Cold Picnic’s abstract designs will especially appreciate the collection’s textiles, like a silk pillow that references stone cairns.
Beaufille’s R24 collection is more suited for a stroll along a rocky East Coast shoreline than a tropical vacation, with browns, blacks, reds, and lace the central motifs of most pieces. A strapless, columnar dress looks like the buttoned-up cousin of the Commission shift we love, but Beaufille’s signature twisty, cut-out silhouettes make up most of the capsule, as in this long-sleeve, torso-baring lace bodysuit.
In anticipation of the incoming Year of the Dragon, Nanushka’s Lunar New Year capsule is quickly selling out of its twill silk wrap shirts sprinkled with scribbly dragon silhouettes, knotted satin clutches in the red of a traditional hóngbāo, the red envelope used to gift money on the holiday, and more gender-neutral, on-theme offerings.
Continuing its string of killer collaborations, Palm Heights worked with Gohar World on an assortment of eleven pieces of kitchenware and jewelry that have a very watery energy—pearl proliferates as swan-shaped spoons and host necklaces, shells are fashioned into gold-plated trinket boxes and understated napkin rings, and more such oceanic pieces abound.
Sézane released a collaboration with the pattern masters at Pangea full of cotton-and-silk button-downs printed with flags, rugs, windows, and other cartoonish-but-sophisticated icons, matching cotton scarves, and gold-plated jewelry like these oversized, bird-shaped earrings that compliment the general feeling of lightheartedness the collaboration brings to the table.
Fans of Kiko Kostantinov footwear be advised: AT.KOLLEKTIVE’s Season Three collection by Nina Christen embodies a similar energy at a much lower price point, with bright yellow ballet flats in athletic-looking perforated leather and a sole that crawls onto the top of the shoe like the lips of a Venus flytrap and Keens-looking sandals as two of the collection’s most interesting options.
Hunza G’s new maternity collection is a swath of fuller-coverage swimwear in the brand’s signature crinkly bathing suit material, designed to stretch out and back with the cycle of a pregnancy so they’re still wearable after the baby is up and about. A secure-seeming, Baywatchred one piece with a square neck is the most modest option, but even strapless bikinis with high-waisted briefs are incorporated into the Hunza G vision of maternity wear.
Published By released four pieces of idiosyncratic homeware, from a four-candle holder shaped like a futuristic clamshell to a silver bowl that stands on spikes so arm-like it looks like it could crawl off the table. The pieces are sleek enough to fit into minimalist M.O.s but have enough personality that even your most tchotchke-happy friend would be glad to receive one as a housewarming gift.
There’s also: Levi’s releases a three-piece capsule with Japanese design icon Beams, including a denim jacket and extra-wide-legged jeans; and each shipment from Lorena Prain’s brainy collection of knits and totes for Bimba y Lola comes with an exclusive fanzine from the Parisian artist.

What’s on sale

There is a very real, skeptical part of me that wonders why we bother with The Row or any of its closely exorbitant contemporaries when Eileen Fisher is right there. That hunch is at least partially warranted, even more so when you weigh the prices of the former (financial dysphoria, tbh) against the numbers accompanying near-identical pieces from the latter in a sale currently running on Rue La La, of all places. This pair of “straight pants” are deserving of the same type of cult-dom we carve out for The Row’s Gaia pants in Substack chat forums and receive eagerly on our FYP—but they’re $79. And how about this boxy, collared jacket? Or this knit coat? Or this somehow-not-Toteme boatneck top? We’d save ourselves a lot of money if we admitted who we really were: Eileen Fisher simps.
If you’ve been a reader for a bit, I haven’t exactly kept it a secret that a significant chunk of my clothing comes from Lauren Manoogian—in gradually upgrading my basics, I’ve found the brand to be among the best at making extraordinary clothes you can wear in ordinary circumstances. Sales, which it doesn’t run very often, but is now, are a great excuse to add to that pool of resources. From my wardrobe, here’s a sweater I’ve worn ad nauseam and some big pants I pull out as an always-works trick, both on sale. And in my cart are a belted cardigan I’ve decided I need after falling in love with my knit coat (not on sale, sorry) and I think the actual perfect crew neck long sleeve. Yow.
In the great, late elevated basics-ssaince, Bevza has been unfairly left out of conversations that have included By Malene Birger, Maria MacManus, Kallmeyer…even I am builty of this. But in my revisit to Future Shopper, I was reminded how much I always enjoy seeing the collections on the runway, and I realized they tend to disappear from the public conscious, even after they launch. It’s a marketing issue, really, but that shouldn’t stop us from appreciating the cool, easily wearable separates reflecting Svitlana Bevza’s unique eye—Balaclava sweater for $158! A whole camel coat for $255! This absolutely bonkers dress for $355!!!—especially at their current discounts.
I got a little over-eager while browsing the Browns and Matches sales this week and sort of blew my product-edit load in the Magasin chat. A few highlights from included Tory Burch loafers for $120, a massive Loewe Puzzle Bag for 40% off, the white Tove jeans that redefined the category down to $150, and just a fewwww sizes left of the Le Monde Beryl (Sandy-esque) ballerinas for $116. I liked being able to react in real time to these fickle sales, so it likely won’t be the last time I drop reccs in there before they make it to the newsletter, FYI!
