408: A forbidden Phoebe Philo sale
Plus SSENSE tariff updates, the Sephora Savings event, and welcome Maya!
Find a list of only-here discounts up to 25% off in the Magasin Code Index.
Congrats to all the CFDA winners and nominees, and to Lily Allen whose revenge dressing streak might have just peaked in a devastating Colleen Allen lace set last night. I celebrated the nomination with Colleen and her team at The River last night, and I find it amazing that the brand is only two years old and having media moments that out-impact the legacy names of the night.
If you’ve noticed a new byline crop up under our news and sales franchise, The Weekly, that’s because Maya Kotomori has joined as Magasin’s News Editor. Big! Maya is a killer writer and editor with a deep and necessary (for here) instinct about what makes something “shoppable.” A few words about Maya, from Maya:
I’m a freelance writer-editor in Brooklyn, and I definitely think about shopping too much. Right now I’m into shopping second-hand items that 9-year-old-me envisioned for myself in my late 20s; lots of Philo (Chloé and early Céline), Alexander-era McQueen from 2007-ish, killer vintage tees (my favorite is a Siouxie and the Banshees grail I got in high school for 2 cents at my local thrift store in my hometown of Riverside, California). Rapid fire fun facts: I cannot ride a bike, I was once a nationally ranked synchronized swimmer, and I once went 26 months without buying anything new, apart from soap, tampons, and hygiene products of the like. For free game on outfit inspiration, follow my style account @mayakotomoriforever and for my takes on fine art, film, and life, read Responsible Gun Owner on Blogspot.
Maya and I together will bring you intel on all of the launches, collaborations, collection drops, discounts, deals, and actionable tidbits in The Weekly, and you’ll continue to hear from me in this “Editor’s Letter” spot up top. If you’ve got your own shopping news to share—hit up our new News Editor at maya@magasin.ltd.
With contributions from Maya Kotomori.
What’s new
$: Fragrance watch! Balmain Beauty releases Cuir Élysées, a raspberry (!), leather-y equation that’s joined by notes of petalia, baie rose, sandalwood, and green jasmine. The scent’s name pays homage to Élysées 64-83, Pierre Balmain’s first for the house originally introduced in 1946 (“64-83” was the Balmain studio’s complete Paris phone number). I picked up the brand’s muskier Carbone over PFW last month, and this new arrival makes a great daytime counterpart, the kind I’m putting on before I leave the house for a day of appointments that lead directly into drinks, dinner, etc.
Perhaps the best thing about Khaite is how you can amass a secret trove of pieces for every season that you’ll still reach for even when you’ve forgotten just which collection they came from. For RE26, the brand’s famed grip on neutrals loosens just enough for some tasteful vacation-safe play, like these zebra-print over-the-knee boots. Of course, the (by this point, at least) famous sculptural edge attached to Khaite remains everpresent in the self-assured leather silhouette of pieces like the Von top.
I will never forgive Gen Z for what it collectively did to the Fendi Baguette prices on TRR (Carrie Bradshaw was simply too stylish an idol), but I will say a begrudged thank you for inspiring the brand’s latest reboot (after the summer’s Spy bag revival), the quirky needle point variation of the iconic silhouette that comes with its own sewing kit, thimbles and all. That’s right, you can once again customize your own Baguette with a variety of Fendi-brand colorful threads.
The Tory Burch Holiday 2025 drop has just landed, and not only is it glitzy (the Oliver Hadlee-Pearch campaign is reminiscent of Tom Ford-Gucci glamour days), it contains a crepe co-ord set that might actually survive December. Think, part Cotswolds chic, part sequins-wearable-post-NYE.
FFORME’s PS26 offerings are not just ahead of the curve but defining its contours; lots of tailoring best described as parabolic, like the curved leg on the Yvette trousers and drop-waist skirt on the Catrin dress. The usual breezy tailoring-meets-avant minimalism, but with a mathematical twist.
Say hello to Christen, newly minted cult-favorite footwear brand from the designer that birthed many of the most iconic shoe silhouettes from The Row (delicate demi-stiletto low heels) and Bottega (all those club-toe platform boots), now available on MyTheresa. The double-strap 35 leather sandals are a foot-pain-friendly shorter-vamp cousin to the 65mm The Row Bare sandal, BTW.
The Row’s new under-$1,000 leather Sally bag (touted in our last send), has made its way to other retailers where it continues to sell out. You can refresh tabs over at MyTheresa, FWRD, and Savannah’s, or pre-order it on Moda to guarantee actually getting one.
Tokyo skincare brand Damdam skipped the baby steps out of its category into a neighboring department like, say, hair, and is diving headfirst into hospitality. Its new “Explorations” venture takes on the role of travel agent, offering a small handful of guests the chance to experience Japan through the lens of founders Giselle Go and Philippe Terrien, with trips planned for November and May. It’s a cool opportunity that simplifies access to the caliber of dining and shopping you’d expect from the design-minded beauty brand. I’m curious to see how it goes (and will continue to use its products in the meantime, which are great by the way).