Knits are the stars of the show in the soon-ending Alex Mill sale, from a 100% Merino wool Fair Isle cardigan for under $100 and a retro, lace-up-neck fisherman sweater for $117 to a cerulean cashmere polo sweater under $200 and an ingenious “sweater jumpsuit” for a strangely low $75, the kind of thing you put on in January and don’t take off your body for more than a shower’s worth of time ‘till April.
Rachel Comey’s sale is up to 60% off and includes curvy, cyber-punkish leather wedges, knee-high cheetah-print riding boots, floral mesh dresses with flattering ruching at the hips, and more pieces that are full-circle nostalgic to a knowing stratum of New York women.
The Lisa Yang seasonal sale saves up to 40% on a litany of knits, from a cloudlike brushed cashmere cape to the platonic ideal of a gray ribbed tank top and a crewneck sweater in a purple so rich it defies explanation—go see for yourself.
Theory’s taking an extra 20% off its sale section, bringing a gloves, beanie, and scarf set in 100% cashmere down to under $200, a classic double-face wool-cashmere coat (if you missed out on Toteme’s car coat, this one has excellent reviews) to under $450, and the ultimate City Girl Pumps that, unlike most of their contemporaries, actually show the all-important toe cleavage, down to $200.
Take 50% off Maryam Nassir Zadeh’s SS23 collection in a veritable fruit salad of colors— with a cherry-red v-neck cardigan for $125, a lime-green slip dress for $325, and pumps in a holographic shade of plum for $255, plus much more.
The Reformation sale is ending soon, so it’s broken out its steepest deals yet—the currently omnipresent front-slit maxi skirt silhouette is available in both denim and linen for $94 and $53, respectively, a late-winter party top in velvet and a sweet rosette is under $50, and MNZ-adjacent wedges with cantilever heels are $84, with almost all sizes still available.
The Saks Potts sale takes up to 50% off last season’s collection of very grown-up Lizzie McGuire in Italy pieces—an off-the-shoulder jumper in fuchsia mohair competes with a moss-green dress in perforated leather (with an attached belt pouch!) and swirly lace pants for the title of Most Likely to be Worn on a Vespa.
Use password PDxARC2 to get into the Peter Do archive sale, with up to 70% off self-belted maxi dresses, silk wrap shirts printed with the blurry image of a sunrise, and backless tuxedo blazers nipped in to perfection at the waist.
Tibi’s biannual sale takes up to 50% off pieces like a pair of low-waisted jeans with voluminous, curved legs, a crepe blouse with a kimono-like criss cross neckline, and a lambswool crewneck sweater in that perfect shade of crimson with strategic cutouts under its arms—all under $300.
By Far is taking up to 70% off a selection of its accessories; a pair of pointy teal slingbacks is under $200, some elevated Chelsea boots are less than $300, and a selection of crossbody bags just big enough for the phone/keys/wallet trifecta hover around the $100 mark, like this one in patent emerald.
Proenza Schouler’s sale is on its last legs, with final reductions up to 65% off, including some runway pieces like this foldover leather handbag, a wool felt maxi skirt with deep front slits on either thigh, and a wintry dress with an asymmetrical mock neck and wide sleeves in a rusty, burnt orange.
LoQ’s New Year sale has it all—straight-shafted riding boots, cream-colored flats with v-shaped vamps, and dozens of other leather shoes, plus a few random home goods—a set of three funny little handmade candles is down to $46, a trio of brass candle holders $66.
At checkout, save 50% on all vintage and 20% off the house label at Dana Foley, bringing a one-of-a-kind gold lamé shirt dress down to $163 and a collection of corsets to under $200, alongside a host of other classically glamorous pieces.
In the Wolf Circus sample sale, almost everything is under $100, from a drippy heart ring in sterling silver to a twisted nylon cord necklace with a piece of blown glass as its charm and droopy hoop earrings that could pass for Sophie Buhai but cost $95 and are made from recycled metals.
There’s also: The Sacai sale takes 30% off sculptural, half-knit bomber jackets, bandana print self-belting pants, and more; a selection of platform sneakers, rugby shirts, and more elevated skater-ish gear are over half off in the Eytys winter sale; you’ll find everything pinstriped, houndstooth, and tweed in the Filippa K winter sale for 50-60% off; Lonely Lingerie’s swim sale takes more than half off a selection of dainty but durable bikinis and one-pieces; Banana Republic’s still offering 60% off a selection of cashmere-heavy sale styles; Sea’s end of season sale winds down with discounts up to 50% off its dresses, knits, and fringe-laden sets; Notre’s sale takes up to 80% off smutty Mugler numbers, decidedly less smutty Sandy Liang accessories (including the pointe shoe, one size left for $345), and much more; and the semi-annual sale at Great Eros brings mesh lingerie, smocked vacation tops, and Merino wool trousers down by up to 50%.