There’s also: Comme Si’s quietly decadent cashmere accessories, beyond socks; the debut of Sanderlak Collection 01 exclusively available at Moda Operandi; LIÉ Studio’s foray into hair with these mirror selfie-worthy barrettes; the return of Jamie Haller’s cult-favorite leather anorak; Martiniano’s Afterparty line-up (unapologetically indulgent leather kitten heels, just like any true afterparty should be); and the first edition of the Margiela Tabi Collector’s series—a savoir faire redux of iconic fabrications’ past—with the return of the broken mirror textile.
Home releases
DWR’s latest collaboration with Radnor’s Susan Clark is here—meet the Contra Wedge Sectional, a softly curved, sculptural sofa perfect for living rooms with enough space to double as gallery spaces and those who prefer their seating to resemble the gentle peaks and valleys of one miss Venus de Milo.
For the cocktail-carrying connoisseur, with that classic ribbed chrome: the Rimowa x Robbe & Berking cocktail case, featuring all the fixings for a Don Draper-level afternoon drink for two.
The limited-edition Tekla Broderie Anglaise linen variety just restocked, bringing the daintiness of heirloom-feeling folk art (scalloped edges, romantic cut-work) to the home brand’s Danish minimalism.
What’s on sale
Remember when Phoebe Philo was, in violation of every contract it has out with its third-party retailers, uploaded to the off-price site Cettire? Well, the same thing’s now happening at Italist, which is currently selling 30 substantially discounted items from Philo’s notoriously guarded namesake line. The small Cabas bag is priced down to $2,447 (compared to $4,500 on Phoebe’s site) and this incredible fur-collared leather jacket is $3,548 (about half off the site’s current $6,700). I bought these gray jeans I’d had my eye on for ages, listed at $789 and just over $1,000 after duties and fees taken at checkout—still a great deal against the brand’s $1,700 page, which doesn’t include any tariff balances that may come. The Cettire listings got taken down within 12 hours of me hitting publish, so consider this your warning Italist’s own deals may not be around long.
I surveyed the chat last week about recent experiences ordering from SSENSE, and for Americans, there’s been plenty of frustrations from fees on previously exempt orders and packages stuck in shipping purgatory. That was all before the retailer rolled out a new tagline at the top of its homepage: “All US duties and tariffs are covered by SSENSE. No additional charges on delivery.” I’d caution to all it’s still very much order-at-your-own-risk, but the current depths of the sale (up to 80% off) may make it worth it for the reward…I’m going to test this new shipping situation for us all, and opened a fair number of tabs to find out on what: a pricey but great-deal trench from Jil Sander or Meta Campagnia Collective? White denim jacket from Alainpaul? Blue leather opera gloves from The Row? Slinky High Sport slip dress? God I’ve missed it here.
The Sephora savings event is in its fifth day, with 30% off everything until the 10th. This highly anticipated event is at that critical point where you might get cartjacked for those errant Peter Thomas Roth masks and Prada lipsticks you’ve been “just looking” at for the past 10 months. Consider the event a solid imperative to spring; claim yours with EVERYTHING.
Ferragamo, Roger Vivier, Chloé, and so much more anywhere between 20% and 70% off in Savannahs latest sale. It can get tricky out there, so a word of advice: you don’t want the other color just because it’s cheaper; stick to your guns and buy what you love (I’m talking about you, The Row Bindle bag).
An update on the Bally Singles’s Day sale: an online exclusive for 11/11 gives you an extra 22% off at checkout for those Ballyrina flats and that cashmere scarf. The outerwear might be the best deal—this season-agnostic leather blazer is 50% off, plus an extra 22%, netting it at $1,384 (down from $3,550!).
Maria McManus puts on her Friends & Family event offering 20% off new collection styles with FALL20. Warning: the slouchy outerwear is mesmerizing in both proportion and price.
Another Tomorrow’s Private Sale is here, and it’s full of the usual ethically sourced neutrals-with-a-twist fare, marked down to show the socially conscious shopper some extra love. The twill pleated trouser and variegated rib turtleneck, two mainstay basics for the brand, are some great building blocks for the uninitiated.
There’s also: Dehanche’s holiday belt edit, a progressive sale package with 20% off purchases above $200, scaling to 30% off orders $300 and, for the really dedicated, 40% off purchases above $400; a Jean Paul Gaultier archive sale beginning today for the freaks whose dreams contain mesh and marinière stripes; and U Beauty’s limited bonus promotion—beginning 11/3, the first 50 SIREN Set (a bundle of U Beauty best-sellers) buyers score a Jolie Skin Co. filtered shower head, to remind us that looking good can indeed start at the faucet.
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Great intel as always. Definitely report back on your latest SSENSE experience - I'm still seeing duties applied at checkout, and I want to make moves on the new Flore Flore before it all sells out!
Hi Laura! A while ago you posted a pic in a super fun green Dries dress…I can’t find it now, but was wondering if you still had it and were open to renting it to me for a wedding!!